New Home 1,775sf Ranch with unfinished basement.

[B-Rad]

Hello everyone, I am new to the forum but have been reading a lot of information for some time now. I am in Iowa and just built a new home. 1,775 sf open floor plan ranch with the same sf in the unfinished (but insulated) basement. I went to a local dealer and had them come an look at the space. We have a lot of windows, 9 ft ceilings with a 12 ft vault in the kitchen, dining, living room area. Blown in insulation.

I really wanted an "add on wood furnace" like I grey up with but they said they didn't recommend them with new high efficiency furnaces. I explained I wanted to use this a primary heat with the furnace as a back up. I wanted to be able to have the house 75+ if we chose to. My wife's uncle has a slightly small house with an old cast iron stove and they are opening windows because it is like 80 upstairs.

They recommended and installed a Regency F2400 in the basement. I thought it looked rather small. I burn seasoned Oak and we just can't get the results we wanted. When the outside temp is in the 30's-40's we can get the house to about 70 but when it drops to single digits we can hardly reach 68. Below 0 like now and we start at 70 with the help of the furnace and in a 4-5 hours we are down to 65 while running the stove at 550 - 600 (top of stove temp).

We run the furnace fan "on" 24/7 and have also place fans in the basement to force heat up the stairs. We have a 4 ft wide stairway not far from the stove. When you walk down the stairs you can feel the heat rising up.

I think the stove is working properly but I think it is just way too much space. The basement is usually about the same temp as the main level. The bedroom floor located above the stove is not even getting warm. I am curious about how to get the results we want. Bigger stove, cast iron stove maybe both.

Sorry for the long post. I wanted to include all the information needed to offer advice.

Thank you in advance.

 

[begreen]

Your thoughts are correct. That is a large area for one stove. You need more heat. In the Regency line the F3100 (6" flue) or F5100 (8" flue) would have been better. Or maybe pursue the idea of a high quality, EPA wood furnace a little farther. The wood furnace would need to be located relatively close to the current furnace in order to tap into the trunk duct and backflow dampers would need to be installed for proper and efficient operation, but at least that would keep most of the heat produced going upstairs.

The best alternative is to put a large stove upstairs. Is there an upstairs fireplace?

 

[B-Rad]

Your thoughts are correct. That is a large area for one stove. In the Regency line the F3100 or F5100 would have been better. Or maybe pursue the idea of a high quality, EPA wood furnace a little farther. The wood furnace would need to be located relatively close to the current furnace in order to tap into the trunk duct and backflow dampers would need to be installed for proper and efficient operation, but at least that would keep most of the heat produced going upstairs.

The best alternative is to put a large stove upstairs. Is there an upstairs fireplace?

Thanks for the quick response. The basement is insulated. Just not dry walled. I was hoping to not have to install a new chimney. The current one is 30 ft away from the furnace. Otherwise I love the idea of the add on furnace. Do you think the larger F3100 or F5100 would do the job?

 

[B-Rad]

Your thoughts are correct. That is a large area for one stove. You need more heat. In the Regency line the F3100 (6" flue) or F5100 (8" flue) would have been better. Or maybe pursue the idea of a high quality, EPA wood furnace a little farther. The wood furnace would need to be located relatively close to the current furnace in order to tap into the trunk duct and backflow dampers would need to be installed for proper and efficient operation, but at least that would keep most of the heat produced going upstairs.

The best alternative is to put a large stove upstairs. Is there an upstairs fireplace?

Sorry. There is a fireplace upstairs but it is an LP gas built into the wall. Sloped lot was not conducive to getting wood to that one without carrying it through the whole house,, and I really though it would be too hot in the living room. Now I think I was wrong.

 

[bholler]

Thanks for the quick response. The basement is insulated. Just not dry walled. I was hoping to not have to install a new chimney. The current one is 30 ft away from the furnace. Otherwise I love the idea of the add on furnace. Do you think the larger F3100 or F5100 would do the job?

I agree a bigger stove would be better but can you tell us what moisture content your wood is at what temps you run the stove at etc.

 

[B-Rad]

I agree a bigger stove would be better but can you tell us what moisture content your wood is at what temps you run the stove at etc.

Moisture content is between 9% & 12% using a moisture meter with the probes. I try to keep the stove between 500 & 600 degrees F. I use a quality non contact infrared thermometer taking reading on the top of the stove near the center. I have a magnetic one on there but I don't trust it.

 

[bholler]

Moisture content is between 9% & 12% using a moisture meter with the probes. I try to keep the stove between 500 & 600 degrees F. I use a quality non contact infrared thermometer taking reading on the top of the stove near the center. I have a magnetic one on there but I don't trust it.

Is that measurment on a room temp fresh split face? They are almost imossiby low for air dried wood in your climate.

But the stove top temps sound good what are the pipe temps? It is very possible the stove is just to small.

 

[weatherguy]

You should have pushed for the biggest stove they had I'm heating a similar house with basement insulated and finished and the progress hybrid pretty much heats to 70+ with a little assist from the furnace on cold nights.

 

[B-Rad]

Is that measurment on a room temp fresh split face? They are almost imossiby low for air dried wood in your climate.

But the stove top temps sound good what are the pipe temps? It is very possible the stove is just to small.

I am able to store about a weeks worth of wood inside. I think the moisture content may be a round 15%-16% when I measure it outside before bringing it in. I will try a fresh split tonight and check the internal moisture content.

 

[Mike M.]

I have a story and half home also with a wood stove in the basement. There is no way a basement stove could heat my place to 75 on the main level in cold weather. It helps heat the main level but this is just too much space for it. We have another ZC fireplace upstairs to assist. I would vote for a EPA wood furnace in your application, even if it needs a separate duct system from the main furnace.

 

[B-Rad]

I have a story and half home also with a wood stove in the basement. There is no way a basement stove could heat my place to 75 on the main level in cold weather. It helps heat the main level but this is just too much space for it. We have another ZC fireplace upstairs to assist. I would vote for a EPA wood furnace in your application, even if it needs a separate duct system from the main furnace.

Interesting though about the separate duct system. Would I need to cut in extra vents (registers) on the main floor that would come from the wood furnace?

One other thing I forgot to mention about my F2400 setup. They did not connect the optional outside combustible air so it draws air from the basement. Not sure if that would make a difference.

 

[MagdalenaP]

Please don't go with the 2400, way too small. And 8 hour burn time is not accurate. I just had one installed a couple months ago...and am already thinking of the f3500.

 

[B-Rad]

Please don't go with the 2400, way too small. And 8 hour burn time is not accurate. I just had one installed a couple months ago...and am already thinking of the f3500.

Thanks. Unfortunately it was installed a few months ago. I agree. Too small. The wood box is very small. Even after just a half day of burning the coals are high enough it makes it difficult to add larger splits without hitting the re-burn tubes at the top. As for the burn time. It is all in the definition. I can have enough hot coal to re light the stove with a few chunks of wood after 12-15 hours but after only 4 hours the stove will be down to 250-300 degrees.

I am really open to other manufacturers. weatherguy mentioned the Woodstock PH. I'll look into those if there is a dealer near me.

 

[Woody Stover]

You need more firepower, not sure what that guy was thinking. The highest output/hr stoves according to EPA (who knows for sure?) are the big cat stoves like the Buck 91 or the Kuma Sequoia. The Sequoia has a bigger box, I think. You may not want to mess with cats, though, and I wouldn't blame you.
In lieu of that, the Regency 3100 that begreen mentioned looks pretty good. Down there, you want a stove that will heat a lot of air, and let convection take it upstairs. The closer the stove is to the stairs, and the bigger the stairs, the better. Or boost the convection loop with fans. Not sure if the Regency blower pulls air off the sides of the firebox like the Buck, or just the back and top. In any event you are looking at 8-hr. burn times if you are trying to pull maximum heat off the stove..which you will be trying to do often, in IA.

Would I need to cut in extra vents (registers) on the main floor

How good is the insulation and air-sealing in the house? That will have a lot of bearing on how much heat you need. How close to the stairs is the stove and what is the configuration of the staircase..open sides, width of doorway?

 

[begreen]

The F2400 is not a bad stove, but you need all the firepower you can get. In order to work with the 6" flue the options are going to be either a 3+ cu ft stove or based on chimney location, a wood furnace with and independent ducting. There are several good 3 cu ft stoves on the market that will be an improvement.

 

[B-Rad]

You need more firepower, not sure what that guy was thinking. The highest output/hr stoves according to EPA (who knows for sure?) are the big cat stoves like the Buck 91 or the Kuma Sequoia. The Sequoia has a bigger box, I think. You may not want to mess with cats, though, and I wouldn't blame you.
In lieu of that, the Regency 3100 that begreen mentioned looks pretty good. Down there, you want a stove that will heat a lot of air, and let convection take it upstairs. The closer the stove is to the stairs, and the bigger the stairs, the better. Or boost the convection loop with fans. Not sure if the Regency blower pulls air off the sides of the firebox like the Buck, or just the back and top. In any event you are looking at 8-hr. burn times if you are trying to pull maximum heat off the stove..which you will be trying to do often, in IA.
How good is the insulation and air-sealing in the house? That will have a lot of bearing on how much heat you need. How close to the stairs is the stove and what is the configuration of the staircase..open sides, width of doorway?

New construction so the house is pretty tight. Blown in insulation in the walls on the main level as well as the ceiling. The basement walls are bat insulation. Most of the basement is under grade. The back is a walkout. We have a lot of larger windows that are double pane with argon gas. We have actual temps of -15 to-25 F with 20 - 30 MPH winds the last few days. I can feel some cold tranasfer from the glass when I stand near it but not too bad considering the temps. As for drafts, I haven't felt any, even with the high winds.

The stove is on the South/East end of the basement in the corner, not too far from he staircase. (About 15 feet). The stair case is 4 ft wide. No doors. goes up to the center of the main level.

 

[Woody Stover]

New construction so the house is pretty tight...not too far from he staircase. (About 15 feet). The stair case is 4 ft wide. No doors. goes up to the center of the main level.

That all sounds pretty good. The 4' doorway should let a lot of warm air rise pretty quickly, and it's in the center of upstairs which is good.
If you want a non-cat, big stoves from Regency (3100,) Lopi Liberty, Pacific Energy Summit, or a big QuadraFire might work pretty well except in brutal weather, when you might need help from the furnace. I don't know enough about the features of each of these. I like a good ash disposal system, as opposed to shoveling out..don't know how those stack up.
Do you live in northern or southern IA? Wind comes sweepin' down the plain everywhere in the state, though..

 

[mark cline]

Any chance you insulated under your basement floor? We put down 2 " of rigid foam board before we poured the basement floor which is about 1300 sq ft. It takes 3 days for the concrete to come up to temperature when burning our Fisher Grandma bear at 650F plus . After the concrete gets to room temp. ,we have to cut back on the heat quite a bit to keep from being roasted out.

 

[mcdougy]

I would recommend the Pacific energy summit. I have the fp30 which is essentially the same as a summit size wise, and the fp30 is heating 3100 main floor and 1900 basement. It runs 3 loads a day of ash. I am super impressed by this unit, and it's heating beyond my expectations. I run the furnace fan on low and have a ceiling fan in the cathedral stove room.

 

[B-Rad]

Any chance you insulated under your basement floor? We put down 2 " of rigid foam board before we poured the basement floor which is about 1300 sq ft. It takes 3 days for the concrete to come up to temperature when burning our Fisher Grandma bear at 650F plus . After the concrete gets to room temp. ,we have to cut back on the heat quite a bit to keep from being roasted out.

We insulated under the concrete about 3 ft in along the walkout side of the basement. The rest is 4 - 9 feet below grade. The stove has been going for a month solid going down only to coals while we are out and then stoked back up upon return.

 

[B-Rad]

I would recommend the Pacific energy summit. I have the fp30 which is essentially the same as a summit size wise, and the fp30 is heating 3100 main floor and 1900 basement. It runs 3 loads a day of ash. I am super impressed by this unit, and it's heating beyond my expectations. I run the furnace fan on low and have a ceiling fan in the cathedral stove room.

@ mcdoudy - Impressive. So it sounds like you have the stove located on the main level not the basement.

 

[mcdougy]

@ mcdoudy - Impressive. So it sounds like you have the stove located on the main level not the basement.

Yes, stove is on the main floor, the fp30 has the option of 2 extra pipes to transfer heat via in line fans. I have one, that shoots the air downstairs to the basement living room. When it's darn cold I run the firebox fan and the basement fan on medium. When it's not super cold I just run the basement fan. Also my basement is not a walkout, but there are 3 bedrooms down there and all seem to stay around 70°. Again I will state...this unit has outperformed my expectations. Couldn't be happier.....unless it could eliminate my lp hot water bill. Last year with Lp at .62 my bill was approx. 550$ for mainly hot water and a bit of furnace while under construction for the new build.

 

[mcdougy]

 

[B-Rad]

View attachment 239770

WOW. That is beautiful.

 

[B-Rad]

Your thoughts are correct. That is a large area for one stove. You need more heat. In the Regency line the F3100 (6" flue) or F5100 (8" flue) would have been better. Or maybe pursue the idea of a high quality, EPA wood furnace a little farther. The wood furnace would need to be located relatively close to the current furnace in order to tap into the trunk duct and backflow dampers would need to be installed for proper and efficient operation, but at least that would keep most of the heat produced going upstairs.

The best alternative is to put a large stove upstairs. Is there an upstairs fireplace?

It has been a wile but after much back and forth with my dealer, he is suggesting the Jotul F55 Carabassett. It looks like a very nice unit. 83,000 BTU that is rated for 2500SF. I think the cast iron exterior will radiate the heat much better. My concern is, I think the upgrade will cost me about $1,500.00. According to the dealr the Regency F2400 was $1964.00 and the new Jotul with blower is $3,444.00. I don't know what they are going to do with the the F2400. I am confused because the Drolet HT2000 is 95,000BTU rated for 2400 sf. I could get the Drolet for less than $1500.00 and keep the F2400 for the garage or sell it to offset the cost of the new one.

Any advice would be welcome.