Papa Bear Question for Coaly

[Old School]

I posted a thread in the main hearth room last week stating my displeasure with my 4 year old cat stove and mentioned replacing with a Papa Bear and was advised not to.

I removed the new stove found a problem with the 6" liner which I have corrected, went ahead and added a sheet metal block off plate to go long with Roxul already in place and I have ordered a stainless Tee so I can connect a free standing rear vent stove to.

It is a finished basement install roughly 600 sq ft poorly insulated and a 30-32' flex liner in a clay lined rock chimney. I really like the look of the papa and I feel lie it would put out enough heat to heat the basement, send some heat upstairs and keep the flue warm enough to minimize creosote.

This is a backup stove only used in really cold weather or when we plan to use the basement. I need a stove that heats up relatively quickly and puts out serious heat.

A new stove is cost prohibitive and there are multiple papas for sale in my area for $5-600.

Am I thinking along the right lines regarding the papa being the right choice or am I missing something.

Also there are many more Grandpas on CL than papas but If my research is correct they won't heat as well. Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[coaly]

I got my neighbor a Papa for his basement here in NE PA and it heats an uninsulated approx. 1400 sf basement plus his entire upstairs. His gas furnace hasn't ran since. I installed a baffle plate for him and he's very happy. As long as your liner is 6 inch and you're heating a larger area upstairs too, they heat quick, and can drive you out of the basement if you try. The deep firebox lights up much easier than a double door since the air travels down the logs between them and will sound like an oil burner if you open the air too much. If you only have the same amount of space upstairs, I'd go with a Mama unless you like sauna temperatures downstairs.

 

[Old School]

Thank you for the information. Only half of the basement is finished which is the 600sq ft. The upstairs is 1800 sq ft with the open loft so there is plenty of space for the heat to distribute. Thank you for the information. I will certainly be keeping my eye out for a good buy on a Papa.

I sold my epa stove so for the time being I am going to hook up my grandfathers old Ashley C60 circulator that I cleaned up years ago and then covered with a tarp in the garage. I know it will heat well just not a fan of the look.

May try to fab a baffle in the Ashely but I haven't been able to locate any information where anyone else has attempted this so I don't know if it will work out.