Pellet Stove for basement

[geek]

This post is not to ask the question: which one should I buy?, but rather looking for suggestions on the following:

I live in CT and remodeling my basement. I have a 2-story 1, 850 sq. ft. colonial home (around 900/950 for each level).
I insulated the basement really well (foam boards plus insulation batts) and am in the final steps of the remodeling, looking to buy "end of season" pellet stove (for good lowered prices), there's a HD store that has the Englander that covers 2,200 ft, they lowered the price to about $1,300.

I know this stove is too big for my heating needs in the basement, but at the same time I'm thinking to help heat the first floor by leaving the basement door open so the heat can rise accordingly.

There's another HD where they have a returned unit that burns corn/pellet (the 10-cdvp model) for about $1,300 also, they tell me it was returned after a week of use because customer said something was wrong, but they serviced it and found no problems.

Anyways, what would you guys think in terms of getting heat for the basement, the area is about 800 sq.ft but again am looking on helping heat the first floor....

Currently I use base board hot water heat (oil)

 

[geek]

the other local HD offered the 10-cdvp model for $1,049.00

hmmmmm......any feedback?

 

[trehugr]

This post is not to ask the question: which one should I buy?, but rather looking for suggestions on the following:

I live in CT and remodeling my basement. I have a 2-story 1, 850 sq. ft. colonial home (around 900/950 for each level).
I insulated the basement really well (foam boards plus insulation batts) and am in the final steps of the remodeling, looking to buy "end of season" pellet stove (for good lowered prices), there's a HD store that has the Englander that covers 2,200 ft, they lowered the price to about $1,300.

I know this stove is too big for my heating needs in the basement, but at the same time I'm thinking to help heat the first floor by leaving the basement door open so the heat can rise accordingly.

There's another HD where they have a returned unit that burns corn/pellet (the 10-cdvp model) for about $1,300 also, they tell me it was returned after a week of use because customer said something was wrong, but they serviced it and found no problems.

Anyways, what would you guys think in terms of getting heat for the basement, the area is about 800 sq.ft but again am looking on helping heat the first floor....

Currently I use base board hot water heat (oil)

Geek,
We have a Harmon P68 in our 1/2 finished basement. The stove is in the finished half. 2nd year now. First year we used it just to heat the finished room. We have been heating the entire house now (1800 sf log home 3 years old) as the last oil bill made me cry, then puke, cry some more. Im impressed how well its doing. The big test will be tonight when it gets down to
-15 here in Maine. The only problem doing this is the new "big screen room" is about 1000 degrees. if we want to use the room we turn down the stove, or just watch tv upstairs. It helps to leave a 2nd floor window open a crack to create a draft and move some of that warm air upstairs. The oil burner only turns on to heat the DWH. Making huge changes this summer. Wood outdoor gasifier, with storage, and hopefully some sort of solar assisted hot water. We will remove the pellet stove and add radiatiors in the new room. Hope this helps some.

 

[geek]

I'm assuming you have a ranch, right? meaning the basement plus one level, or is it 2 story colonial plus the basement?
If it's a colonial then I'm impressed you're heating the whole house....I guess the stairs are wide open for the air to flow up.

Was it hard to making your decision in getting one brand vs. another? It's funny because the local fireplace shop here tells me that HD sells junk (NewEnglander brand) and that they sell best brands like Breckwell......

 

[trehugr]

Geek, 2 story chalet plus daylight basement

 

[trehugr]

Geek, air seems to want to stop at top of basement stairs. Fans stratigicly placed made no difference. Not until we opened one of the upstairs bedroom windows did the air make its way up there.

Our Harmon has had its issues, and I thought we were purchasing top of the line, perhaps we were, Thank the stars for excellent product support !

 

[jamorris]

Geek, air seems to want to stop at top of basement stairs. Fans stratigicly placed made no difference. Not until we opened one of the upstairs bedroom windows did the air make its way up there.

If it is feasible, you could pipe combustion air to the stove from the upstairs. It would help to circulate the heat up there. Cold air returns are a big issue in heating systems. It may eliminate the losses out the window,

Jerry