I have a ranch style home and am considering a pellet stove puchase for additional heat. My main floor has ice cold laminate flooring and my basement is finished; however, it has a drop ceiling which I feel may prevent the heat from rising and heating the ice cold floors. I have considered placing the pellet stove in the upstairs but I would really prefer to have it downstairs since we spend most of our time there in our family room. I am ok with the upstairs being a little cooler than downstairs if that means the stove will be downstairs in our family room. I have been looking at the Harman P68 and the Mt. Vernon but I sort of stumbled onto a thread on this website about the Harman PF100 and now I am reconsidering that furnace since I "should" be able to connect it into all my previous ductwork if what I read was correct. However, I have read some conncerns with it burning more fuel than it should and problems with it maintaining consistent temperatures. Basically, if I did not go with a PF100 does anyone know if the drop ceiling tiles will act as a barrier and prevent the heat from rising to the second floor and if so should I consider additional venting in the floor to help this process? Please Advise
Ranch Style Home Looking at Pellet Stoves
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I'm sure you will have several helping you with advice on your choices and models. How is the insulation in the joist spaces up on the sill plate? Remember that heat flows to cold. Heat will quickly escape out those joist spaces as quickly as a "cold wall" (no insulation). Double check if you arent sure.....that is a major cause of cold floor syndrome. Also, check door seals and window seals now that we are coming into warmer weather.
Hope your search goes well!
Hope your search goes well!
How many sq feet are you looking to heat?
The Mount Vernon is too much for anything less than 1500 in my opinion.
I had a ranch before, too and was in the same quandary. I wondered if the heat would rise up the (relatively wide) stairway if I put the stove in the finished basement.
In my new house (a two story bungalow) the heat goes to the upstairs no problem. The stair case is open on one side and temps in the upstairs bedrooms are easily adjust by opening/closing the doors.
I think the key to all this is insulation and good windows. If you do not have these then even the upstairs will be a bit cool forcing you to crank up the temp downstairs.
I'd always spend $$$$ on insulation/windows/doors before any sort of pellet/wood stove or furnace upgrade.
The Mount Vernon is too much for anything less than 1500 in my opinion.
I had a ranch before, too and was in the same quandary. I wondered if the heat would rise up the (relatively wide) stairway if I put the stove in the finished basement.
In my new house (a two story bungalow) the heat goes to the upstairs no problem. The stair case is open on one side and temps in the upstairs bedrooms are easily adjust by opening/closing the doors.
I think the key to all this is insulation and good windows. If you do not have these then even the upstairs will be a bit cool forcing you to crank up the temp downstairs.
I'd always spend $$$$ on insulation/windows/doors before any sort of pellet/wood stove or furnace upgrade.
let's not forget that you can also cut and install vents in your floors to allow heat to your upper floor . if you are heating your entire basement with your pellet or wood stove,cut vents in the floor above to allow the heat up.my dad did this in our ranch home when i was a kid,and our house was always very comfortable.
Our stove is in our finished basement/office and it works for us.
We have a straight ranch, drop ceilings in the basement, and an open
stairwell to the first floor. The heat rises upstairs and also warms the floors,
even with insulation between the drop ceilings and floor joists.
The first floor is comfortable enough that my NG furnace is not needed.
The bedrooms at the far end of the house are a little cooler but comfortable
as long as we keep all the doors open.
If you purchase the stove with the intention of supplimental heat in the
space you spend the most time in, you should be happy with it in your
basement.
Good luck in your decision
We have a straight ranch, drop ceilings in the basement, and an open
stairwell to the first floor. The heat rises upstairs and also warms the floors,
even with insulation between the drop ceilings and floor joists.
The first floor is comfortable enough that my NG furnace is not needed.
The bedrooms at the far end of the house are a little cooler but comfortable
as long as we keep all the doors open.
If you purchase the stove with the intention of supplimental heat in the
space you spend the most time in, you should be happy with it in your
basement.
Good luck in your decision
My Mt Vernon is in the basement. The basement is mostly open....this is important. Both the basement and main floor are about 1550 sq feet each. I burn about 2 bags per day when its zero to low teens. Its tough to keep it warm upstairs when it is this cold....about 65. In the high 20's-30's I use about 1.5 bag per day and it stays about 68-70 upstairs. The ceiling in my basement is open but the walls are finished and insulated...this is very important. I do not have carpet in the basement. My stairway is not very open. Like you we spend a lot of time in basement. Pellet stove are not the cleanest beasts around so I am glad its in the basement for this reason as well.
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BIH
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