I am looking for a stove for my basement and found a Scan 60 listed on craigslist. Although about 2 years old it was never installed and is still shrink wrapped on the pallet. They are asking $1000 for it. It should like a good deal to me - what do you think?
Scan 60
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Welcome to the forum kar3212.
These two things tell a lot about that stove.
EPA Rated Output BTU: 8,700 to 27,400
Heating Capacity: 220 - 1,200 square foot
I've never liked basement installs unless there is a door to the outside. Most basements are not insulated and if you install a stove there you will lose most of the heat with the cement walls soaking it up rather than the heat going elsewhere. Also, usually one has to go up and down stairs to tend the stove. Then nobody is near the stove while it is running which may or may not be a problem. Also, when one adds wood, someone needs to stay with the stove until the draft can be set properly. And finally, how is the wood to get to the basement? If it has to be carried there, the novelty will wear off super fast as that is hard work all through the winter months.
Finally, if you want to heat with wood, you need to get your wood supply as soon as possible as it needs a minimum of a year to dry to be ready for burning. If you buy your wood, even if the seller says the wood is seasoned or ready to burn now, in 99% of the cases, we've found that to not be the whole truth. If you buy, you need to buy at least a year ahead of time and if you burn oak, then you need even more time. Around here we do not burn oak until it has been split and stacked out in the open where wind will hit the stack for 3 years.
Good luck.
These two things tell a lot about that stove.
EPA Rated Output BTU: 8,700 to 27,400
Heating Capacity: 220 - 1,200 square foot
I've never liked basement installs unless there is a door to the outside. Most basements are not insulated and if you install a stove there you will lose most of the heat with the cement walls soaking it up rather than the heat going elsewhere. Also, usually one has to go up and down stairs to tend the stove. Then nobody is near the stove while it is running which may or may not be a problem. Also, when one adds wood, someone needs to stay with the stove until the draft can be set properly. And finally, how is the wood to get to the basement? If it has to be carried there, the novelty will wear off super fast as that is hard work all through the winter months.
Finally, if you want to heat with wood, you need to get your wood supply as soon as possible as it needs a minimum of a year to dry to be ready for burning. If you buy your wood, even if the seller says the wood is seasoned or ready to burn now, in 99% of the cases, we've found that to not be the whole truth. If you buy, you need to buy at least a year ahead of time and if you burn oak, then you need even more time. Around here we do not burn oak until it has been split and stacked out in the open where wind will hit the stack for 3 years.
Good luck.
The basement is a walkout - so easy access to outside and the wood. We use the basement as out family room and don't need anything to heat it 24/7 - but just when we are there in afternoon/evenings. We have a Jotul firelight going in upstairs in the greatroom and that should take care of the rest of the house. We have exclusively heated with wood in the past (over 10 years ago). We just managed to move into this house before my husband's deployment (afghanistan) and so I have been trying to get out of the heatpump business and back to wood. I got the Jotul ordered and will be installed shortly, but saw the Scan on craiglist and thought it work work well for the basement. This year - we will have to order wood, but I think there is enough dead and down in our area to get us through another couple of years once we get it chopped up.
Good luck to both you and your husband.
Once you have a taste of heating with wood, if you have a good experience with it, then it becomes difficult to be away from it. You've heated with it before and that is good because you already know the basics of wood burning and that is great.
I would caution you though on the dead and down wood. Standing dead does not necessarily mean dry enough to burn! Most times people will find the very top of the tree is okay to burn but down lower there will still be too much moisture. If down, as long as it is not touching the ground it can be good but if touching the ground, it rots fast and if any punk, it will be super wet.
The walkout basement is good and I can see why you would want the stove there. Good luck.
Once you have a taste of heating with wood, if you have a good experience with it, then it becomes difficult to be away from it. You've heated with it before and that is good because you already know the basics of wood burning and that is great.
I would caution you though on the dead and down wood. Standing dead does not necessarily mean dry enough to burn! Most times people will find the very top of the tree is okay to burn but down lower there will still be too much moisture. If down, as long as it is not touching the ground it can be good but if touching the ground, it rots fast and if any punk, it will be super wet.
The walkout basement is good and I can see why you would want the stove there. Good luck.
First: Welcome to hearth.com! There is a very knowledgeable group here so if you have future questions don't hesitate to post.
Second: Sounds like you have your wood burning needs addressed: Jotul upstairs, Scan60 for intermediate heat downstairs.
Third: You are a seasoned wood burner, so that should be covered, just remember the newer EPA stoves are VERY picky about only burning wood <20% interior moisture.
Fourth: I'd like to thank your husband for his military service and also certainly appreciate you sacrifice as myself having been a spouse of a deployed serviceman (1970's era).
Fifth: Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Second: Sounds like you have your wood burning needs addressed: Jotul upstairs, Scan60 for intermediate heat downstairs.
Third: You are a seasoned wood burner, so that should be covered, just remember the newer EPA stoves are VERY picky about only burning wood <20% interior moisture.
Fourth: I'd like to thank your husband for his military service and also certainly appreciate you sacrifice as myself having been a spouse of a deployed serviceman (1970's era).
Fifth: Happy Holidays to you and yours!
I have a Scan A-10 and I have been very happy with it. It is undersized for the house but I bought it just to use on the weekends and to supplement the furnace. When it is burning the furnace never kicks on and the house stays reasonably warm, low to mid 60's. The firebox is a bit small. I can load it up when I go to bed, around 10:00 and when I get up there is still hot enough coals to start up again. The construction is great, I haven't found any problems or cheap looking parts. I really enjoy the large glass in the door. I think the price is good, if you like the looks I'd go for it.
Welcome to the forum.
Thanks your husband for his service to our country!
I have heated our entire house from the basement for 9yrs now. Its is a walkout like yours. Thats makes basement heating the best IMO. I would never drag wood upstairs into the living area where there are many combustibles all around. I like my stove sitting on and surrounded by concrete. So for all the negatives to basement heating there are man positives too. Plus our basement is really the first floor to the house where we spend most of our time. As for the wood issue, I agree dead wood is not necessarily dry wood. Your best bet for quick wood is ash. Especially if you cut it in the winter. If you go for deadwood try to find it off the ground and without bark and sill solid.
Thanks your husband for his service to our country!
I have heated our entire house from the basement for 9yrs now. Its is a walkout like yours. Thats makes basement heating the best IMO. I would never drag wood upstairs into the living area where there are many combustibles all around. I like my stove sitting on and surrounded by concrete. So for all the negatives to basement heating there are man positives too. Plus our basement is really the first floor to the house where we spend most of our time. As for the wood issue, I agree dead wood is not necessarily dry wood. Your best bet for quick wood is ash. Especially if you cut it in the winter. If you go for deadwood try to find it off the ground and without bark and sill solid.
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