I have a very well insulated basement (fiberglass batting and 1/2" MDF ceiling, and 2" styro above and below grade on the exterior block walls). We have a wood stove in the basement that we want to use to heat the first floor. Problem was, with no registers/returns, it wasn't doing much. Many of you on here said to check with the insurance provider before adding returns/registers. Everything checked out with my provider, and they gave me the go-ahead, so the other day, we cut and installed a 14"x24" heat register, and two 4"x12" returns on the opposite side of the room. We lit the stove last evening and let it burn through the night. Although the temp in the main floor didn't plummet as much as normal, it did drop some. So, obviously it's not heating (odd). I've included a diagram of my floor plan and location of the register/returns. Note that this is a split level, the bedrooms and both baths are on separate levels than the main floor, and the main floor is all open, no doors. Anyone have any suggestions as to what might be my issue? As a side note, the normal temp by morning lately as been ~50-55. This morning it was 64.8, but it was also 50 degrees outside.
![[Hearth.com] Woodstove heat circulation question...diagram inside.](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/floorplan-webp.181142/ "[Hearth.com] Woodstove heat circulation question...diagram inside.")
Woodstove heat circulation question...diagram inside.
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What were the temps in the basement? Starting, peak, and in the morning when you measured the 1st floor temps to be 64.8?
Slow1 said:
Cold, warmer, and a little warmer 8-/ I don't have a thermometer down in the basement yet. It was still holding heat very well this morning. The fire was out cold though (which is also odd since I fed it at 10PM, and shut the air flow down to a minimum).
Also (great, now I'm second guessing things), now I'm reading on here that it's unsafe to install floor registers/returns to re-direct woodstove heat as well. CO and removal of the natural barriers (floor) to limit fire spreading were all reasons cited.
Am I being unsafe here?
Am I being unsafe here?
mgh-pa said:
I would say no, paranoid possibly but that is OK (at times), hopefully, you do have CO and fire alarms installed in strategic and multiple locations.
If you were ducting direct into your bedroom, I would possibly question the move. But, unless you basement is a bunker, with fire resistant walls etc. The ducts IMHO would not keep the fire from spreading throughout the home. And CO obviously is a gas, and convects around the home with the heat.
Looks like a pretty good floor plan, if you have concerns and want to heat the house more efficiently, and save some energy carrying the wood to the basement, move the stove to the first floor.
You might want to change the system from a passive system to an active system. I'd do this by installing a duct fan on each cold air return. Take it a step farther by hooking a thermostat to the fans to make it automated. Also consider adding fused dampers/registers for safety if you're concerned.
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