# Small pellet stove to heat ~225 sqft.



## SlyFerret (Feb 15, 2011)

Hi guys,
I usually hang out in the wood burning section of the site, but I'm thinking about using a pellet stove to heat one room in my house.

My wife and I live in a split level.  The wood burner is on the mid level of the split and keeps the entire house toasty, with the exception of the family room that is on the lower level of the split.  I've tried an air mover fan, and I tried running my furnace blower, and have so far been unsuccessful getting heat to go down the stairs effectively.  Yeah, I know... physics.  Can't even bend the rules a little bit.

I would really like to be able to use the room downstairs without employing an electric space heater.

This room has a fireplace.  A majestic winterwarm 42 with an 8" flue.  The fireplace has a brick hearth that extends 16" (I believe) from the front of the fireplace.

Three questions...

First, is there a small pellet stove that would be well suited to heating a single room when we need it?  Preferably one that can work with a thermostat to maintain the temp.

Second, do pellet stoves require the hearth to extend out in front of the stove the same way wood burners do?  Is it possible to set a small pellet stove in front of the existing fireplace, and vent it up the chimney with a liner?

Third, I know that it is not recommended to install a wood burning insert into a builder box fireplace like the one I have.  Is there a small pellet insert that would be rated for installation into a majestic winterwarm 42?  (This might actually be ideal).

Thanks!
-SF


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## Don2222 (Feb 15, 2011)

Hello

Usually pellet stoves need 6 inches of hearth in the front.


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## SlyFerret (Feb 15, 2011)

Wow!  That thing looks like a nuclear reactor!

-SF


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## imacman (Feb 15, 2011)

SlyFerret said:
			
		

> .....First, is there a small pellet stove that would be well suited to heating a single room when we need it?  Preferably one that can work with a thermostat to maintain the temp.
> 
> Second, do pellet stoves require the hearth to extend out in front of the stove........



Enviro mini.  Just had a friend from work install one in his sunroom, which is about 24 x 12....he loves it.  It also has a built-in hearth on bottom.

www.enviro.com/fireplace-products/pellet/freestanding-fireplace.html#mini


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## SlyFerret (Feb 15, 2011)

I just took some measurements around the fireplace.  That mini looks like it might be perfect.

The hearth extends farther than I thought.  21".  I could make a metal block off plate to cover the fireplace opening, set the mini in front of the fireplace, and vent it up the chimney like I hoped.

According to the PDF"s on that link, I should be able to meet clearances without a problem.

Oddly, I don't see any pricing information on the manufacturers website.  There is a dealer in town here though.  What should I expect a fair price for that stove to be (ballpark)?

Thanks!
-SF


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## Heaterhunter (Feb 15, 2011)

imacman said:
			
		

> SlyFerret said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



+1  There are several small stoves but the stove shop I deal with raves about this one.


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## imacman (Feb 15, 2011)

SlyFerret said:
			
		

> What should I expect a fair price for that stove to be (ballpark)?......



In the $2500 area.


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## drizler (Feb 15, 2011)

Here is another perspective on this but I bet it makes financial sense even if you live where electricity is pure extortion.  What about a simple electric heater for a small place like that?   I used to heat the whole place with a pellet stove and gave up much of it in the bedrooms after tripping over fans in the hallway and all that for a few years.    All we use for similar space to what you have there is a single 1500 watt electric heat.   One is a ceramic and the other is a oil filled radiator.  They both do the job well though the ceramic is noisy and overall the radiator just feels better and is completely safe as it can't start a fire no matter what you do with it.   In our case 2 bedrooms with the 2 heaters used only when someone is in there and 2 electri  blankets costs us right around $50/ NYSEG's high rates.   The trade off is using 3 tons / season opposed to 5 - 6 tons trying to blow it down the hallway not so successfully.   The of course in your case there is the cost of the stove to factor in plus installation to consider as well.    It just seems to me that the payback period would be quite long for what you propose unless it's something you want for aesthetic reasons.


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## DexterDay (Feb 15, 2011)

As far as cost per month, to heat that area, My Kill A watt meter says it would cost about $85 a month in electric for a ceramic space heater. Or less than $10 in electric for the pellet stove. Add $50-$70 a month for pellets. Again depending on your usage, it could be cheaper or more expensive. (Plus maintenance) If I had the choice. I would go stove. Cost more initially but you will get more out of it when you need it, the space heater can only get so hot. IMO


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## Fsappo (Feb 15, 2011)

For less than 500 or less square feet, I normally suggest something other than pellets or coal.  A small DV gas stove pwns


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## SlyFerret (Feb 15, 2011)

I'm trying to get off of propane completely.  Eventually I'll replace my propane furnace with a geothermal heat pump, which I expect will make the shoulder season a lot easier as a wood burner.

As for the one downstairs room that I want to heat... I really do like fire 

I see this as a project for late summer/fall if I do decide to go this route, so I have some time to think about it.  In the mean time, for the remainder of this winter, I'll pick up one of those oil filled radiator heaters and see how it does.

Thanks for all the input so far!
-SF


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## Lewis (Feb 15, 2011)

For 225 sqft... have you considered candles?


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## DAKSY (Feb 15, 2011)

The Enviro Mini retails for $2367.00... We have 3 of them for 25% off, 
 or $1775.00, IF you feel like driving to NY's Capital District... 
& IF you don't want us to cover any Warranty work...


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## 2400 (Feb 15, 2011)

US stove model 24oo window mount stove.  No stove pipe necessary.   Check it out.  I like it.  they are coming down to around $800 at the end of the season.


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## Fsappo (Feb 15, 2011)

By the way, I just reread your OP.  Majestic did not make a winterwarm that I'm aware of.  They do make a Warm Magic or WM42SX I think, if memory serves.  If thats what you have it is far superior (no pun intended) than a builders box fireplace.  Anyhow, there are ways to get a pellet or wood burning insert into that fp if need be.


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## HEMI (Feb 15, 2011)

Lewis said:
			
		

> For 225 sqft... have you considered candles?


hahahahahahahahahahahaha


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## Pellet_OilBoy (Feb 15, 2011)

Lewis said:
			
		

> For 225 sqft... have you considered candles?


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## SlyFerret (Feb 16, 2011)

Lewis said:
			
		

> For 225 sqft... have you considered candles?



Win  I LOL'd.

-SF


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## SlyFerret (Feb 16, 2011)

Franks said:
			
		

> By the way, I just reread your OP.  Majestic did not make a winterwarm that I'm aware of.  They do make a Warm Magic or WM42SX I think, if memory serves.  If thats what you have it is far superior (no pun intended) than a builders box fireplace.  Anyhow, there are ways to get a pellet or wood burning insert into that fp if need be.



You're right, it's a Warm Magic, my memory failed me.  As a fireplace goes, it's not bad, but it just isn't efficient enough to justify burning my good firewood in.  It goes through as much wood in a few hours as my stove does in a while day.  The wood burning stove does a great job of heating the rest of the house, and I don't really need to run two wood burners.

I'm thinking pellets because I'd like to be able to heat that room in a more "on demand" fashion.

I'd love to put in a pellet insert, if it can be installed in the fireplace unit I have without voiding the UL listings and giving my insurance company any reason to complain in (albeit unlikely) event that I have a problem.

-SF


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