# Pellet Stove in Basement of Split Entry??



## StormPanic (Nov 1, 2012)

Hello - looks like there is a ton of great info from some very helpful people on this site....

I am planning on installing a pellet stove (Regency Greenfire GF55) in the finished basement of my split entry (2000 SF) to try to offset my heating oil costs.  Hoping for a 50% reduction in heating oil costs by using the pellet stove.  A friend of mine has been able to heat his entire house (similar size) in a similar manner with the pellet stove in the basement and having the heat rise up the stairs and through a small (4" x  10") vent in the ceiling directly above the stove.  Both the salesman in the store and my friend both are convinced that the stove will reduce my oil costs by at least half and maybe by 75%.  I guess I am a little skeptical and hesitant to spend over $2,000 unless I get a 3rd, 4th, 5th opinion.  Would appreciate any input some of you experts might have in a similar installation.  Thanks!!


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## saladdin (Nov 1, 2012)

What area you in?

No way would I do that. Rated at 45k btu, sitting in the basement of a  split house? And he says it cuts his oil by half? I just don't see it. The rating say 2k sq ft but that has to be top notch conditions not sitting in a basement.

My pellet stove is a huge space heater. I have to put thru-wall fans and box fans just to get the heat to flow how I like it. And that's 1400 ft on one floor. 

May want to look at a pellet furnace.


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## bugize (Nov 1, 2012)

A friend of mine has a Harman p68...lives in maine...heating the same type of house.
I wouldnt try it with anything less than a p61


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## imacman (Nov 1, 2012)

No guarantee the heat will move through your house the same as your friends, unless the houses are identical.  Basement installs are iffy, at best.  Sometimes they heat upstairs, sometimes not.  

If you have another location upstairs that you can move the stove to at a later date if the basement deal doesn't work out, OK, but I'd be leery.  Pellet stoves are room heaters, and are designed to be in the area you want to heat the most.....anything other is just a bonus.

And don't plan on the 50-75% savings....it may not happen.


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## will711 (Nov 1, 2012)

First Welcome to the forum. There are several variables you need to consider how well insulated is your home? how about the windows, what part of the country are you located?

Will a pellet stove save on oil you bet it will but 50 - 75% I don't know that.  You may want to consider a more powerful stove . I think it would be better to be over sized than under sized. If you have to run a small stove at max all the time to reach your goal that puts more wear and tear on motors and blowers. A bigger stove could run at  1/2 speed but if you need more heat it's nice to know that you can crank it up. It kinda like should I take my jacket with me? nice to have and not need than to be someplace cold and wishing I had my jacket.

Hope this helps and good luck.


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## StormPanic (Nov 1, 2012)

Thanks for the input - the basement is finished and insulated (except the basement ceiling).  The 2,000 SF includes the finished basement.  I live in MA.


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## StormPanic (Nov 1, 2012)

FYI the finished room in the basement is only 17 x 14 so its not a huge area before the heat gets to the stairwell.


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## RightSeatCessna (Nov 1, 2012)

I have an Englander 25EP in a 2100 split level. I just installed it to supplement my oil furnace. I have run the pellet stove this fall with temperate in the 30s at night which will keep the room it's in anywhere from 70-90 and I have a box fan above the stove on the mantle blow the air out of our media room and another box fan tilted up to the upstairs portion of he house (it was running 70 degrees). The bedrooms are in the 60's which is fine because the family likes to sleep in a cool room. Since I just installed I will not comment on the savings but I do know my family of four loves the addition to our finished basement and any extra heat I get upstairs is a bonus.

I have not had an issue with my basement install and my EVL is 30+. I'll try to post a picture of my install on here but my only complaint is the outside air kit looks ugly in the house. What is the issue with most basement installs? Is it because the rooms are too tight? If so, doesn't the OAK take care of that?


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## P38X2 (Nov 1, 2012)

I would avoid putting that stove in the basement. Having it on your main floor would be very advantageous. IMO, you'd have to run that stove hard to get the heat you want....and in the process, burn up a lot of $$$ in pellets....likely more than you're saving on oil.


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## fmsm (Nov 1, 2012)

I have a front to back split that has a large(aprox 22x40) addition. Basically they took the middle bedroom (the door was in line with the stairs) and made it a hallway and bathroom. If you are at the top of the stairs looking at it the bathroom is to the left and the hall leads to 2 large bedrooms. When you go downstairs from the kitchen I have made a hallway with a laundry room on one side and a utility room on the other. It opens up to a 20x23 family room with a large fieldstone fireplace and oversized hearth directly across from the opening. I have 2 pellet stoves, an old Whitfield that was purchased just to heat that room and a Harman insert upstairs. If I crank my Whitfield and get my family room up in the 90's there is very little heat that travels upstairs. Mt Harman which is placed in the living room of most front to back splits heats my entire upstairs with very little effort. I have taken down the wall that seperates the kitchen from room that the Harman is in and my biggest challenge is heating the kitchen! The air travels naturally up into the second floor and keeps it all toasty upstairs. I should mention that because of my mother in law my house is kept a too toasty 74 degrees and I will burn around 2 tons per year.

That said do you have an upstairs fireplace or location to put a stove?


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## saladdin (Nov 1, 2012)

scas said:


> FYI the finished room in the basement is only 17 x 14 so its not a huge area before the heat gets to the stairwell.


 
That's using 240 sq ft of the rated 2k for that stove, going straight by the numbers. That heat will not all flow upstairs. You will lose heat to that unused room that you could be using up stairs.So that's at least one room that will not get heat upstairs because the basement is sucking it up.

As I said, it will take a lot of doing to get a fair flow going in a one story house so yours will be harder. If you are set on this, you need to look at bigger stove.


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## movemaine (Nov 4, 2012)

I have a tri-level (actually 4 levels) - basement/garage - main level - bedroom level - attic playroom - all in all, about 2300-2400 sq ft.

My pellet stove (Harman Accentra insert rated at 42k btu) heats about 2000 sq ft of my home. Easily. I leave the attic playroom closed, because it's only used occasionally. My Harman doesn't struggle to heat the space. On the coldest nights (I live in Maine) my stove will keep the back bedrooms (the further from the stove) at 69-71 degrees. This is without duct work and an unconventional layout (my tri-level isn't like a split/colonial/cape where levels are right on top of one another - they are all offset). Additionally, the stove spits out heat pointing towards the main level (elevation change) and then turn back to go up the stairs, down the hall, make a right turn, and further down the hall. No problem.

See the diagram in my sig to get an idea of the layout.


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## thedude110 (Nov 4, 2012)

P38X2 said:


> I would avoid putting that stove in the basement. Having it on your main floor would be very advantageous.


 
This.

If you spend a lot of time on the lower level of your house, maybe the scenario you're describing will work.  But if you spend most of your time upstairs, I'd put the stove upstairs and heat the downstairs with oil (keeping the thermostat low).  That's your best chance for slashing your heating costs.

Based on what you're describing, it sounds like a big hope is to get the heat upstairs.  If that's so, put the stove upstairs!


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## StormPanic (Nov 14, 2012)

Contrary (or luckily contrary) to the advice I got here, it worked. Temp here in MA got to around freezing last night and the stove kept the entire upstairs at 74 degrees running on medium (3/5). Boiler didn't come on at all.  I am sure it will do even better once I put the vent/fan in the floor.


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## briansol (Nov 14, 2012)

Check with your town hall/building department.  vent registers like this are NOT up to code in most _'civilized'_ areas these days.  Unless you're living in the country, it probably won't pass fire code.  Should something happen, you won't be covered by your insurnace.

IMO, put it in the living area.    Mine heats the foryer/hall of my upper level, but the bedrooms never really get the full heat.  That's ok, becase i like it cooler to sleep anyway.  If that was my main living area, i'd be disappointed with the results of the heat.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Nov 14, 2012)

scas said:


> Contrary (or luckily contrary) to the advice I got here, it worked. Temp here in MA got to around freezing last night and the stove kept the entire upstairs at 74 degrees running on medium (3/5). Boiler didn't come on at all. I am sure it will do even better once I put the vent/fan in the floor.


 
And the temperature on the bottom floor with the stove is?  Was your stove on 3/5 steady?  If it was what is going to happen when the the temperature gets to zero with the wind blowing because your heat requirement will double?  You see it is the heat requirement at that point that the stove should be able to handle on 3/5. 

Don't go patting yourself on the back until the fat lady has sung her last song for the heating season.

Please pay attention to what briansol is saying about cutting vents between floors and yes I know all about the "Well, there is a open stairwell argument" that you can have with the code police where you live.


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## MCPO (Nov 14, 2012)

Basement installs are not optimal but if you can get most of the heat upstairs you have a good chance to cut most or all of your oil bill. I know cause I`m doing it with a small Harman P-38. I`m ducting most of the heat out of the stove directly up thru the floor . My house was insulated for elec heat and the basement IS insulated / finished.


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## jtakeman (Nov 14, 2012)

Master Chief PO said:


> Basement installs are not optimal but if you can get most of the heat upstairs you have a good chance to cut most or all of your oil bill. I know cause I`m doing it with a small Harman P-38. I`m ducting most of the heat out of the stove directly up thru the floor . My house was insulated for elec heat.


 
I have done the same, Ducted the heat where I really need it. I'll upgrade to a pellet furnace someday!

Mother Nature has only teased the OP so far, Once the days are only in the teens should be closer what its going to take. It may not make the house oil free, But it should put a dent in the demand.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Nov 14, 2012)

The OP needs to also understand that jtakeman's setup was blessed by the local code folk. 

Except for certain tested duct capable stoves no pellet stove is safety listed for operation with ductwork.


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## jtakeman (Nov 14, 2012)

SmokeyTheBear said:


> The OP needs to also understand that jtakeman's setup was blessed by the local code folk.
> 
> Except for certain tested duct capable stoves no pellet stove is safety listed for operation with ductwork.


 
Yes bear, And I wouldn't do it again. By the time I was done I probably should/could have purchased the pellet furnace. I won't even get into the hassle factor involved!


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## SmokeyTheBear (Nov 14, 2012)

jtakeman said:


> Yes bear, And I wouldn't do it again. By the time I was done I probably should/could have purchased the pellet furnace. I won't even get into the hassle factor involved!


 

Hassle factor I can understand, I got very good grades in hassling. The wife, the kids, the parents, some local political hacks, a few municipal officials, and so forth.

ETA: Training pellet pigs is difficult we is strange  .


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## TLHinCanada (Nov 14, 2012)

I can only relate to my own experience.  Upstairs is 1700 sq. ft.  downstairs is 1500 sq. ft. (finished space).  First month of heating after install gas bill went from $90.00 a month to $45.00 a month.  Last year total gas heating bill was $260.00 (pellets were $480.00).  There is only one door (34" x80" leading to the basement.  Depending on your design your split level opening can be much larger.  There is no gauranty that you will save money it depends on the price of oil and the price of pellets.  I will say that the last year we heated with oil it cost me $2400.00 (with a high effiency furnace).  When we changed to a NG furnace it went down to $1200.00 (also increased attic to R80).  There are so  many variables, giving a difinitive answer is impossible.  An educated guess however, would say that you can save some money.


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## MCPO (Nov 14, 2012)

SmokeyTheBear said:


> The OP needs to also understand that jtakeman's setup was blessed by the local code folk.
> 
> Except for certain tested duct capable stoves no pellet stove is safety listed for operation with ductwork.


 
Yes, anyone thinking of ducting a stove up thru the floor like mine might encounter building code violations.
  Mine was blessed by the insurance company 3-4 yrs ago. They came even in and took pictures . It cost me an extra $35 for the insurance rider to have the stove.


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## StormPanic (Nov 15, 2012)

I talked to my local building inspector in my town and the only requirement was that the vent needed to be ducted in non combustible duct (i.e. couldn't just be a hole in the floor) and it needed to have a horizontal run in it (i.e. couldn't go straight up) so as to prevent chimney effect.  My plan is to add a register to the drop ceiling, 90 degree bend, 6" duct fan, 2' run of straight duct, and 90 degree turn up to register on floor upstairs, then add a switch on the wall next to the stove for the duct fan.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Nov 15, 2012)

Why not automate that duct fan?


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## StormPanic (Nov 19, 2012)

Dunno - I just assume have a simple switch that I can turn on and off.  I like to keep things simple.  Really looking forward to getting the vent installed.  The stove has been doing a great job of heating my whole house around 90% of the time so far.  Will be interesting to see how much the vent improves it.


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## MommyOf4 (Nov 19, 2012)

I have a basement install with the stairs being at the complete opposite end of my stove and a vent above it.  My stove keeps my entire home warm.  I turned my heat off at night to test it and the next morning it was 73 degrees upstairs.


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## openat60 (Nov 19, 2012)

I have the same exact set up with a Quadrafire Castille in my den and a St Croix Pepin in my basement...I rarely turn on the den stove and i live in the Catskills of upstate NY.  As everyone is saying not sure of 1/2 the costs but it sure will put a dent in your bills, no doubt.  And its so much easier and your less dependent on oil delivery's, worse case is you jump in the car and drive to "Acme Stove Store" and buy 20 bags of pellets.  With a power back up and or a generator, the possibilities are endless

Good luck and a very warm winter to you


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## SmokeyTheBear (Nov 19, 2012)

As long as the house allows the gravity hot air convection loop to be setup and maintained it will distribute the heat, it just won't be an even temperature like a balanced central heating system can maintain.

Unfortunately most houses require modification to allow it to happen and that leads to issues with the code folk.


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## 343amc (Nov 19, 2012)

I tried the basement install when I got my first stove in 2005. In 2006 I moved it upstairs. The layout of my house wasn't conducive to having a stove downstairs. Upstairs it works great.  I hooked up a thermostat that cycles my furnace blower once an hour for 10 minutes and that helps keep the chill out of the basement. We don't use the basement much in the winter so that works for us.


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## Don2222 (Nov 19, 2012)

scas said:


> Thanks for the input - the basement is finished and insulated (except the basement ceiling). The 2,000 SF includes the finished basement. I live in MA.


 
Hello

I live in Salem NH and heat my Entire 2,000 Sq Ft split-Entry home with a 45k BTU Avalon Astoria in the basement. No insulation in the ceiling but the walls do have insulation. I also cut 2 4x6 registers with one in the living room and the other in the kitchen with 6" ductwork right down to the front of the stove covering half the heat exchanger tubes. Therefore half the heat goes into the basement and the other half goes directly upstairs. The door to the basement is left open for the return air. By doing this I use NO oil for heat not one drop! The house is warm even on the coldest days down to -6 outside!

The Regency GF-55 is a great machine and and there is NO reason why you cannot do the same!
Good Luck and stay warm!


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## StormPanic (Nov 20, 2012)

Thanks everyone.  The initial responses to my post had me pretty worried but I have had my stove in for a week and my boiler hasn't come on once.  I haven't installed the vent with the duct fan yet but I am sure that will only improve on what I already have.  Not only have I not been burning any oil, but my house is much warmer than before.  Used to keep the thermo on 64 to keep my oil costs down, now the main living area stays around 74.  I am sure I am going to burn some oil once the temps get way down, but as long as I am reducing my oil consumption, its worth it.  Here's a pic of my install:


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## saladdin (Nov 20, 2012)

scas said:


> Thanks everyone. The initial responses to my post had me pretty worried but I have had my stove in for a week and my boiler hasn't come on once. I haven't installed the vent with the duct fan yet but I am sure that will only improve on what I already have. Not only have I not been burning any oil, but my house is much warmer than before. Used to keep the thermo on 64 to keep my oil costs down, now the main living area stays around 74. I am sure I am going to burn some oil once the temps get way down, but as long as I am reducing my oil consumption, its worth it. Here's a pic of my install:


 
Good job.

Prepare for surge protecter onslaught...


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## StormPanic (Nov 26, 2012)

Already added the surge protector.  Waiting for some parts I ordered online to finish up the venting.  Will post pics when its done.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Nov 26, 2012)

Better have or I was going to call the surge protector police.


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## thedude110 (Nov 26, 2012)

Looks good -- congrats!


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