# Best woodstove to heat house from basement



## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

Hey guys,

I'm new to the forums. I bought a house in the country and it came with a dutchwest 2479 non cat stove in the basement. A Few of the cement pieces inside are cracked and I got prices to replace them and will now be getting a new stove based on those costs. 

My home is a raised ranch 1100sq ft on the first floor (basement) and 1400 on the second (main living) levels. The woodstove is located at the far end on the home under the living room and kitchen. The main stairwell is located in the center of the home with the door open to let heat rise. There are holes cut in the floor to let the heat come up from the basement. 

My question is what type and size stove would heat my home the best? The stove I have now does an ok job and I like being able to burn larger logs in the large box. 

Currently I was thinking:

Woodstock progress hybrid
Hearthstone Mansfield 

The big thing is I don't know if the gentle heat of the soap stone is best for my situation. looking for any input. 

Thanks in advance. And what an awesome forum you have here!

Mike


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## begreen (Oct 16, 2013)

Welcome Mike. Well, the truth is the best stove to heat upstairs from the basement is a furnace. 

Is this a finished and insulated basement? It sounds like you are going for a stove that provides nice eye candy too. If you don't sit in front of the stove a lot I would go for a 3 cu ft convective stove. There are many on the market ranging from Drolet and Englander all the way up to big Enerzone, Regency and Pacific Energy stoves. And lots in between. Tell us more about the setup and visual desires.


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

Ok,

The basement is finished completely. The wall as are all insulated. The reason for burning wood is there is no gas available at my house. The house is heated with electric baseboard heaters. 

I would like a stove that is nice to look at. It is more or less what you see when you enter the house where most people do. 

We do not sit in front of it often. The room down there with the stove is usually too hot to stay in long.


Let me know what other info you might need to help with the install. 

Mike


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## oldspark (Oct 16, 2013)

It all depends on the basement how well it will work, BG is right for most basements however if you have  an insulated basement it may not be a problem.
I have a berm house (walk in basement more or less) and my stove is on the lower floor and it heats about 2500 sq feet, I had to put in new windows and tighten up the house but it works for the most part. I do have 12 inch walls with 2 inches of insulation on the outside of the block.


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## weatherguy (Oct 16, 2013)

I assume the basement is finished as most raised ranches are. I have a walkout finished lower level of 1200 sf and an upper level of 1869sf and I'm using a BK Princess insert, I think stoves about the size of mine 2.8cf and up so 3cf or so should do it. Moving the air around may take some experimenting due to your stoves location. My stoves in the middle of the house near an open stairway and I have a vent on the other end to circulate, I do this with ceiling fans and it works well.
I think the PH would work well, so would the Englander 30 the PE Summit, lot of choices.


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## oldspark (Oct 16, 2013)

weatherguy brings up a good point, moving the air around could be an issue, my setup is much like his with my stove in the middle near an stairway and other openings to bring the air back down to the lower floor, I use ceiling fans also.


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

I have looked at the englander 30. The price of course attracts me to that one but I like the look of the soapstone units. So I feel like I might want the best of both worlds here


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

I currently use a floor fan and ceiling fans to move the air. The current stove worked decent for us last year but I think there are better stoves out there just don't know enough about them to know what would work best in the basement.


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## oldspark (Oct 16, 2013)

Just buy what you like, do you want radiant or convective heat?


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

I'm not sure what's best. I want something that will easily burn overnight. 

I like all of the stoves!! Lol.


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## Kaptain (Oct 16, 2013)

I live in a similar designed home (Raised ranch - 1150 sq ft basement \ 1150 main floor).  Stove is on the Living Room \ Kitchen end of the house with the stairwell positioned in center.  The basement is currently around 80% finished\insulated.  I have a register above the stove and another toward the end of hallway on the opposite end.  The stairwell (always open - no door) allows most of the heat to rise to the living area - you can literally feel the draft.  Because of this the heat is surprisingly equalized between the two floors, only a few degree difference once things are settled.

I'm running an Englander NC30 and it has done the job without any problems as our primary heat source.


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## oldspark (Oct 16, 2013)

http://chimneysweeponline.com/horadiantconv.htm
This is a good read


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

I read the page you posted. I now understand the difference, but i don't know if I understand what would be best in my situation. It sounds like I have the same house as Kaptain.


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## oldspark (Oct 16, 2013)

More to chew on.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/difference-between-radiant-and-convection-stoves.39738/


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## begreen (Oct 16, 2013)

Either of the two big rocks you mention should do the job well. If this is an area where you spend a lot of time then get the one you like to look at the most.


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## tlingit (Oct 16, 2013)

To me, it sounds like air movement is a major part of the issue.  That's how it shakes out at our house.  A friend called and is so happy with his new kettle fan.  He said it does a great job moving air and overall his whole house is more comfortable now.


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## yukiginger (Oct 16, 2013)

I see you're in the northeast - Erie, PA. I like used stoves, especially for the soapstone. Search Craigslist or use Search Tempest to search the list for an area within driving distance of your home - search soapstone, hearthstone, woodstock, etc. I've seen some decent deals - but you need to know how to inspect a used stove (search this site).

Either way I'd be looking for 3 cu. ft. fireboxes for sure. I like the Englander and the Drolet (used to be the HT2000, I think) for this. For used look for a Lopi Liberty.

Those would be my choices.


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## weatherguy (Oct 16, 2013)

chevyheim said:


> I read the page you posted. I now understand the difference, but i don't know if I understand what would be best in my situation. It sounds like I have the same house as Kaptain.


 
You'd be better off with a convective stove


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## weatherguy (Oct 16, 2013)

Meant to add, soapstone is generally a radiant stove but someone with more knowledge of soapstone stoves,  specifically the PH as to whether that's also convective.
I know the PE Summit would be a good choice for your layout. I'm partial to the summit since my friend has one and is heating 2500 sf from an unfinished basement, his house is super insulated but the stove is a heating machine.


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## begreen (Oct 16, 2013)

> I know the PE Summit would be a good choice for your layout. I'm partial to the summit since my friend has one and is heating 2500 sf from an unfinished basement, his house is super insulated but the stove is a heating machine.



I have an admitted affection to it's dressed up relative so will put in a recommendation for the Alderlea T6 or a Blaze King Ashford 30 if a cat stove with very long burn times sounds more attractive. But I still think that the Mansfield or Progress will do the job well. They are not strongly radiant like a Quad IR or Jotul F600. The soapstone softens the heat so that it convects reasonably well too.


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## oldspark (Oct 16, 2013)

If you had an 8 inch chimney I would go with the Equinox.


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## Nimrod1911 (Oct 16, 2013)

I have a bigger house than you are describing and my stove is also in the basement.  I didn't feel the Englander would be enough for me, but It should be enough for you.  Ultimately, I opted for the Woodstock PH and ordered a refurbished model.  I only burned in it a couple times last season before it warmed up.  I should be firing it up any day now.  But we are very happy with it.  It does put out a soft heat but don't let that fool you into thinking it doesn't put out THE HEAT.  It does a great job.  Even the legs put out a lot of heat.  My old steel stoves would have cold legs even though a roaring fire was inside.  I too was looking for something that would burn all night.  That was a primary concern for me.  That was another reason I opted for the PH.  The Blaze King stoves are great as well.


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

Nimrod, that's what I was worried about with the soapstone stove. I was thinking in my head "soft heat" is that going to work for me? I am worried it won't make it upstairs. My uncle and grandparents both have hearthstone Mansfield stoves and love them, but they both have them on the main living room level where they watch tv. 

Oldspark, I do have 8" chimney. I was interested in that stove just stickers shock on that unit. 

I can't help but worry about the englander nc30. I usually don't buy things at big box stores so it makes me worried about the low price. Not that low price equals low quality, just makes one wonder.


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## Rich L (Oct 16, 2013)

I recently sold the lopi liberty.It put out the heat but only for 6 or 7 hours.I sold a p.e summit which I couldn't get to throw off much heat even though the fire was blazing.I wouldn't take a chance on either of those.At least Woodstock has a return policy if the PH doesn't do it.The Mansfield is nice however your stove location may demand a larger stove in case the heat doesn't move well.I'd say go big a Equinox,Blaze King King and third choice the Woodstock PH.


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## begreen (Oct 16, 2013)

Did anyone catch that he has already heated with a Dutchwest 2479? All stove mentioned exceed this stove's btu output by a considerable margin.


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

That's correct I am currently using a dutchwest 2479. I'm burning 24/7. Last year I burned just shy of 6 cord of wood. I was amazed how much I burned. Can I expect to use less in any of the recommended stoves?


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## Todd 2 (Oct 16, 2013)

begreen said:


> Did anyone catch that he has already heated with a Dutchwest 2479? All stove mentioned exceed this stove's btu output by a considerable margin.


+1
Hi Mike, Your set up sounds like a twin to mine, sq. ft. and all other than my basement is not insulated. with the insulated basement go with the 3 qb. ft stove that you like to look at and it should heat and give you the burn times you seek quite well from the sounds of what your current stove did. Dont let the soft heat from soap stone lead you to think it is not a warm heat, it is a type of heat that keeps on putting out even when the fire dies down.
I have a small secondary stove upstairs because when it really gets cold I use it. However with your basement being insulated you should have no problem with any of the bigger 3 qb. ft. stoves.
I will add that I had a Progress and I miss it, the 24-7 heat was more even, if you go steel the cast rapped stoves also give off a more even heat for 24-7 heating. For value the NC 30 is well liked and used stove and dont let the cheeper price of some stoves mislead you, there are some really good ones.  Good Luck and throw some pics at us when complete !

Todd


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 16, 2013)

chevyheim said:


> The basement is finished completely. The wall as are all insulated. The reason for burning wood is there is no gas available at my house. The house is heated with electric baseboard heaters.
> 
> *I would like a stove that is nice to look at.* It is more or less what you see when you enter the house where most people do. We do not sit in front of it often. *The room down there with the stove is usually too hot to stay in long. *Let me know what other info you might need to help with the install.Mike





chevyheim said:


> Nimrod, that's what I was worried about with the soapstone stove. I was thinking in my head "soft heat" is that going to work for me? I am worried it won't make it upstairs. My uncle and grandparents both have hearthstone Mansfield stoves and love them, but they both have them on the main living room level where they watch tv.
> 
> Oldspark, I do have 8" chimney. I was interested in that stove just stickers shock on that unit.
> 
> I can't help but worry about the englander nc30. I usually don't buy things at big box stores so it makes me worried about the low price. Not that low price equals low quality, just makes one wonder.



Welcome to the forum chevyheim.

Mike, you've got some good answers above but I'll kick in a bit more. The first key I picked up on is that statement about how you want a stove that is nice to look at. I fully agree and wonder why folks sometimes are happy with just a black box. You home should look nice and for sure you can get some really great looking soapstone stoves, the Progress being one of the best. Hearthstone also has some great looking stoves but overall I feel the Woodstock stoves are much better built and their customer service is second to none. They also give you that nice six month guarantee.

You state that the room often gets too hot. This is another plus for the soapstone stoves. Yes, there is a difference in the feel of the heat. We thought that was baloney at first but it did not take long to find out it is true. This would allow you to use that room much more without being uncomfortable. 

As for the worry about the englander, it seems that there are enough good reports about them that should ease your worries about them. Just beware that the heat will be much like you are already experiencing. 

Overall, it is tough to heat a home from the basement unless it is a furnace. Some have had good luck with a small fan blowing cool air down the stairway. This will force the warmer air up. 

I'd suggest you give Woodstock a call and explain your situation. There number is 800-866-4344. Web site is www.woodstove.com

Good luck.


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## Charles1981 (Oct 16, 2013)

I have a two story rancher. 1100 sq ft upstairs 1100sq ft downstairs. The Chimney is central and interior in the house and in the basement with 27 feet of lined masonry chimney. The stair case is also just about dead center in the house with the key being its an open metal spiral staircase with a ceiling fan above it. I have registers in the floor over the stove. With  the ceiling fan  blowing down the staircase into the stove room in the basement you can feel a serious up draft through the registers blowing serious heat upstairs. 

The entire house stays around 75-80 degrees upstairs, the stove room is almost 87-90 degrees, and one of the outermost upstairs rooms easily stays around 73. 

I think my heating abilities are more due to the layout of the central chimney, stove, and staircase with fans and registers, but it works wonders. 

I know it would be very different if the stove was off in the corner of the house in the basement and the chimney was exterior and I wanted hot air to move all the way across the opposite side of the house and upstairs. 

It is definitely possible, but it is also possible you may not end up with what you were expecting exactly either. 

I'm also running a encore 2 in 1 (vermont castings) which most express frustration and would suggest avoiding and  based on their stories i can't blame them, but air flow is the most important aspect in meeting your expectations.


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I'm going to re-read everything to make sure I didn't miss anything. 

Does anyone have the PH and burn 24/7? I'm just wondering the range of how many cord of wood anyone is burning that stove and others?

Thanks again guys


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## toddnic (Oct 16, 2013)

I have a PH and will be burning 24/7 during the winter.  I am currently burning in the evenings/nights to keep the house warm overnight and in the mornings for the family.  Our layout is a 2400 sq. ft. ranch (all on one level).  We have absolutely no problem heating the house.  I will be using around 3 1/2 cords this winter to heat our home.  What is nice about the soapstone is that it stays warm well after the fire has died down.  There are some good resources online and on this site regarding the BTU's of wood versus other fuel sources.  You can get a good estimate of how much wood you are going to burn just by calculating the BTU's of your other heat source.  I would also recommend giving Woodstock a call.  They can give you a lot more detail about the PH as well as additional recommendations.  You can find them online at www.woodstove.com.


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

Thanks Todd, I am currently burning about 5.5 cord per year. My first year anyways. I was hoping it would be a lot less. If I burned 3.5 I'd be ecstatic.


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## begreen (Oct 16, 2013)

When was the wood split and stacked? If the wood is well seasoned you could be burning less.


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

begreen said:


> When was the wood split and stacked? If the wood is well seasoned you could be burning less.


The wood was all cut last year and most all split this spring. The stuff that wasn't split this spring I stocked first so it will sit longer before being burned.


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## begreen (Oct 16, 2013)

If there is oak or hickory in the mix it might be better to set it aside for next season.


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

begreen said:


> If there is oak or hickory in the mix it might be better to set it aside for next season.


There is about 25% oak in there. Mostly all maple.


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## begreen (Oct 16, 2013)

The wisdom here is that oak needs a couple years to season well. Out here the same is true for madrona. Burn it in one year and it will be ok, but wait for 2 years and it is awesome. If you take a moisture meter and resplit some of the oak splits then test the freshly split face for moisture content it should read at 20% or less.


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

begreen said:


> The wisdom here is that oak needs a couple years to season well. Out here the same is true for madrona. Burn it in one year and it will be ok, but wait for 2 years and it is awesome. If you take a moisture meter and resplit some of the oak splits then test the freshly split face for moisture content it should read at 20% or less.


Ok I think I may invest in a moisture meter then. Might be nice to have while being a newbie at this to make sure my wood is proper


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## aansorge (Oct 16, 2013)

What size flue do you have? This blaze king requires an 8...http://erie.craigslist.org/app/4083987669.html


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## chevyheim (Oct 16, 2013)

I do have 8" now


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## aansorge (Oct 16, 2013)

The king waits....


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## aansorge (Oct 16, 2013)

I'm currently seeing how long a burn I can get on my new to me King.  I got a 24 hour burn yesterday with a light load, a 35 hour burn before that with a good solid load, and this time I packed her pretty tight and shooting for 40 hours + .  This won't be happening in the dead of winter, more like 12 to 24, but this thing really sips the wood.  Don't expect to see the fire much though at low output slow burns.   All you see is black!


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## BrowningBAR (Oct 17, 2013)

begreen said:


> Did anyone catch that he has already heated with a Dutchwest 2479? All stove mentioned exceed this stove's btu output by a considerable margin.



The 2479 is a 2.8 cu ft stove. About the same size as the Princess or the Progress. The liberty isn't much larger at 3.1 cu ft.


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## teutonicking (Oct 17, 2013)

chevyheim said:


> Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I'm going to re-read everything to make sure I didn't miss anything.
> 
> Does anyone have the PH and burn 24/7? I'm just wondering the range of how many cord of wood anyone is burning that stove and others?
> 
> Thanks again guys


 
I burn a PH 24/7.  I went through a lot of wood last year burning from early October through parts of May.  I used about six cords.  But I am also heating 3400 square feet.  There are others on the forum who burn a PH 24/7 and use a lot less wood.  I think in your situation you will likely be fine with 4 cords.


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## rideau (Oct 17, 2013)

The Progress Hybrid is a beautiful stove.  It heats my over 3000 square foot three floors in Southern Ontario, I cannot see you having any problem heating two insulated floors.  If it is insulated, don't see any difference heating a basement and first floor, than a first and second floor.  The PH will easily heat 2400 square feet in New Hampshire, Woodstock's conservative statement.  You should be golden with a PH in PA.  Can't see you using 4 cords,,,would expect less.  Also, the PH has been tested by Woodstock with wet wood...high 30's%...and does just fine.  Not recommended, but you can burn it if you need to.  Look at their website at the PH blog for info on the wet burn, if you'd like.


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## begreen (Oct 17, 2013)

BrowningBAR said:


> The 2479 is a 2.8 cu ft stove. About the same size as the Princess or the Progress. The liberty isn't much larger at 3.1 cu ft.


Exactly. I'm not trying to discourage a King, but a Princess, Summit, Liberty etc. would all match or exceed the old Dutchwest's performance.


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## firefighterjake (Oct 17, 2013)

You've already got some great advice here brother . . . so I just wanted to say welcome to the forum . . . and burn safe . . . because you know you will never hear the end of it if any brothers or sisters have to respond to your house for a chimney fire.


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## assisi (May 31, 2014)

chevyheim said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm new to the forums. I bought a house in the country and it came with a dutchwest 2479 non cat stove in the basement. A Few of the cement pieces inside are cracked and I got prices to replace them and will now be getting a new stove based on those costs.
> 
> ...


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## stovelark (May 31, 2014)

Hi Chevy,  Living in a raised ranch myself, getting the heat upstairs is sometimes an issue.  If you already have vents in the floor, that should help you out.  I'm with BG, the soapstone stoves would be nice as well as the big BK's.  I'm not sure you could go wrong with any stove mentioned, as long as your fuel is well seasoned.  Any of these stoves will do you well.  Good luck in the looking, that's the fun part.


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