Am I on the wrong track?

[Torqued]

I'm a complete noob to the stove world here, so please be kind!

I'd like to install a wood burning stove in my basement for ambiance and emergency heating. The problem is that it is a relatively small area and I don't know if a wood burning stove will put off too much heat.

I'm in Western Canada so it can get plenty cold, but I have a gas furnace, so the house is kept warm. A previous owner insulated the basement, but I am left with the 1960 single vent duct in the middle of the room which results in a cool basement.

The room is about 18'-0" x 13'-6", there is an office (8'x10') and a laundry room (12'x10') off of this room (both with doors) and crawl space beyond (split level). The stairs from the basement head up a half level to the front and back doors before heading up another half level to the main floor, and finally another half level to the bedrooms.

I'm looking at a smaller size stove like a Lopi Answer, a Novo 18, or an F100 (which is awaiting EPA 2020 certification).

Thanks in advance for any advise you can give!

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

Hi and welcome to the greatest firewood forum ever! Have you considered how you are going to run the chimney, I.e. straight up through the middle of the house, or out through a basement wall and up the outside of the house? That might be one of the most expensive things that make up the cost to set up a wood burning appliance... But I would recommend it regardless of cost... it's a fine lifestyle, and you'll get to meet a lot of good people on your journey!

 

[begreen]

If there is no intent to heat the rest of the house with wood heat that can travel up the stairwell, then a small stove is a good idea. Morso has several small stoves worth considering. Also, the Jotul F602, VC Aspen are worth looking at. PE is soon to introduce a 1.2 cu ft line that could work. And we await the return of the Hampton H200 & H300.

 

[Torqued]

Hi and welcome to the greatest firewood forum ever! Have you considered how you are going to run the chimney, I.e. straight up through the middle of the house, or out through a basement wall and up the outside of the house? That might be one of the most expensive things that make up the cost to set up a wood burning appliance... But I would recommend it regardless of cost... it's a fine lifestyle, and you'll get to meet a lot of good people on your journey!

Thanks for getting back to me. The stove would go in a corner and vent out the side of the house as the living room is located above the room in question.

 

[Torqued]

If there is no intent to heat the rest of the house with wood heat that can travel up the stairwell, then a small stove is a good idea. Morso has several small stoves worth considering. Also, the Jotul F602, VC Aspen are worth looking at. PE is soon to introduce a 1.2 cu ft line that could work. And we await the return of the Hampton H200 & H300.

I'm not concerned if I do heat the rest of the house while it is on (the heat will go where it goes), I just don't want the room to be uncomfortably hot when it is on. If I have excess capacity that isn't a problem (unless running it low regularly isn't a good thing). I looked at the 602, but it isn't particularly big on the ambiance due to the small window.

 

[bcarp]

I think you'll be fine, without cooking yourself out. If you buy a good stove with secondary combustion and operate it properly with good dry wood you can run it on low no problem. I am also in western Canada and my large stove (PE Summit) is in my daylight basement in a room that is similar in size to what yours is. I am working from home with my desk about 14' from my stove and at times it gets warm (t-shirt temp ), I just keep the door open and I have a small fan at the door that blows cold air in to keep the air moving and in theory sucking the warm air out. There's always a solution for a room being too hot(open door, window, less clothes...hah), harder to pull off when it's too cold.

 

[begreen]

Take a look at the Morso 7110.

 

[Torqued]

Thanks for the adivse!