2 years ago, I decided to install a wood stove and due to an unused utility chimney in the house, decided to install the stove in the basement so I could tap right into the chimney. I was concerned about heating myself out of the room it was in and liking the idea of soapstone, went with a Morso 3450. I soon learned the negatives of a 1 cf firebox and although it is a great stove decided to upgrade this past year.
Still concerned about buying too much stove for the room and really liking the effect of the soapstone, decided to install a Woodstock Fireview. What I have learned this year is the negatives of having a stove in the basement. Even though the basement (walkout) is insulated (or at least half of it is) with how much colder it has been this winter, there is so much cold coming up from the floor alone that there is not enough heat to keep the upstairs as warm as we (especially my wife) would like.
With both stoves we have dealt with too much draft and did install a damper a few weeks ago but according to Woodstock, we are still having too much heat go up the flue (600 degree internal temp with more than a little flame [or a setting of 1 or more for Fireview users]). We have probably seen a little more heat with the damper (but it has been warmer so hard to tell) but really no difference in the flue temps (which I find rather hard to believe).
So here are my thoughts.
1) Leave the Fireview where it is and install the Morso upstairs, venting straight back 2 feet into the garage and then up. Pros: Easiest install, it would look the better of the 2 in that room and the close clearances mean we would lose less space in that room. Cons: I don't plan on trying to burn the Morso 24/7 so when it is not running, the upstairs will still be cooler than we would like.
2) Move the Fireview upstairs and reinstall the Morso in the basement. Also vent the Fireview straight back into the garage and up. Pros: More heat to the rest of the house. Cons: Moving that big rock is not going to be fun, not nearly as convenient to get the wood upstairs, more significant hearth pad required.
3) Admit that although the Fireview is a fantastic stove, it is not big enough, return it and buy a Firelight, T6 or Summit, Liberty, Isle Royale or maybe even a Blaze King King (although since I'm a Morso, Scan, Rais kind of guy, that may be a bridge too far). I guess an Equinox could be on the list but I'm not sure I want something with baffles that break.
Home: 1959 Ranch so many small rooms, 1200 feet on each the first floor and basement, 700 sf second story added in '67. New windows, steel siding, most likely poor wall insulation.
Ideal: I would like to vent straight back (and yes, i know I can vent up and back but kind of like the look of no pipe showing) as it helps me keep the new chimney as far away as possible from the 2 story part of the house so I can avoid any draft issues or turning the second story house black. :cheese: I know many people don't like ash pans but I found the one on the Morso works great so I guess I should say a functional ash pan. I like side loading but also would like the front to open so I can clean the fly ash off the glass easily (I like REALLY clean glass). I've only owned radiant stoves so not really sure what difference a convective stove would make.
So, actually, my perfect stove would be a Fireview that was a cf bigger, looked like a Morso and had easily cleanable glass.
I hope that about covers it. What do you think?
Still concerned about buying too much stove for the room and really liking the effect of the soapstone, decided to install a Woodstock Fireview. What I have learned this year is the negatives of having a stove in the basement. Even though the basement (walkout) is insulated (or at least half of it is) with how much colder it has been this winter, there is so much cold coming up from the floor alone that there is not enough heat to keep the upstairs as warm as we (especially my wife) would like.
With both stoves we have dealt with too much draft and did install a damper a few weeks ago but according to Woodstock, we are still having too much heat go up the flue (600 degree internal temp with more than a little flame [or a setting of 1 or more for Fireview users]). We have probably seen a little more heat with the damper (but it has been warmer so hard to tell) but really no difference in the flue temps (which I find rather hard to believe).
So here are my thoughts.
1) Leave the Fireview where it is and install the Morso upstairs, venting straight back 2 feet into the garage and then up. Pros: Easiest install, it would look the better of the 2 in that room and the close clearances mean we would lose less space in that room. Cons: I don't plan on trying to burn the Morso 24/7 so when it is not running, the upstairs will still be cooler than we would like.
2) Move the Fireview upstairs and reinstall the Morso in the basement. Also vent the Fireview straight back into the garage and up. Pros: More heat to the rest of the house. Cons: Moving that big rock is not going to be fun, not nearly as convenient to get the wood upstairs, more significant hearth pad required.
3) Admit that although the Fireview is a fantastic stove, it is not big enough, return it and buy a Firelight, T6 or Summit, Liberty, Isle Royale or maybe even a Blaze King King (although since I'm a Morso, Scan, Rais kind of guy, that may be a bridge too far). I guess an Equinox could be on the list but I'm not sure I want something with baffles that break.
Home: 1959 Ranch so many small rooms, 1200 feet on each the first floor and basement, 700 sf second story added in '67. New windows, steel siding, most likely poor wall insulation.
Ideal: I would like to vent straight back (and yes, i know I can vent up and back but kind of like the look of no pipe showing) as it helps me keep the new chimney as far away as possible from the 2 story part of the house so I can avoid any draft issues or turning the second story house black. :cheese: I know many people don't like ash pans but I found the one on the Morso works great so I guess I should say a functional ash pan. I like side loading but also would like the front to open so I can clean the fly ash off the glass easily (I like REALLY clean glass). I've only owned radiant stoves so not really sure what difference a convective stove would make.
So, actually, my perfect stove would be a Fireview that was a cf bigger, looked like a Morso and had easily cleanable glass.
I hope that about covers it. What do you think?