I am in the process of re-evaluating my heating method. I am in a 1500 sq. ft ranch home with an unfinished basement. I currently have an Alaska Kodiak wood stove insert propped up on blocks in the basement which I fire around 4 months a year. I typically burn about 6 cords of wood. It does an ok job heating and looks exactly like this: (broken image removed)
My preference would be to stick with a wood stove but get something more efficient that would heat both the basement and upstairs. I will likely be insulating the basement in the near future which will help tremendously I would think. However, my question is what happens if I add a room in the basement and hang a ceiling? Will the stove still be effective at that point? My plans are to have a family room and possibly one bedroom in the basement, but it will mostly be open. Or, should I just bite the bullet and install duct work and a furnace? If the wood stove would still work once the basement I would prefer that.
Last question, would the insert I have be less efficient than a free standing stove of the same type? Or, are the basically the same?
My preference would be to stick with a wood stove but get something more efficient that would heat both the basement and upstairs. I will likely be insulating the basement in the near future which will help tremendously I would think. However, my question is what happens if I add a room in the basement and hang a ceiling? Will the stove still be effective at that point? My plans are to have a family room and possibly one bedroom in the basement, but it will mostly be open. Or, should I just bite the bullet and install duct work and a furnace? If the wood stove would still work once the basement I would prefer that.
Last question, would the insert I have be less efficient than a free standing stove of the same type? Or, are the basically the same?