First, this is great forum, I've spent a few hours this morning reading some great information,
My wife and I live in a rancher style home with our Master Bedroom and Bath Raised to a second level...we have 100% electric baeboard heating and deregulation is starting an we know our rates will be steadily rising over the next year due to changes in the electric company's pricing. We are considering two options for supplementing (hopefully drastically reducing) the use of the dependence of the electric for heat. Hoping you folks would maybe give me more insight to which is more wise in the long run and where to focus my research, oh and we live in Southeastern PA if that changes anything.
#1- we have the ability to put a pellet stove in the basement and use a "secondary" chimney that is available for venting. This would probably eliminate the use of the electric heat in the basement but would enough heat "rise" up into our main living level of the home? This location is about right in the center of the basement. Basement is finished (othan that painted concrete floors), basement ceiling is not insulated.
#2 - we could install a wood/pellet insert in our fireplace that is located on the main level, I would think this option would better heat the main level but would keep the basement cold and dependent on the electric. Also our TV is hung above the fireplace and we would like it to stay there, so if the insert would affect our TV is guess that option is out at this point.
Our bedroom level has always been the warmest room since it is raised and I guess heat does rise up to there, our home was built very well insulated. I would think if the basement pellet stove puts off enough heat to rise up through our floors and up the stairway to substancial help heat the main level that it would be a better choice, but thought I would ask here first. We have ceiling fans in just about every room in the house (other than basement) to help moving air around ...sorry for rambling on, thanks in advance.
My wife and I live in a rancher style home with our Master Bedroom and Bath Raised to a second level...we have 100% electric baeboard heating and deregulation is starting an we know our rates will be steadily rising over the next year due to changes in the electric company's pricing. We are considering two options for supplementing (hopefully drastically reducing) the use of the dependence of the electric for heat. Hoping you folks would maybe give me more insight to which is more wise in the long run and where to focus my research, oh and we live in Southeastern PA if that changes anything.
#1- we have the ability to put a pellet stove in the basement and use a "secondary" chimney that is available for venting. This would probably eliminate the use of the electric heat in the basement but would enough heat "rise" up into our main living level of the home? This location is about right in the center of the basement. Basement is finished (othan that painted concrete floors), basement ceiling is not insulated.
#2 - we could install a wood/pellet insert in our fireplace that is located on the main level, I would think this option would better heat the main level but would keep the basement cold and dependent on the electric. Also our TV is hung above the fireplace and we would like it to stay there, so if the insert would affect our TV is guess that option is out at this point.
Our bedroom level has always been the warmest room since it is raised and I guess heat does rise up to there, our home was built very well insulated. I would think if the basement pellet stove puts off enough heat to rise up through our floors and up the stairway to substancial help heat the main level that it would be a better choice, but thought I would ask here first. We have ceiling fans in just about every room in the house (other than basement) to help moving air around ...sorry for rambling on, thanks in advance.