some general questions

[lfunk11]

I am looking to purchase a stove and I can't figure out what to do. I am looking to heat our whole house, but I have a regular heater as well, but the propane is pretty pricey. We just bought this house in the woods and we have 2 acres and there is a 9.5 acre next to us. There is plenty of firewood to be had so I am leaning towards a wood stove, but the convenience of the pellet stove sounds nice. Our house is about 5 years old, but we just bought it. It is a chalet style home so the main area has very high ceilings. In the corner we have a fireplace, but I have realized how inefficient it truly is. I think its a zero radiance fireplace, but could someone tell me for sure?

http://www.heatilator.com/downloads/brochures/ACCELERATOR.PDF

If I understand things, with a zero clearance fireplace it will be hard to get an insert or something to go in its place? I do have a chimney, but I have no clue what it is made out of since it is covered with cultured stone. My wife wants a pellet stove insert, but beyond the issues I mentioned I worry about it heating the house fully. I want to put a wood stove in the basement. I was looking at getting this, but my wife wants something "nicer" - lol.

So with the wood stove above I can connect it to the duct work and I like that, but will a normal stove give off enough heat in the basement to warm the two floors about without it being tapped into the ductwork?

Can I leave a wood stove unattended or do I have to make sure its out every time I leave the house?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum.

Lots of questions there and some I will leave to others.

Please forgive me but your last question did make me laugh a little. If a wood stove could not be left unattended then there would certainly not be many who heat with wood. As for us, we do not have a furnace at all. Our only source of heat is our wood stove.

Methinks one thing you are really asking is why one would heat with wood versus heating with pellets. Of course with the pellet stove there is less work involved and for some it is convenient. However, I recall just a couple years ago when it was not so convenient when several in our area could not buy pellets because there were none to be found. Of course, that brought the price up.

You state that you have access to firewood. Are you willing to put in the time and hard work cutting all that firewood? Are you aware that you can not install a wood stove and then go out and cut firewood to burn in it? If you plan on burning wood, then your first step is getting some firewood on hand.....and then giving it time to season which is from 1 to 3 years depending upon what type of wood you have. For pellets, you can go to a local stove and buy some similar to calling the oil man and ordering some fuel from him. You can not do that with wood.

Perhaps your wife is concerned that wood is "dirty." I well remember years ago when we bought a stove from a family who installed it and burned wood in it about 2 or 3 times only. When we went to get the stove we had to remove it from the living room which was carpeted with white carpeting. She did not want any more of that dirty wood around her white carpet! We did get a good buy though. lol

The high ceilings pose a challenge but you probably have some ceiling fans. Sucking the warm air up towards the ceiling will actually force that warm air down much better than trying to suck that warm air down. If other rooms get cool, a small fan set on low blowing the cool air into the stove room does wonders for evening out the temperature of the house.

As for stoves in basements, I don't like them as a rule. Also, if the basement is not insulated then most of the heat goes into the walls. It is also difficult to get that warm air upstairs.

I guess this post is long enough. Hopefully others will chime in tomorrow.

 

[begreen]

So with the wood stove above I can connect it to the duct work and I like that, but will a normal stove give off enough heat in the basement to warm the two floors about without it being tapped into the ductwork?

Can I leave a wood stove unattended or do I have to make sure its out every time I leave the house?

There are literally hundreds of posts here asking the same question. In general, the answer to the first question is no. The stove is an area heater. If the stove is in the basement, that is going to be the hottest area served by the stove.

The second answer is also no... if the stove or furnace is installed and run correctly it can be trusted to run safely. That is a big IF. It means that the stove or furnace is installed per manufacturer's instructions and NFPA211 code. And it means that the operator is also following directions by burning dry wood, reducing air, and generally has full understanding of the stove / furnace operation.

 

[lfunk11]

please forgive my lack of knowledge, but we ran into a bit of an emergency and I was facing making these choices in about 24-48 hours. We have a propane tank and this is the first house I have ever had that doesn't have gas heat. We bought the house in July with about 40% left in the tank. We had it filled around Thanksgiving when it got down to 10%. So it was at 80% (can't be filled more than that) and then I walk out to check it and its at less than 5%! No clue how it went that quick, but I have been trying to insulate everything I can since. I started freaking out a bit since it was $750 to fill the last time and we just can't really afford $750 a month for propane. Then I called the propane place and they told me it would be roughly 3 weeks before they could come out to fill it since they were so busy. I called another place to see if I could get one of their tanks installed and get it filled and they also said at least 2-3 weeks. So I was freaking out a bit since the propane runs the heat, hot water tank, and oven. We have two little kids and its pretty cold here. I started researching the best way to heat our house with the fireplace (never really had one growing up and our last house we never used it since it smoked too much) and then realized it would be next to impossible to heat the house with it.

I was at a Christmas party over the holidays and my friend has a large modern 4 bedroom house and they heat the whole house with a wood burning stove in their basement. I did not take a look at the time since I was not thinking about it, but that thought came to me and thus I started looking into them. So I was trying to make a choice literally within 24 hours since I thought the propane would last 2-3 days max. I have cut seasoned wood already, but not much. I do have a large pile of trees that they cut down to build the house (5 years ago) and I am pretty sure they would all be seasoned (cut in ~10ft sections and piled up) but I would have to cut them to see. We also have about 30 trees that have fallen down in the immediate woods around us and at least as many trees that I either want to bring down or should come down. Wood is not an issue right now. My cousin owns a tree service and he sells firewood so I could get some off of him in a pinch.

So I get two responses and one person chuckles about my question about being able to leave the stove unattended and then the next post then tells me I can't unless everything is done perfectly. This stuff can get confusing when it seems everyone has a different answer to these questions

In the end the propane truck made it out here today since I likely freaked the lady out a bit when I said I have two little boys and we would be running out of heat in a few days. That has bought me some time and I am doing more research. I know it can be annyoing when someone comes to a forum and expects everyone to just do their research for them - I was in a pinch and took a shot. Thanks for the responses

I do have a parting question - I see that Lowes and Home Depot sell Englander/Summers heat stoves. Would there be any reason that these would be a bad choice? I realize they are unlikely to be the best choice if they are sold at Lowes and Home Depot, but they both will deliver to my door and thus I do not have to worry about getting a stove onto or off of my truck. I want something rated at 2000SF+ and they all seem to be pretty heavy.

I will have to go back and look into putting it into the basement - I thought a bunch of people on here had theirs in their basements and used fans, vents, etc to get it up to the upper floors? I started pricing the chimney sections today and didn't realize they were so much. I put in a call to an installer to get a quote, but I know its going to be pricey. I wish my fireplace wasn't a zero clearance - this would be so much simpler.

 

[begreen]

I hear you, really. We had propane at very high premiums due to our rural nature. It can be really costly. But making rash decisions can also be costly. Take a deep breath and do some homework first.

Englander makes good, basic stoves. One may work out well for you in this situation, but then again it also may not. This is not to mock your situation, it's just that every house is different. Some houses have a natural passage of hot air to get upstairs via convection and others do not. Also, the house has to have a flue available to connect the stove to that is safe, sized correctly and legal. Last, if the basement is uninsulated, it is going to suck up a lot of heat. That is why I recommend you search the hundreds of threads here on "basement stove".

Getting a wood stove at this point may work or may not. How much experience do you have burning wood? Do you have a reliable source of good dry wood? Damp wood will not put out a lot of heat in a modern stove and could quickly plug the system.

It's great that you got the propane delivery. Let's start from the beginning by telling us:

- how large is the sq ftg of the house per floor?
- is there an unused flue in the basement that is safe to connect a wood stove to?
- what is the floor surface in the basement?
- are the basement walls insulated?
- how will heat get from the basement to upstairs? Is there a large open stairway to the 1st floor?
- what is your wood burning experience?

 

[BrowningBAR]

please forgive my lack of knowledge, but we ran into a bit of an emergency and I was facing making these choices in about 24-48 hours. We have a propane tank and this is the first house I have ever had that doesn't have gas heat. We bought the house in July with about 40% left in the tank. We had it filled around Thanksgiving when it got down to 10%. So it was at 80% (can't be filled more than that) and then I walk out to check it and its at less than 5%! No clue how it went that quick, but I have been trying to insulate everything I can since. I started freaking out a bit since it was $750 to fill the last time and we just can't really afford $750 a month for propane. Then I called the propane place and they told me it would be roughly 3 weeks before they could come out to fill it since they were so busy. I called another place to see if I could get one of their tanks installed and get it filled and they also said at least 2-3 weeks. So I was freaking out a bit since the propane runs the heat, hot water tank, and oven. We have two little kids and its pretty cold here. I started researching the best way to heat our house with the fireplace (never really had one growing up and our last house we never used it since it smoked too much) and then realized it would be next to impossible to heat the house with it.

I was at a Christmas party over the holidays and my friend has a large modern 4 bedroom house and they heat the whole house with a wood burning stove in their basement. I did not take a look at the time since I was not thinking about it, but that thought came to me and thus I started looking into them. So I was trying to make a choice literally within 24 hours since I thought the propane would last 2-3 days max. I have cut seasoned wood already, but not much. I do have a large pile of trees that they cut down to build the house (5 years ago) and I am pretty sure they would all be seasoned (cut in ~10ft sections and piled up) but I would have to cut them to see. We also have about 30 trees that have fallen down in the immediate woods around us and at least as many trees that I either want to bring down or should come down. Wood is not an issue right now. My cousin owns a tree service and he sells firewood so I could get some off of him in a pinch.

So I get two responses and one person chuckles about my question about being able to leave the stove unattended and then the next post then tells me I can't unless everything is done perfectly. This stuff can get confusing when it seems everyone has a different answer to these questions

In the end the propane truck made it out here today since I likely freaked the lady out a bit when I said I have two little boys and we would be running out of heat in a few days. That has bought me some time and I am doing more research. I know it can be annyoing when someone comes to a forum and expects everyone to just do their research for them - I was in a pinch and took a shot. Thanks for the responses

I do have a parting question - I see that Lowes and Home Depot sell Englander/Summers heat stoves. Would there be any reason that these would be a bad choice? I realize they are unlikely to be the best choice if they are sold at Lowes and Home Depot, but they both will deliver to my door and thus I do not have to worry about getting a stove onto or off of my truck. I want something rated at 2000SF+ and they all seem to be pretty heavy.

I will have to go back and look into putting it into the basement - I thought a bunch of people on here had theirs in their basements and used fans, vents, etc to get it up to the upper floors? I started pricing the chimney sections today and didn't realize they were so much. I put in a call to an installer to get a quote, but I know its going to be pricey. I wish my fireplace wasn't a zero clearance - this would be so much simpler.

Hi, I'm BrowningBAR and I own an old, poorly insulated, oil guzzling stone farmhouse (that is cool as hell and wouldn't trade it for another home...ever). I can completely relate to the heating cost sticker shock. We were going through $3,000-$4,000 to heat our home in the winter and that was keeping the temps in the house no higher than 60 degrees.

It seems your main goal is to drastically cut down on your heating costs. That being the case you need to think about the pellet stove. Pellets are a product that you have to buy. The price can fluctuate. Is it cheaper than oil/gas/propane? Yes. Is it cheaper than wood (especially if you have free wood available on your own land)? Hell no.

So, if cost cutting is your main goal, I suggest wood burning.

A wood furnace can heat your whole home safely and there are several people here that do so (there is an entire section to the forum dedicated to this topic).

Can a wood stove heat your whole house? It can, but it depends upon your layout, square footage, stove location, and a few other factors.

Can you install a wood stove and cut your heating costs drastically? Absolutely. My oil costs are now under $1,000 for the winter and next year the cost will be as close to $0 as possible as the furnace will only be used as a backup/emergency.

Can you install a stove now and save on heating costs this year? Unlikely as a new stove will cost you at least a few hundred dollars (used) and the installation will cost you $300-500 (minimum for materials if installed yourself). Additionally you will have to buy wood that won't burn well as it won't be seasoned (dry). Buying wood now will run $150-$250 per cord. If you cut your own wood it will burn even worse as it will be very wet.

So, lets say:
$400 for a used stove on Craiglist
$500 for installation
$200 per cord of wood (x2)

That's $1300 MINIMUM. It could EASILY be three times that amount (depending on stove and installation).

 

[Soadrocks]

I have a Jotul Castine in the basement, but this is a room where my wife and I spend all our time. We sleep down here on our sleeper sofa. We keep our furnace set at 60 degrees. We keep all our bedroom doors closed, including the bathroom door. The upstairs floats between 58-68 without any blowers or fans. Our basement is completely finished, well insulated, and we have no ceiling allowing the heat to seap through to the first floor. If we did it again, we'd probably go with the Oslo, but we're content. We get the basement btw 72- 80 degrees depending on how cold it is outside. The labor + piping from the basement, straight through the attic cost just as much as the stove itself. Keep that in mind as well. We love burning wood. If you have all that land, I would suggest to go with wood!

Listen to the pros here, I'm a newbie, but I wish ya the best of luck!

 

[lfunk11]

- how large is the sq ftg of the house per floor?
- is there an unused flue in the basement that is safe to connect a wood stove to?
- what is the floor surface in the basement?
- are the basement walls insulated?
- how will heat get from the basement to upstairs? Is there a large open stairway to the 1st floor?
- what is your wood burning experience?

the house is a Chalet style house and is about 1500 sf finished, but the front has a wall of windows and thus its more or less 2000 sf of space that needs heated. The basement likely adds another 1000 sf if I put the stove down there.

no flue - would need to install one. I realize this likely will be the largest cost. Still not sure if I can take that 30% tax break on that installation as well. Different sites say different things.

Concrete floor and the walls are not insulated in the basement, but I have all the vents down there blocked off and Its still comfortable to walk down there. The walls are extra thick. The girl who owned this house before us had her father build it. His company is a big construction company around here and he added some features you normally do not see such as the extra thick basement walls.

If I get the wood furnace I would tap into the ductwork. If not, the basement ceiling is not insulated and the entire house is either wood floor or tile so I would imagine it would conduct the heat decently? There is a stairway and like I said the basement stays relatively warm for not being heated or insulated. Heat likely is traveling downstairs. Our master bedroom is on the upstairs loft and its always warm. I had a fire going in our fireplace and I turned the heat off and it kept the main living area warm (no fan or blower on the fireplace). The upstairs bedroom stayed relatively warm, but the back two bedrooms got a bit cold and we had to turn the heat back on.

I do not have extensive wood burning experience but I burned through the two wood piles outside already. I am a quick learner as well.

This is the pictures I took of the house when we first went to look at it (not our furniture )

This is the living area and you can see the fireplace off in the corner, but like I said I am 99% sure its a zero-clearance model so I can't put an insert large enough there to work. There really isn't any other space that we could put a stove without taking up too much space. So it likely has to go in the basement.

There is a fan, and it has a remote, but I am not sure how easy it would be to reverse the fan to blow upwards. I can't reach it easily and it has to be 20+ feet up.

You can see our chimney, but I don't think I can use this. The garage door to the basement will be replaced with French Doors this summer. We will eventually finish the basment, but we have so much other stuff to do first.

I can get a Brunco #150 for $1500 on Craigslist. That might work, but my wife "wants to see the flames"

(broken link removed to http://www.brunks.com/Bruncofurnaces.html)

 

[lfunk11]

Can you install a stove now and save on heating costs this year? Unlikely as a new stove will cost you at least a few hundred dollars (used) and the installation will cost you $300-500 (minimum for materials if installed yourself). Additionally you will have to buy wood that won't burn well as it won't be seasoned (dry). Buying wood now will run $150-$250 per cord. If you cut your own wood it will burn even worse as it will be very wet.

So, lets say:
$400 for a used stove on Craiglist
$500 for installation
$200 per cord of wood (x2)

That's $1300 MINIMUM. It could EASILY be three times that amount (depending on stove and installation).

We have spent $1300 on propane from 11/23/09 - today. We still have all of Jan, Feb, and March to go. If we even saved 1/2 that it would pay for at least the stove and some of the installation. By next year it would all pay for itself.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Can you install a stove now and save on heating costs this year? Unlikely as a new stove will cost you at least a few hundred dollars (used) and the installation will cost you $300-500 (minimum for materials if installed yourself). Additionally you will have to buy wood that won't burn well as it won't be seasoned (dry). Buying wood now will run $150-$250 per cord. If you cut your own wood it will burn even worse as it will be very wet.

So, lets say:
$400 for a used stove on Craiglist
$500 for installation
$200 per cord of wood (x2)

That's $1300 MINIMUM. It could EASILY be three times that amount (depending on stove and installation).

We have spent $1300 on propane from 11/23/09 - today. We still have all of Jan, Feb, and March to go. If we even saved 1/2 that it would pay for at least the stove and some of the installation. By next year it would all pay for itself.

I just want to be sure you understood what your minimum investment would be. Neat house, by the way.

What you need to do is go to several stove store, talk to dealers, grab brochure, look at stove company website, and figure out where and how you will place a stove in your house. If you think you are going to go with a wood stove furnace I would suggest posting a few questions in the Boiler Room as they will be able to answer your questions.

I know you want a solution 'now', but if you buy without doing enough research your situation may not improve as much as you hoped it would.

 

[Pagey]

Before you consider an unfinished basement install, please take a minute to read this article: (broken link removed to http://www.woodstove.com/pages/basement_install.html)

Now, that is not to say that you cannot successfully heat your home from the basement with a wood stove. You can. We have several here who do just that. However, I feel that if I didn't at least point out the potential difficulties, I'd be doing you a disservice as an active forum member.

Another thing to keep in mind, assuming you go with a free standing stove rather than a boiler/furnace type unit: today's EPA certified stoves LOVE dry/seasoned wood. This means as a general rule wood that has been cut, split, and stacked (c/s/s) for at least one year. Today's stoves operate best using wood that has a moisture content of 20-25%. Some catalytic models like 15-18% for optimum efficiency.

So, if you are going with a free standing stove, get started on your wood yesterday. If you can, cut standing dead stuff or species like ash or softwoods that season quickly (softwoods alone don't cause chimney fires, so try to lay aside that wive's tale). If you see "seasoned" wood advertised for sale, be wary. Seasoned wood usually means the guy may have fell it or bucked it into rounds in September, but it wasn't split until the day you ordered in. In other words, it is far too wet, and you will have a miserable time and post here with epic frustration.

We've significantly cut our electric bill (we have 2 electric heat pumps), and we had the gas company take the propane take away in November. But we are fortunate to have access a metric shiat ton of wood, and I busted my arse last year and got 2 years ahead. We've got an old hay barn full of 2 years worth of wood that is already split and seasoning now.

Welcome to the forums, and I hope we can help you successfully shave off some heating costs.

 

[LLigetfa]

I would first consider replacing that ZC insert with a better one. You will gain efficiency and not destroy the aesthetics. My home is a 1 1/2 storey, open concept with 1200 sf on the main floor (2200 sf overall) and I heat mostly with wood, the whole house very comfortably. My RSF is an efficient EPA rated stove with a central heat blower added. I do choose to let the gas furnace run a little every day for the humidity but my gas bill averages $2 a day including cooking and DHW. I burn between 4 and 8 cord a year.

I have to agree with your wife, that form trumps function. If you want a wood stove in the basement and can run a flue up through the interior to avoid some of the "basement burner issues", you still have the issue of how to get the heat out of the basement if it is to be the sole heat source. Better IMHO to have a wood/pellet space heater in the basement to supplement the ZC fireplace upstairs.

Option 2 could be to have a wood furnace in the basement utilizing the ductwork of the propane furnace. The existing ZC could be upgraded, left as-is, or converted to propane. From what I see of the great room, you will want a decent heat source directly in that room, not something piped in from the basement. Burning wood in the existing ZC would be wasteful and propane would be expensive.

Option 3 would be an OWB to take care of all the heat and DHW. You would still have the great room considerations from option 2.

 

[DanCorcoran]

To address the pellet stove question, we used three pellet stoves over the course of 6 years in Colorado (house and shop). When they are working properly, they don't take any tending and just need to be fed once every day or so, depending on the outside temperature. They are very messy to clean, however, and must be cleaned daily if you want the glass clear to watch the fire. (I don't think the fire in a pellet stove is anywhere near as enjoyable to watch as the fire in a woodstove). You also have noise from three motors with a pellet stove: augur motor, room air blower, and combustion air blower. Getting heat from a pellet stove to circulate throughout your house would not be any easier than from a woodstove, and possibly more difficult.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I am looking to purchase a stove and I can't figure out what to do. I am looking to heat our whole house, but I have a regular heater as well, but the propane is pretty pricey. We just bought this house in the woods and we have 2 acres and there is a 9.5 acre next to us. There is plenty of firewood to be had so I am leaning towards a wood stove, but the convenience of the pellet stove sounds nice. Our house is about 5 years old, but we just bought it. It is a chalet style home so the main area has very high ceilings. In the corner we have a fireplace, but I have realized how inefficient it truly is. I think its a zero radiance fireplace, but could someone tell me for sure?

http://www.heatilator.com/downloads/brochures/ACCELERATOR.PDF

If I understand things, with a zero clearance fireplace it will be hard to get an insert or something to go in its place? I do have a chimney, but I have no clue what it is made out of since it is covered with cultured stone. My wife wants a pellet stove insert, but beyond the issues I mentioned I worry about it heating the house fully. I want to put a wood stove in the basement. I was looking at getting this, but my wife wants something "nicer" - lol.


So with the wood stove above I can connect it to the duct work and I like that, but will a normal stove give off enough heat in the basement to warm the two floors about without it being tapped into the ductwork?

Can I leave a wood stove unattended or do I have to make sure its out every time I leave the house?

1) I dunno about where you live, but around here pellets don't save much (if anything) over propane. And if you throw convenience into it then propane wins hands down. Also, free standing propane furnaces like Dearborn are far less complicated and far less costly.

2) IMO, the only advantage to wood heat is cost. It's a ton of work, it's dirty, and if you have no saw, no truck, and no woodshed it can be expensive to get into - OR - you can buy wood and thereby obviate all advantage.

3) If you decide to go with wood heat forget burning this year and go ahead and start gathering your wood for next winter.

 

[Dieselbreath]

I put an insert in my zc fireplace and am very happy with it. It does a good job of heating the upper two floors. (approx 2400 sq ft) I also have a basement that ended up unheated (since the central heat seldom kicks on now). If we want heat down there we have another zc fireplace there that will warm the area up in 30 minutes or so. We love sitting near the stove and watching the flames. I put a 6" ss liner down the flue to the stove.
My advise is to take your zc fireplace make & measurements to a good stove seller/installer and get his recommendation.
Also, how about a hearth model? I would've went with that but it would've stuck out too far but it looks like you've got the room. You will probably have to extend your hearth to meet the code requirements. (take these measurements to the stove seller also)

PS: gas bill for December was $26.

 

[marlboroman]

You can easily heat your whole house from the basement with an add on wood furnace. I have been doing so for 35 years. That being said, the best option for you would be an OWF. Small amount of chimney to purchase. No dirt inside the house. Only problem is your wife can't watch the flames, but she would be nice and warm. Get some seasoned wood from your cousin for now and get your wood ready for next year.

 

[SlyFerret]

To answer your question about Englander stoves: They are great stoves. They aren't as pretty as some of the other stoves on the market, but I like the rustic look. The big glass window lets you have a good view of the fire, and when run properly, the glass stays clear. The 30 that I have is a serious heater. It burns very clean, and puts out a lot of heat compared to the amount of fuel it consumes. Their customer service people are great too. Great stoves, great value. Don't sweat that they're sold at HD or Lowes.

I put my Englander stove in myself (well, with help from my dad too). I bought it brand new on CraigsList, and bought the chimney parts at Lowes and Menards. My total install, including the stove, cost me about $1500. Last winter (the first full season I had it), it more than paid for itself, considering that propane was well over $3.00 per gallon. Last year, I burned 50 gallons of propane the entire year. My stove is on the main level of my split level house. The main level stays plenty warm (maybe too warm sometimes), and the bedrooms at the top of the stairs stay very comfortable if we leave the doors open. The family room downstairs stays pretty cool, maybe ~60. We don't use that room much in the winter, mostly because I haven't figured out a way to reverse the laws of physics and make heat go down.

I would like to bring up one point... Wood heat is a lifestyle. It's one that I really like, but it isn't for everybody. It involves prior planning in many different ways.

First and foremost, making sure that you have your firewood supply at least a year in advance in order to make sure that it is seasoned properly (I have yet to meet at wood dealer that actually sells seasoned firewood, even if they say it is). If you're planning to buy wood in the summer/fall for the upcoming winter, you'll be really disappointed. If you plan to buy wood now, or go cut wood now (even stuff that's already down), the experience is going to suck. Even if the wood is dry to the touch, burning wet/green/unseasoned wood is going to nothing but frustrating. It will be extremely difficult to get a fire started, the wood won't burn well, and the secondary combustion system won't work very well because too much of the energy in the wood will be wasted boiling out the water content.

It also requires prior planning on a daily basis during the system. You will need to make sure that you plan to get up early enough in the morning to light the stove and give it time to get going before you leave, you'll need to plan your schedule so that you can reload the stove when you need to in order to keep the stove running and keep the house warm, and you'll need to plan ahead to make sure you have enough wood in your wood box when you need it.

To me, it's very fulfilling. I like being self sufficient. There is a very good chance that you'll find it very satisfying too! I just want to mention these things, if you're used to just setting the thermostat and letting the furnace do its thing.

The other guys really are shooting straight with you about heating a house from the basement with a wood burning stove. Everything has to come together perfectly for it to work right. Unfinished concrete walls will suck up heat faster than you would believe. It doesn't matter how thick the walls are. Running the stove in an unfinished basement is going to result in doing nothing more than pumping heat into the walls and earth around the home.

I think the best solution (but unfortunately, probably cost prohibitive), would be to remove your zero clearance fireplace box, and replace it with a zero clearance stove. It will look similar to the built in fireplace, but it will give you the benefit of being an efficient unit that will actually heat the house the same way a stove or insert would.

Is there anywhere else on the main floor of the house that you could install a freestanding stove? If the basement isn't finished, and you don't spend a lot of time down there, it really doesn't make sense to pump almost all of your heat energy into that space. You'll get a lot more enjoyment out of the stove if it's in the space that you actually use. First of all, you'll be able to watch the fire (which will probably never get old), second, it will let you put in a smaller stove to achieve your heating goals, and third, you will use SIGNIFICANTLY less wood.

I know you want to put the stove in the basement, but I really fear that you would be throwing your money away, and in the end, be disappointed. Your friend may have had success with it, but, that is usually because the stars aligned perfectly to make it work right.

Putting in a wood burning furnace that connects into the rest of your forced air system can work well, and many people here do it, but... a wood burning furnace is a lot more expensive than a wood burning stove. If you can afford it, it could be a very viable option for you.

-SF

 

[lfunk11]

thanks everyone for your comments. You likely saved me a bunch of money and frustration since I was set on putting a stove in our basement until I came to this board. As it stands I am going to get some wood delivered (I realize it may not be fully seasoned) and just use our fireplace as it is for now. I still have some wood and a bunch to cut, but there is just too much snow to get to the logs to cut and they likely would be too wet anyways. I can get a blower for it for ~$150 and I will do that so if it can keep the main room comfy during the day that should cut down on the heating a bit. I would likely need the furnace more at night, but for now this is likely my best option until I can figure out what to do.

We turned down the heat and I tried to cut down on the draft the best I could from the fireplace. I have a feeling I am going to have to pull it out and fix it since I don't think they added any insulation at all behind it. There is cold air coming in from the bottom (not the flue). I took off the grate and there was an outlet for the blower, but there was a hole where it came through. Cold air was pouring through this. I did my best to seal it up with tape you use on HVAC ducts. I assume it should be fine since right near the hole is a 2x4 stud (outside of the fireplace - framing) clearly visible and its perfectly fine. I would like to take out the fireplace and add insulation to the box, but I need to read more about the correct insulation to use and the correct clearances. I will likely just have to suffer this winter a bit and get better prepared for next winter. I could add insulation underneath where the blower goes, but I can't figure out what kind of insulation to use. There is insulation in there that comes with the fireplace that surrounds the main firebox. It looks like normal insulation with the foil facing. I can't find anyone that will tell me what it is or where to buy it though.

For next winter I am going to really look at trying to do a ZC insert if I can, but I need to read more into those. If not, I will look at a wood furnace or possibly an outside wood furnace, but I think they might be too much money?

thanks again!