Woodstove in Ranch Basement. Need Advice!

[begreen]

Right makes sense but I thought that was breaking code from other things I've read.

Dampers, vents etc like they will be needed to make this work. I'll have to budget for that.

Check with the local inspecting authority. They may require each vent to have a fusible-link damper in it. These are heat triggered and close when the link melts. Atlanta Supply is a good source.

Randomly cutting vents may lead to unsatisfactory results. They are often too small or poorly located. It helps to understand the way air convects. It needs a return path (cooler air) to replace the displaced warm air that is convecting to the floor above. Often the return air path is an open stairwell. In some cases the stairwell is both the supply and return path with hot air at the top of the door frame and cold air returning at the bottom. That's why a full door opening vs a door vent may be more effective. Also, if floor vents are to be cut for convection they should be large enough and if possible an equal area of return vents put in on the opposite end of the basement. This is to allow a convection loop to develop that heats the most area in the basement and main floor. This is not always possible due to partitions and/or closed-off rooms. Each case needs to be taken as it is.

If this is a daylight basement, try to place the stove on or near the ground level wall so that an OAK can be connected to the stove.

 

[stoveliker]

My view (and it works fantastic for me) is that a register with inline fan and a stairwell works best.
I suck the cold air from the floor of my living room, duct it down to the basement floor where I deposit it.
That pushes the warm air near the basement ceiling up the (in my case central) stairs.

I emphasize the fire damper. Making a hole in a fire barrier (yes, a wooden floor is a fire barrier) for air also is providing a path for fire to spread much more quickly. Hole+metal ducting until the fire damper, after which you can do whatever you want. That way the damper will close off the "metal appendix" to the living room above.

Safety is important.

 

[gzecc]

Apologize if already discussed. Why not replace the pellet stove with a bigger wood stove?
Start your wood hoarding now. Need 6 cords split and stacked now.

 

[arro222]

The beauty of a catalytic is its ability to burn long and slow w/o creosote build up. It is senseless to me to get a catalytic stove whose catalyst is at the exhaust port. Better catalytic sare designed with acquiring heat from the process such as the Blaze Kings and Regency Pro fires
I also have my Quadrafire 5700 acc in the cellar. I have a vent above the stove and leave the cellar door open as well as the laundry chute opening on the second floor. I get great circulation.
When I installed an OAI, I got less heat as the stove didn't need to suck in interior air for combustion. It was this that created the circulation throughout the house so I uninstalled it.