Pellet stove questions

[Rocky31186]

We have a traditional wood burning fireplace with blower, which everyone knows is not very efficient. We have been heating mainly with wood this year but not being efficient there is a lot of waste.

 

Wanting to add a pellet stove so my options are...

 

1) Remove the wood fireplace and get a pellet stove insert, utilize the chimney for the pellet stove exit

 

2) Install pellet stove in the basement (half finished half storage) And tie to air ducts to push air into bedrooms

 

3) Put the pellet stove in the corner of the same room that has the fireplace so I can burn pellets or wood. Use fans to push the hot air up the stairs

 

I was told to put the stove where you want the heat. A basement will absorb most of the heat, and to put it on the first floor. I am afraid to get the pellet insert and take out my wood burning fireplace in case I ever run out of pellets and want to burn wood. Under 2500 sq ft, all electric house.

 

Those who have pellet stoves what are your thoughts?

 

Also thought about an outdoor boiler. I could heat the house and the future pole barn with it. But high cost up front.

[dakotart]

We have a traditional wood burning fireplace with blower, which everyone knows is not very efficient. We have been heating mainly with wood this year but not being efficient there is a lot of waste.

 

Wanting to add a pellet stove so my options are...

 

1) Remove the wood fireplace and get a pellet stove insert, utilize the chimney for the pellet stove exit

 

2) Install pellet stove in the basement (half finished half storage) And tie to air ducts to push air into bedrooms

 

3) Put the pellet stove in the corner of the same room that has the fireplace so I can burn pellets or wood. Use fans to push the hot air up the stairs

 

I was told to put the stove where you want the heat. A basement will absorb most of the heat, and to put it on the first floor. I am afraid to get the pellet insert and take out my wood burning fireplace in case I ever run out of pellets and want to burn wood. Under 2500 sq ft, all electric house.

 

Those who have pellet stoves what are your thoughts?

 

Also thought about an outdoor boiler. I could heat the house and the future pole barn with it. But high cost up front.

I have a wood stove in my basement and use the fireplace chimney. I also have a double wide cold air return in the room with the stove so I blocked the return on 1st floor and put in vents in basement room.

 

With the wood stove going, the basement room will be about 80-85 degrees (normal basement temp is 65) and with furnace fan on low, it will heat the entire house to 68-70 without my propane furnace doing any of the heating work.

[grease monkey]

Don't get rid of your fireplace. Pellet stoves are not as good as real wood burning stoves. I say get a real wood burner. And use the fireplace as a backup.

[stangsn95gt]

I say #2 so that you still have full use of the fireplace and you'll have full control of heat from the pellet stove with the vents. Its what I plan to do when I build a house.

[Rocky31186]

Don't get rid of your fireplace. Pellet stoves are not as good as real wood burning stoves. I say get a real wood burner. And use the fireplace as a backup.

 

I want to get away from firewood because of my back issues. The hauling, cutting, splitting, stacking, carrying in loads of wood to burn is not good for me. 40* bags of pellets would be much easier on my back.

 

But I do think I should leave the fireplace as a back up.

[xlr8tn]

#2 sounds like the best option to me. I have a pellet stove here that the genius previous owner installed on the uppermost level of our house. It's completely useless up there. I haven't ran it in over 10 years. That room gets to 90 with it on low and since heat rises it does absolutely nothing for the rest of the house. Complete waste of money and space up there. If it wasn't 1.4 billion pounds I would've moved it downstairs years ago or sold it.