Basement heat

[sceneofthecrash]

In the process of finishing our basement. we have wood heat on the main level. wondering what most of you heat ypour basement with. Ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[super3]

Yukon Big Jack in the basement takes care of both.

 

[Ljute]

Old Timberline woodstove in basement. Heats up entire house. Of course it's 90F'in degrees downstairs.

 

[CrappieKeith]

Yukon Big Jack in the basement takes care of both.

SWEEEET!:msp_biggrin:

 

[danrclem]

Fisher Grandpa Bear. That's all I use. The heat comes up the stairway and does a good job heating the upper level.

I'm going to put a couple floor vents and a fan in because my wife keeps our young granddaughter during the day and we have to keep the basement door closed. She might be ok next winter but we have a grandson due in about a month and she'll probably keep him too.

 

[Mike PA]

Fisher Grandpa Bear. That's all I use. The heat comes up the stairway and does a good job heating the upper level.

I'm going to put a couple floor vents and a fan in because my wife keeps our young granddaughter during the day and we have to keep the basement door closed. She might be ok next winter but we have a grandson due in about a month and she'll probably keep him too.

I've had young kids and heat exactly this way. I put a gate up across the steps. Worked fine for me - just something for you to consider.

 

[Wife'nHubby]

Fisher Grandpa Bear. That's all I use. The heat comes up the stairway and does a good job heating the upper level.

I'm going to put a couple floor vents and a fan in because my wife keeps our young granddaughter during the day and we have to keep the basement door closed. She might be ok next winter but we have a grandson due in about a month and she'll probably keep him too.

When heating with wood and you are going to run a floor vent to move heat around most localities will require you to use a "fire damper".

You probably are aware of what a 'fire damper' is but I post the info here for others:

"Fire damper is a device designed to impede the spread of fire through walls, floors and partitions. Its construction includes a galvanized steel frame and a fusible link, a heat sensitive device (usually set at 165° F). When the fusible link opens it releases the damper components to close. When the damper components close the damper will restrict the migration of fire." (Source: http://www.engineering.com/Ask/tabid/3449/qactid/-1/qaqid/2151/Default.aspx

Again, just a FYI to other readers.

Shari

 

[pook]

When heating with wood and you are going to run a floor vent to move heat around most localities will require you to use a "fire damper".

You probably are aware of what a 'fire damper' is but I post the info here for others:

"File damper is a device designed to impede the spread of fire through walls, floors and partitions. Its construction includes a galvanized steel frame and a fusible link, a heat sensitive device (usually set at 165° F). When the fusible link opens it releases the damper components to close. When the damper components close the damper will restrict the migration of fire." (Source: http://www.engineering.com/Ask/tabid/3449/qactid/-1/qaqid/2151/Default.aspx

Again, just a FYI to other readers.

Shari

whats a "file damper"?

 

[goof008]

Wood stove is in the basement...works great.

We removed the wall going into the basement from the main floor and put railings in. It really helps get the heat throughout the house. We also don't have a door going to the basement....for now. We just had a baby, so I think the door will be going up by next heating season. We cut the door in half, so the heat can still get thru that way too!

 

[danrclem]

I've had young kids and heat exactly this way. I put a gate up across the steps. Worked fine for me - just something for you to consider.

I've thought of that and that might be what I'll do. It would be a lot easier.

 

[danrclem]

When heating with wood and you are going to run a floor vent to move heat around most localities will require you to use a "fire damper".

You probably are aware of what a 'fire damper' is but I post the info here for others:

"Fire damper is a device designed to impede the spread of fire through walls, floors and partitions. Its construction includes a galvanized steel frame and a fusible link, a heat sensitive device (usually set at 165° F). When the fusible link opens it releases the damper components to close. When the damper components close the damper will restrict the migration of fire." (Source: http://www.engineering.com/Ask/tabid/3449/qactid/-1/qaqid/2151/Default.aspx

Again, just a FYI to other readers.

Shari

I actually haven't ever heard of a fire damper but I'd say that you're probably right about the codes. The codes have got a lot stricter since I built my house back in 1987. My son built a house about 3 years ago and every hole in the ceiling that was used for pipes or whatever had to be sealed so they wouldn't become a chimney in case of a fire. Then again I have a huge opening coming up my stairway that would be a giant chimney if I ever had a fire in my basement.

If I do put the vents in I'll check into the fire dampers. Thanks for the info.

 

[NCPABill]

half "door"

The top of my steps are open, with a railing parallel to the steps. I built a section of railing and put it on hinges like a half door would be hung. The latch side has a simple hook-and-eye latch to keep it closed. Luck had it that a 3/4" high trim along the existing railing also serves to hold the gate open when I'm carrying something up the stairs.

Good luck,

Bill

 

[Ambull]

Round Oak 18. It can heat the whole house if I want it to. Easily burns through the night.

 

[hamish]

Well with wood of course, ain't you ever learned heat rises!
I always have my wood stove in the basement, kind of like in floor heating on the main floor of the house!

 

[sceneofthecrash]

i am aware that heat rises but we put our stove in before finishing the basement. we have a fresh air return close to our stove has any one tried running just the fan on an air handler to circulate the heat through out the house. heard it works but not sure I believe it would be enough.



Thanks for the ideas

 

[olyman]

riteway 37 bolted to basement floor--old time grate, 30x30 right above it,,and i built a HOUSE around it--to force the air up thru the grate quicker--chimney effect--keeps house steady whatever we set the dampner to--even in d$%^ cold weather--elec goes off--so what???? return air--goes thru the door to basement--

 

[Soby1]

i am aware that heat rises but we put our stove in before finishing the basement. we have a fresh air return close to our stove has any one tried running just the fan on an air handler to circulate the heat through out the house. heard it works but not sure I believe it would be enough.



Thanks for the ideas

My staircase is off of my liveing room were my fireplace is. I cut a 16"X16" opening in the cold air return plenum to the furnace in the basement. I run the furnace fan it pulls the air down and keeps it nice and warm down there. When it's real cold out I'll go down and tape it off to keep the heat upstairs where we spend 90% of our time.

 

[racnruss]

Wood furnace in basement.

I've been heating the same 2700 square feet for 13 years with wood.

Started out with a wood stove in basement. Basement was 90 degrees and second floor was 55 degrees and main floor somewhere in between.

Went to small forced air wood furnace, worked OK but was too small for the fire to last long.

Best one was a Clayton 1800. That was awsome. Plumbed in main ductwork and walked around in underwear anywhere in the house.

BIG MISTAKE! sold the Clayton to buy an outdoor forced air furnace. Bought a Wadena piece of crapola. We were tired of carrying wood down the stairs. But after 3 months of having a cold basement and burning twice as much wood, we wish we had our Clayton back in the basement.

So, in conclusion, good quality wood furnace in basement is the way to go.

 

[pook]

HOT AIR rises known as CONVECTIVE HEAT
CONDUCTIVE HEAT is the transfer of heat from physical contact cold object with hot object
RADIANT HEAT is a wave which travels in any direction relatively unaffected, like a flashlight so heres the point= if the hot wall of the stove can "see" a concrete foundation wall, the wall of the stove that can "see" the concrete will radiate "shine" heat right to that concrete wall which is a massive heat sink which will then CONDUCT that heat to the cold ground or air on the exterior.

 

[stumpy75]

I also have a wood stove on the main level and I have used the furnace fan to get some heat down to the basement. It keeps it better than nothing, but my basement is not finished, so I don't need it as warm as the main floor. I have not found a good way to get the heat to go DOWN. :msp_rolleyes: