What Type of Stove Do I Need?

I live in a 2000 sq ft ranch style house that I heat with a DS #4 basement stove in the basement. The stove heats the floors which in turns radiently heats the house. Works great, but my house is a simple square shape with an open floorplan.

My parents are building a house and I've attached a copy of my parents floor plans and would like your opinion. If we put a stove in the basement at the location marked with an X, would a handfired unit effectively heat the portions of the house shown in yellow? Everything highlighted in yellow has basement under it. Would it effectively warm the rooms at the far ends of the house. Can I get by without installing any floor registers or return vents.

Or do we need to purchase a coal furnace with a blower. We'd sure like to use a hand fired unit if we can.

I'd like your thoughts and suggestions. Thank you in advance!

I guess I should have mentioned that we are installing a central heating system (LP furnace) as well. So it's not just the coal stove.

The two main units we are considering are the DS Machine Kozy King and the Harman 2500. Both coal burning furnaces with blowers that would be hooked into the ductwork.

I'd like to know if given the floor plan if we can use a stove or if we have to get a furnace.

i would suggest going with a boiler with hot water baseboard. a stoker furnace is a good idea too. I would have a back up heat source if anything where to happen. hand fired are nice but your tied to them. boilers and stoker furnaces are going to be a little more forgiving. I will let the other folks on this forum fill you in on the pros and cons of each system. as I am still learning about these systems myself.

I think you are asking too much of a single stove in the basement.

An automatic central system is the best. It might also be cheap to run if you have natural gas available.

Just a few questions beyond the heating equiptment

how old are they and
will they be able to take care of a hand feed stove
along with removing the ashes outside and will there be a walk out basement to do so
will they be able to go up and down the stairs later on in life

Don't take it to heart, but we all get old and might not be able to take care of a stove yet alone ourselves.

Have a back up heat also
We all have to look out for our parents

I agree with all the other posters. I think a hand fed is too much to ask of an elderly couple. If you go the stove route you need a stoker with a big hopper and a huge ash pan so they don't have to do anything but every third day or so. Is someone going to be around to fill and empty those? I like the idea of a boiler for an elderly couple. It's what I plan to do in my retirement house. I think that putting a hand fed on the X will not heat the house enough, if you go that way I'd go with a smaller second stove on the upper level. Remember, this opinion is only worth what you paid for it, absolutely nothing. Best wishes in your endeavors, Lisa

NorthernIndiana wrote:... If we put a stove in the basement at the location marked with an X, would a handfired unit effectively heat the portions of the house shown in yellow?

In my opinion... no.
Not effectively.

Would it effectively warm the rooms at the far ends of the house. Can I get by without installing any floor registers or return vents.

I would say almost definetly not.

Just my opinions..
without floor vents, you just won't get the natural convection currents
that you would need to heat those far rooms.
Not evenly for certain.
Older people would more than likely not like that uneveness.
They may also not like handling 40 pound bags of coal in their later years..

But.. everyone is different...
I'd have a good talk with them, if it was me....

Dan

I guess I should have mentioned that we are installing a central heating system (LP furnace) as well. So it's not just the coal stove.

The two main units we are considering are the DS Machine Kozy King and the Harman 2500. Both coal burning furnaces with blowers that would be hooked into the ductwork.

I'd like to know if given the floor plan if we can use a stove or if we have to get a furnace.

NorthernIndiana wrote:I'd like to know if given the floor plan if we can use a stove or if we have to get a furnace.

A furnace tied into the ductwork has the advantage of filtration, humidity (if you have a humidifier installed), and better heat distribution. If you intend to carry the load with coal, a furnace is the way to go.

Why are you only considering hand-fired units?

Well, we are really looking at furnaces (the local dealer sells Kozy King and Harmon), but were wondering if we could get by with a handfired unit. My parents like the even radient heat my handfire in the basement provides. I was curious if a handfired would work in their situation. I don't beleive it would, but I wanted more opinions.

See my post on the Stoker/furnace forum.

I HIGHLY recommend using hot water in floor or under floor heat.. You are invited to come to my place in Michigan and see and experience a warm floor heating system.

Greg L

I may need to merge to two subjects, so we aren't trying to answer two threads with the same info.

Greg L

Greg L

I may need to merge to two subjects, so we aren't trying to answer two threads with the same info.

Greg L[/quote]

That would be great Greg. I really should have posted this under the Stoker and Furnace Thread, rather than the Hand Fired.

Boy I really need to slow down when I read these threads. I missed that it was new construction. In that case, Greg has hit the nail squarely on the head. Nothing is more comfortable than radiant floor heat, I highly recommend you take him up on his offer to walk around in a house that requires no slippers.