Return Air, Is Basement Okay or Should I ...

Hello,
I have a question, for the past 2 years I have used my basement air as my return flow to the stove, Is this good or should I hook up a return grate to my 1st level, The basement is used in the winter as 1 would use a deck in the summer so I wouldn't want it to cool down. as everything stays now I keep my t-stat set at 69 and the ENTIRE house stays at that temp. and my coal useage hasn't really changed 4 ton and about 12 bags at the end of the season..

What are a few thoughts on this,

I have a gas furnace (hot air blower/blocked and turned off) but that is upstairs so the return is basically the main living room for that. IE I figured the coal stove would pull the air down to the basement it seems to work, but would I get better heating of the Air with an enclosed return??

My stove is a double stoker Alaska 140, I usually just use the 1 stoker until it gets real cold and the T-stat controls the burn Hi or Low fire, with a heat control controlling the blower..

If it aint busted, don't fix it.

It's working as you need it right now, so I'd leave it. If you wanted to keep the cellar cooler, than a ducted return to the coal furnace would be something to concider.

Thank You

Even though I usually suggest and recommend a basement located unit to have a cold air return ducted to it, since you do use the basement, and want it to stay comfortable, you aren't having heat distribution problems, and you are happy with your coal usage,, I'll have to agree with Freddy,, if you are happy with it, then leave it alone..

If you do want to experiment, then hook a cold air return from the main level upstairs to the inlet of the furnace,, this will reheat the once heated upstairs air, raising the air temperature in the hot air supply ducts from the 140... You may burn a bit less coal, and not have to fire up the second burner untill the weather is colder than before...

But, you may have less upstairs air returning to the basement, and this may make the basement cooler.. The air on the floor of a basement is the coldest air in a home..

Have you read any of the 'outside air' topics?? this may be a way to increase the efficiency of your setup too.

Greg L.

If it ain't broke don't fix it.
DON