coal insert

 
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tmizzy02
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Location: Lebanon, PA
Other Heating: Electric Forced Air

Post by tmizzy02 » Mon. Feb. 04, 2019 9:50 pm

Hello all,

First time posting here, have been a lurker trying to read as much as possible and learn.

I can't seem to find anything specific to my situation so here goes...

My home is approx 2100 sq ft and a cape cod style house. The fireplace in my home is in the unfinished basement and travels roughly smack in the middle of my house to the roof. The chiminey has 3 flues, one main for the fireplace and the other two run on each side of the main. They all begin in the basement. I could install a free standing in my living room but to get back into relearning coal i thought of installing a Hitzer 503 in my basement. Would this provide enough heat for the first floor of my home is i removed all of the plastic an insulation from the basement ceiling? The home was built in 1965 and someone installed electric forced air which has a difficult time keeping up with heating demands when it gets into the teens. If pictures of my current situation would help id be more then willing to figure out how to attach them! Thanks again!


 
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2001Sierra
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Post by 2001Sierra » Mon. Feb. 04, 2019 10:01 pm

For you to feel the heat on the floor above the stove the floor would have to be about 100 degrees. Simply removing insulation would not be enough. You will need to find a way to pass the heat up, as the cold air will fall to the basement long before the heat will rise.

 
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tmizzy02
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Post by tmizzy02 » Mon. Feb. 04, 2019 11:07 pm

Would leaving the basement door slightly open and disconnecting some floor registers help? I know I would need to install specific registers that snap closed Incase of a fire. Just can’t recall the technical term at the moment.

 
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BlackBetty06
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Post by BlackBetty06 » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 6:40 am

Leave the basement door wide open. Cut in a large supply (I used 10") of the supply trunk of the furnace and run it to the floor and discharge it pointing towards the stove. Run the blower fan as needed. I do this in my rancher and the basement is definietly warmer but not excessive. Upstaris is 70-72 basement ceiling is 82

 
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BlackBetty06
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Hand Fed Coal Stove: Hitzer 50-93
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Post by BlackBetty06 » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 7:04 am

Also for your size home I’d go for the hitzer 983 insert. Just my .02

 
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tmizzy02
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Other Heating: Electric Forced Air

Post by tmizzy02 » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 8:44 am

I have been looking at the 983 as well but the hopper on the 503 is appealing to me.

The wife insists we remove our electric furnace and install a natural gas or dual fuel set up and hook into the main by our house but that is a bit pricey right now.

I’d love to install supplemental heat for the time being and hopefully cut back on electric until we can do the natural gas. Coal would then be back up or for just sending heat throughout my basement/workshop and up through the barn door to the garage for extra heat.

My house is extremely quirky!!

 
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tmizzy02
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Post by tmizzy02 » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 8:52 am

also i do have room in my basement that i could just put a freestanding stove there as well. an insert would look better and save some space seeing as there is already a fireplace there.


 
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tcalo
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Post by tcalo » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 9:11 am

Ever think about an antique insert?

Attachments


 
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nortcan
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Post by nortcan » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 9:26 am

WOW, I love those base burner inserts, they certainly can heat at perfection :yes:

 
LouNY
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Post by LouNY » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 10:06 am

I have a Hitzer insert a 503 and I like it, that said.
If I was putting in the basement I would be more tempted to go with a free standing stove.
With an Automatic Bi-Metal Thermostat, also the insert is double walled with a blower,
in your situation I don't see that as an advantage.
You mentioned an electric forced air furnace, is the blower or any of the supply
duct work close to where the coal burner would be?
If so open the duct and allow the existing blower to move the heated air from the basement
thru the house.
I do wish that Hitzer had the bi-metal thermostat on the inserts.
The DS line does but I am not impressed with there blower R&R.
My two cents only,
good luck

 
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tmizzy02
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Post by tmizzy02 » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 10:39 am

the supply duct goes right behind my chimney...from the chimney back to the furnace there are a few runs that go up to the floor....from the chimney down there may be two. I cant locate the stove by the existing furnace due to the distance plus id basically have to put up another chimney on that end. I dont have to use an insert, i just like the "ascetics"

i know i could tie into the duct work but HVAC isn't exactly something im stong with. Id love to be able to heat my entire house when the weather gets like it has been. This is already a hard sell for the wife. I did mention about putting on in the living room on the first floor as that would supply heat to that floor and even up to the second story. Lets say she isn't too keen on that idea!!
So basement is my only option for now! If the wife aint happy then i surely aint!

Maybe giving my local stove place a call and having them come look at my situation may be beneficial to me.

 
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McGiever
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Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
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Post by McGiever » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 11:43 am

Not many coal literate shops around, but then you do want someone that sees your situation and can see best use of options available.

 
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tmizzy02
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Post by tmizzy02 » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 11:48 am

i agree.

i do keep stumbling upon the hitzer 82FA in this forum. Wonder if that would be a good way to use existing duct work to push warm air through the house.

So much to learn.....

 
CapeCoaler
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Post by CapeCoaler » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 12:08 pm

The 503 in the basement would be a nice start...
Won't heat the upstairs much but floors would be warm...
Could cut into the return to pull some heat upstairs...
Keeps the coal out of the wife's domain...
While showing how not so messy coal can be...
As will be said...
A coal boiler is the logical step up...
Heats DHW water to air coil in duct work...
Heats whole house...

 
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McGiever
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Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar

Post by McGiever » Tue. Feb. 05, 2019 12:23 pm

About that Hitzer 82FA...

Nice enough unit, it is huge, could learn about reducing a fire chamber size for those times that the full size is not needed.

Another model maybe with split grates from front to back could be easily reduced...Hitzer 82 may not be best model for brick blocking grate, it has 2 full length grates...not sure how to still work grates on only half???

Reduction is accomplished by stacking up fire-brick for several layers and even combine a flat steel plate across a portion of bottom while blocking off air flow through that portion of grate area...you never want to have anything less than a 8-10" deep built coal bed...bricks allow a smaller fire but still deep. And oversize firebox then extracts much more heat from that half-sized fire. :)


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