Wood stoves can be installed in homes of any size and can also easily heat a two-story house if used correctly. A wood stove can be cost-effective and give your home a cozy atmosphere. However, two-story homes with the only heat source located on the ground floor can be difficult to heat evenly, so a little ingenuity is required to direct air heated with wood to the upper rooms. Can a larger house be heated with just one wood stove? There is no doubt that it is possible to do so, but several things must be taken into account.
These thick stone or masonry products can be purchased and placed under the stove to provide a barrier against the floor. Heating with wood requires more work, but once you use a wood stove, you don't want to use other types of heat again. The heater will heat all the rooms within that space, which can be as few as five rooms or as many as 12. If your home has central air conditioning, you may be able to connect your wood stove to the air ducts. If you're thinking about a pellet stove, you might be wondering what size a space can heat and if it's capable of heating a multi-story home.
If you have a two-story house, you'll definitely want to locate the stove on the ground floor, because the heat increases. Light a moderate fire on the stove with wood and some pieces no more than 2 inches thick. To determine the size of the stove you need to purchase, multiply the estimated BTU required per square foot by the total number of square feet. According to the Energy Saving Trust, a home's heating costs can be reduced by 10% when using a wood stove.
The Department of Energy says you'll need a 60,000 BTU pellet stove to heat a 2,000 square foot home. Using wood heating to heat your home can help you save money over time and reduce your dependence on traditional energy sources. In homes with multiple floors, you should place the heater on the lowest level or on the floor where it is most located. Wood stoves can easily heat a two-story house, but certain codes and precautions must always be followed.
Wood stoves that are incorrectly installed or installed without adequate space on all sides or that lack the correct grade of heat-resistant plumbing can cause house fires. In two-story homes, you should use fans and set the heater on the lowest level to get the most out of your heater. Wood heating is a frugal way to heat a home, but for multi-level homes, introducing warm air into every room can be a challenge.
