Many people think of basements as cold, uncomfortable, unpleasant places. That’s true even if they are heated in some cases – but it’s hard for a space to feel cold and damp when it’s got a real wood burning stove in it. You might therefore be wondering whether you can put a wood burning stove in your basement.
However, wood burning stoves can present a danger if they don’t have a proper venting system, because the carbon dioxide that is caused by the fire could build up inside the basement room. That might leave you wondering whether it is feasible to install a wood burning stove in a basement at all.
Can you put a wood burning stove in the basement? Unfortunately, this depends heavily on quite a few factors. The first thing you will need to do is check your local building codes and find out if this is legal in your area. You will also need to make sure that installing a venting system is feasible, and that you’ll get the warmth you anticipate from your stove.
Are You Allowed to Put a Wood Burning Stove in a Basement?
There is no simple answer to this question: it depends on your area. However, it is always the first question you should ask. You need to find out whether you are legally allowed to install a wood burning stove before you start your project, or you could spend a lot of money on something you will never use.
You should therefore contact your local authority before you take any other steps, and find out whether there are any legal requirements to satisfy before you install a wood burning stove in your basement. Once you have done this, you can proceed to the next step.
Do You Need a Venting System?
Installing a venting system is critical to ensuring that your wood burning stove is safe. You cannot have a wood burning stove vent in an enclosed space like a basement. The fumes are dangerous and could cause serious health problems or even loss of life. The stove must vent to an outdoor space.
It is therefore necessary to have a chimney for your wood burning stove, and this must extend above the roofline – which means running it from your basement all the way to the top of the house. This can be both complicated and expensive, and may make the whole project prohibitively difficult and pricey.
You cannot vent a wood burning stove into your backyard; the smoke must be released at the level of the rooftops. You should therefore get a company to examine your home and give you a ballpark figure for the chimney before you buy a wood burning stove.
It’s also important to be aware that if you run the pipe up the outside of the house, there will be a lot of heat loss, and the chimney may pull cold air down into the house. Because the warm air will be rising, cold air will be drawn in to replace it, which may make your home colder, rather than cozier.
Will the Stove Heat the House?
In some cases, having a wood burning stove in your basement will heat your home, but there are a lot of drawbacks. Firstly, remember that the heat can’t be transported through your HVAC system, because the smoke must be vented outside, so it’s difficult to warm the upper floors with this kind of stove. Your basement walls will also suck up a lot of the warmth.
Both of these issues need careful consideration. Although heat rises, your wood burning stove is unlikely to make enough heat to significantly warm the upper floors of your house, and it’s not an ideal choice for this because you cannot easily transport the warm air around the home.
Secondly, the basement is likely to be a cold place, which could make your heating system less effective. Unless you have insulated your basement thoroughly, some of the warmth will be lost to the coldness that naturally surrounds basements. This will create significant inefficiencies, because the ground is being heated instead of your home.
In many cases, a wood burning stove isn’t the ideal option for keeping your basement warm and cozy. You’ll also have to carry the fuel through your home (unless you have external access to the basement), which can be a major chore, and may create a mess inside your house.
The stove is also a fire risk if it is unattended for long periods, as there’s a chance that it will overheat, and it could go unnoticed for hours. This is particularly dangerous because smoke rises, and could penetrate the rest of your home before you have realized that there is a problem of any sort.
When are Wood Burning Stoves Useful in Basements?
There are instances in which wood burning stoves in basements work well, however. If you have a finished, well-insulated basement that is not attached to the rest of the home’s HVAC system, a wood burning stove may be the best option for making it warm and cozy.
If you are going to install one, however, make sure that you get advice on local building codes and talk to industry experts, particularly when it comes to safety and venting the stove correctly. It is crucial to ensure that the stove is positioned correctly to minimize fire risks, and that an appropriate pipe is installed for the whole system.
Bear in mind that wood burning stoves can be expensive, and usually cost between $1000 and $4500 – with much of this cost coming from the chimney in most cases. If you already have a chimney available, the stove may only be around $500, although some models cost several thousand.
Final Thoughts
Wood burning stoves can be installed in basements in some areas, but it is important to check local building codes before you add one. You will also need to think about ventilation, safety, and efficiency, and determine whether this is the most suitable heating option. Be aware that these stoves often cost several thousand dollars to install.
