Mini Splits with Woodstove in Basement as Backup

bigkahuna · December 2024

Hey All,

I am building a 1680 square foot 28*60 ICF ranch. The basement and walls will all be ICF, with R-49 blown in for the attic. I am planning on installing mini-splits on the first story. My question is, for those maybe 20 days it gets below 5 degrees in upstate NY and the splits lose efficiency; would I be able to use a woodstove in the basement to heat the home? If so, what is the best way to get the hot air upstairs? Thank you for your help!

jesmed1 · December 2024

Why not put the wood stove in, say, a living room on the first floor instead, where you (1) avoid having to carry wood down a flight of stairs into the basement, and (2) get the benefit of the good cheer and radiant heat from the wood stove in your main living space?

With mini-splits heating the single story house most of the time, you get the efficiency of the heat pumps in the shoulder season, and then when colder weather comes you can still run the minisplits but just use the wood stove as an additional heat source.

With the wood stove in, say, the living room, you won't get perfect heat distribution from it to the rest of the house, but that's a trade-off that would be worth it to me.

Hot_water_fan · December 2024

If this house is still being designed, make sure to use ductwork. My concern with the woodstove is overheating - this is a small and well insulated place, you should be comfortable first and foremost, not live in a sauna. Ductwork allows backup to be easily incorporated

Robert_25 · December 2024