Some questions about wood stove? Please help!?

I just moved from a warm climate to a cold one for the first time. I have a 2 story house with 4 bedrooms, other rooms, and a basement. I am planning on opening up the house for a non profit organization but right now it is just me so I have just been heating my room. However my plumbing froze up so I think I need to heat my basement to at least 40 degrees. Also I am thinking about buying a used one and so need to know what to look for. And, I want to live a simple and efficient lifestyle and so am wondering if this is a good option.

1. How much will you save if you use a wood stove instead of an electricit heater "percentage"?

2. If it is in the basement can you run the vent out of a basement window? Or does it have to go out the roof? If so can I run it up my chimney somehow?

3. How large of a stove do I need?

4. Should I get a stove with a fan? Or is it important? Or can I put one on myself?

5. If I get an electric heater how many btu's do I need?

6. Is there a certain year, brand, model, material, or specific features that I need to be looking for?

7. Are vent kits expensive? Are they hard to install?

8. Do people still use wood stoves often? Are they recommended?

9. How often do you have to change the wood? Are there certain tools that keep it from being a messy job? Is there an ash tray or something? I mean if I am going to be running it constantly I think I will have to allow the waste to cool off somewhere? Do you just throw the ashes in a trash bag or something?

10. Should I just get a used electric furnace? Or do these types not last long? Are they hard to install?

11. Do you think a barrel stove is a good idea?:

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/for/950938077.html

12. Lastly, I looked for some used wood stoves on craigslist. It seems that these stoves last forever. I have chosen a few can you tell me which stove is the best? Some of them might be sold already so can you tell me in general if these are good or if some are bad?

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/hsh/938049254.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/hsh/944809110.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/hsh/945376204.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/hsh/947772888.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/hsh/952041011.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/for/952824793.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/tls/954140825.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/hsh/956654062.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/bar/957341500.html

You've asked a lot of questions. I think wood stoves can save about 1/2 on your heating versus electric. Whether this savings is worthwhile is up to you. Wood heating is messy, and labor intensive buying, storing, and bringing in this wood. I throw a log on the fire about every hour, I'd say. I stuff it full at night. On cold nights I get up in the middle of the night and refill it. The chimneys are expensive, I wouldn't be surprised if it costs you $2000 for the parts to run this up alongside your house in a code approved manner (and this isn't something to try and get by with anything less on, too many houses burn down this way).

I don't know about Kansas City, where I am wood stoves are regulated now for pollution output, and only "certified" stoves are legal to install, indeed, to even be sold. Nowadays, all the certified stoves seem to have 6" chimneys. My advice is to buy the largest certified stove you can find with the biggest possible firebox. That really makes a difference when you're stuffing firewood in there. I shovel the ashes out of my stove with a flat shovel into an ashcan, which I take outside away from the house to cool. Afterwards, I scatter them as far as possible around the property - in small amounts, ash is a nutrient. I never dump them all in one place.

Firewood sellers are a notoriously unreliable bunch, and opportunities for minor fraud numerous. Usually, you need to buy firewood in advance, and let it dry for a season before you burn it. Where I live firewood burning is very common, but I live in a rural, wooded area, too. I see many people using pellet stoves nowadays, they might be worth looking into. Also, some people burn corn, and you're in the middle of corn country. I think maybe you can burn corn directly in a pellet stove, but I'm not certain on that.

You had a long list of questions, I don't know if this answers them, but it might point you in some right directions. Best of wishes here.

Wood stoves are much cheaper than any other heat here in MI. Installing one is a big job and must meet codes for safety reasons. A chimney can go out a basement window and up the side of the home to heights above the roof line. The metal chimney kit will cost more than the stove. Ashes must be dug out into a metal bucket about once a week and put outside . Basement stoves don't need fan and ducts if there are open floor vents above the stove, heat rises. My stove needs loading at least every 8 hours, sometimes more often. Barrel stoves kits are ok, but the thin metal won't last many years. Electric heat here can cost $300-$500 per month, that is why I burn wood.