Hearth.com Home - The leading source of information on fireplaces, wood stoves, gas stoves, chimneys and pellet stoves

 

.... ...Or, Search entire Hearth.com Site by clicking here......

   
 
Moving the warm air upstairs
Posted: 01 January 2010 05:50 PM   [ Ignore ]
Pyro Extraordinaire
Avatar
RankRankRankRankRank
Madison, WI
Total Posts:  1553
Joined  2008-01-29

We have a basement install and have been using a short pedestal fan to move the cold air down the stairs. I had put some shims under the back to angle the fan down the stairs but couldn’t get it angled enough without it tipping over with the slightest bump. Thinking I could do better, I purchased a small fan at WalMart that the fan pivots on the supports and I can get it the exact same angle as the stairs. A huge difference! I can’t believe how much heat you can feel moving up the stairs.

 Signature 

Jotul Oslo B/B (at the store with my name on it)
Morso 3450
Dolkita 7901 24”, 28”, Dolmar 7300 20”,  Husqvarna 395XP 42” and 350 16”, Homelite XL2 14”
Brave 22 Ton Splitter w/a Honda Engine
F150 FX4 for hauling

Profile
 
 
Posted: 01 January 2010 06:14 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]
Inferno
Avatar
RankRankRankRankRankRank
NW Ontario
Total Posts:  5340
Joined  2008-11-09

Ja, better to work with the natural convection and maintain a laminar flow rather than cause turbulence.

 Signature 

- I don’t suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it!
RSF Onyx fireplace - HM wife - MTD 20 ton splitter - Partner R420 saw - 12 cord woodshed - Craftsman YT3000 to haul wood and splitter - GSD bitch to guard it all

Profile
 
 
Posted: 01 January 2010 08:30 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]
Inferno
Avatar
RankRankRankRankRankRank
NW Wisconsin
Total Posts:  5447
Joined  2005-11-19

Basement install here as well. I can sit on the stairs and feel that cold draft running down the stairs and stand up and feel the warmth going up. Haven’t tried a fan to help out yet, can’t figure out a palce to put it where it won’t be in the way. Wendell, your going to need all that extra heat here in the next week or so, looks like the coldest air so far this winter heading your way.

 Signature 

Woodstock Fireview (2005)
Woodstock Keystone (2010)
Stihl MS290
EZ Brave 8 ton splitter
Axe
maul

Profile
 
 
Posted: 01 January 2010 08:43 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]
Moderator
Avatar
RankRankRankRankRankRank
Elbonia - Formerly Known As Northern Virginia
Total Posts:  13058
Joined  2005-11-18
Todd - 01 January 2010 08:30 PM

Wendell, your going to need all that extra heat here in the next week or so, looks like the coldest air so far this winter heading your way.

Heading our way too. Rolling right over you guys and coming down here to the tropics is putting the big freeze on us. With high winds to boot. They started rolling in an hour ago.

 Signature 

Yeah, I know that wood stoves are just space heaters. But the space I want to heat is my house.

Englander 30-NCL, Jotul F3CB, Jotul F100 Nordic, Englander 25-PDVC
Poulan Pro 405+ 65cc, 2 Husky 142s, Poulan 1975, Remington 3hp Electric
1988 Duerr Splitter

The “Good Old Days” weren’t.

Profile
 
 
Posted: 01 January 2010 09:41 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]
Pyro Extraordinaire
Avatar
RankRankRankRankRank
Madison, WI
Total Posts:  1553
Joined  2008-01-29
Todd - 01 January 2010 08:30 PM

Basement install here as well. I can sit on the stairs and feel that cold draft running down the stairs and stand up and feel the warmth going up. Haven’t tried a fan to help out yet, can’t figure out a palce to put it where it won’t be in the way. Wendell, your going to need all that extra heat here in the next week or so, looks like the coldest air so far this winter heading your way.

What do you mean heading MY way. You get it two hours before me!  wink  Plus, I’d say it is already here!!

This thing is small, probably less than 8” and we have it sitting on the edge of the stairway on the first floor. You gotta remember it is there but it really isn’t in the way.

 Signature 

Jotul Oslo B/B (at the store with my name on it)
Morso 3450
Dolkita 7901 24”, 28”, Dolmar 7300 20”,  Husqvarna 395XP 42” and 350 16”, Homelite XL2 14”
Brave 22 Ton Splitter w/a Honda Engine
F150 FX4 for hauling

Profile
 
 
Posted: 01 January 2010 10:30 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]
Fire Honor Society
RankRankRankRank
Central CT
Total Posts:  258
Joined  2008-11-15

Put a small fan on the floor 6-8 feet in front of the stove. I am amazed how this has helped me out.

If you have wood that is not quite “ready” stack around your stove at a safe distance and wahla you will be surprised.

My .02.

KC

 Signature 

Vermont Castings Dutchwest 2479 large cast iron non cat
Husqvarna 385XP 24 inch bar
Husqvarna 339XP 16 inch bar
Eight pound maul, Ax, Hatchet, various wedges
Home made splitter, 13 HP Honda, 40 ton ram, will split up to 28 inches.
1978 Artic Cat Cheetah

Profile
 
 
Posted: 02 January 2010 02:56 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 6 ]
firestarter
Avatar
Rank
Circle Pines, Minnesota
Total Posts:  19
Joined  2007-09-16

I also have a basement stove. The guy I bought the house from sealed the floor joist above the wood stove [like a cold air return] and left a 4 foot opening right above the stove. He installed 2 fans on a thermostat to blow the hot air into the kitchen and living room. The only problem was no heat to the bed rooms. Cut 4 x 12 inch holes and covered with grates in bedroom floors for return air and it works fantastic.

 Signature 

70’s Serria
2007 Lopi Liberty

Profile
 
 
Posted: 02 January 2010 04:07 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 7 ]
Fire Honor Society
RankRankRankRank
CT
Total Posts:  182
Joined  2008-06-06

My stove is on main floor and I put a 6” clip on fan on the nosing of the top step upstairs. Put it to one side next to the wall and it’s really not in the way. You can angle it so it blows down right along the top of the treads. Works great. Fan =$15 at local hardware store.

 Signature 

Englander 13
028 Super
011
Huskee 22
If you can carry the cooler by yourself, get more beer. ( I stole this from a guy on AS)

Profile
 
 
Posted: 02 January 2010 06:50 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 8 ]
Moderator
Avatar
RankRankRankRankRankRank
South Puget Sound, WA
Total Posts:  18005
Joined  2005-11-18
wendell - 01 January 2010 09:41 PM
Todd - 01 January 2010 08:30 PM

Basement install here as well. I can sit on the stairs and feel that cold draft running down the stairs and stand up and feel the warmth going up. Haven’t tried a fan to help out yet, can’t figure out a palce to put it where it won’t be in the way. Wendell, your going to need all that extra heat here in the next week or so, looks like the coldest air so far this winter heading your way.

What do you mean heading MY way. You get it two hours before me!  wink  Plus, I’d say it is already here!!

This thing is small, probably less than 8” and we have it sitting on the edge of the stairway on the first floor. You gotta remember it is there but it really isn’t in the way.

I like the standard 12” table fan running on low speed. It moves a lot of air almost silently and can be angled downward. But a smaller fan may be less in the way if it’s a narrow stairway opening.

 Signature 

PE Alderlea T6 - the gentle giant

“When you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.”
- Mark Twain -

Habit and routine have an unbelievable power to destroy.
- Henri du Lubac -

Profile
 
 
Posted: 02 January 2010 06:58 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 9 ]
Master of Fire
Avatar
RankRankRankRankRank
Jersey shore/pines
Total Posts:  591
Joined  2009-12-11

For the longest time I was always trying to push the warm air out of the room with the stove. After reading a few threads here I turned some fans around and was very impressed! I had a Basil plant on top of my fridge that was quite happy there but within hours of turning the fan around it shriveled up and died!!

 Signature 

Fisher Grandma Bear
Fiskars 23.5” Splitting Axe
Ludell 8 pound Maul
Homelite 5 Ton splitter
Echo CS-400
Retired Mason
Split wood not atoms

Profile