Ducting heat anyone?

[pspencer]

I have two separate sides to my home and I want to put a wood stove in one side and figure out an efficient way to duct warm air to the other side - ideally heating both sides to some extent. The roof height of the side with the stove is a clearstory with a loft, about 20 feet tall. The side without the stove has a clearstory of 25 feet. The two connect via a single door at the first floor level. My thought is to put a vent or two high in the vaulted ceiling of the stove side and run ducts over to the non-stove side. Due to the routing of the ducts, it will have to rise in elevation and then fall into the non-vented area. I am trying to stay away from motorized fans or the like since the home is off the grid and runs on solar power (limited power), so a naturally drafted system would be best. Will this work? Is there a better way to ensure that the air amply circulates to heat the non-stove area? Thank you for your help!

 

[karl]

I don't know about natural convection working but fans would help alot. Especially if you blow cold air towards the stove.

 

[Hogwildz]

Hard to tell without diagram &/or photos. But usually more often not.

 

[pspencer]

Attached is a crude drawing to help illustrate the situation.

 

[savageactor7]

Well looking at it I think it would go a long way to improve the heat flow to that side of the house...along with the proper use of well placed fans moving the cooler air toward the stove. Seems a waste just to let all that heat collect in the top of that vaulted ceiling and go to waste.

The only fly in the ointment is the vent exit going down to exit...I don't know about that. Its seems the heated air may just go static there...but I'm no expert. Has to be a work around though.

 

[gpcollen1]

It would seem a ceiling fan or two would help here as well as potentially using a duct fan to move that air. It is often hard to tell until you begin moving air - so you have to remain flexible or have a plan B.

 

[Gator eye]

They make a fan that mounts in the duct work to move air on a long run when your blower fan isn't big enough....I wonder if putting a duct fan in the pipe would move air better....You would also have to leave the door open for return air or install a lower vent between the two rooms.

 

[pspencer]

I can definitely put in an air return to draw the cold air down low. Is there a good way to draft the upper duct without a fan? My home is off the grid (detached from the power company) so electricty is a premium (from our solar modules and batteries).

 

[savageactor7]

Well I didn't know they made duct fans ...if that's the case Spence would be golden on his heat transfer plan imo.

edit, whoops...your 'off the grid' statement just sunk in without the power for fans it's going to be very difficult to move that heat. Ever consider putting a smaller stove on that side of the house?

 

[Jags]

Spence, just a guess, but using natural convection only, this is gonna be a tough sell. Naturally, hot air wants to rise. To get it to "sink" as in your ductwork diagram, it will need some convincing. Thats usually done with fans.

Without the use of fans, I am gonna bet that you will get "little" to "no" heat from the ductwork you show. Its mother natures rules, not mine.

 

[Todd]

The downward vent won't work without a fan. Is there any way to make that vent a straight shot? It would also have to be a pretty large vent say 24"diameter to get a good natural flow without the use of fans.

 

[pspencer]

Ok, looks like a fan is a must. Where in the duct should I optimally place the fan?

 

[burntime]

I would put it in the middle so that you do not need to listen to it. No idea if that is most efficient but noise wise it makes sense.