Most people realize colder denser air is heavier than warmer less dense air and that as air molecules (mostly N2 and O2) heat up they separate more (become less dense) creating a slight pressure difference as warmer less dense molecules rise (less pressure higher up, more pressure lower near the floor). This is natural air convection and one of the 3 ways heat is transferred (radiation and conduction being the other 2 ways). It even has somebody's name attached to this effect; Boyle's Law. It has nothing to do with you or your stove. You may not realize it but this happens in most houses that don't even have a wood burning stove; i.e., the chimney effect. All you need do is understand.
So, air moves naturally from lower areas having slightly higher pressure to higher areas with less pressure.
Add a wood burning stove. This addition puts heat near the floor where the existing air is cooler and denser. As the stove heats up this lower cooler air, it rises. But now there are many more air molecules being heated than without the stove so the air convection is stronger as the added heat speeds up the moving molecules. As these heated molecules collide with molecules of other matter (furniture, walls, etc) they vibrate more (from the energy transfer) exhibiting a rise in temperature. As the warmer air rises to the ceiling it eventually cools and sinks toward the floor.
Finally, add the ceiling fan. You may choose it to blow air up or down. Blowing air up assists the rooms natural convection air currents. I choose this direction and a low fan speed in winter and summer. It helps my stove's natural convection heat in winter. In summer it cools by pulling warm air up where it can escape the house through an upstairs open window and be replaced by cooler air coming in an open downstairs window.
Of course, there are those who prefer to have a ceiling fan blow down. This pushes warm air down and partially stalls natural convection. I've found this fan direction to also keep cooler air near floor level which is bothersome to my feet in winter whereas they could be warmer with some time and the opposite fan direction. Why fight Mother Nature?
Aye,
Marty
So, air moves naturally from lower areas having slightly higher pressure to higher areas with less pressure.
Add a wood burning stove. This addition puts heat near the floor where the existing air is cooler and denser. As the stove heats up this lower cooler air, it rises. But now there are many more air molecules being heated than without the stove so the air convection is stronger as the added heat speeds up the moving molecules. As these heated molecules collide with molecules of other matter (furniture, walls, etc) they vibrate more (from the energy transfer) exhibiting a rise in temperature. As the warmer air rises to the ceiling it eventually cools and sinks toward the floor.
Finally, add the ceiling fan. You may choose it to blow air up or down. Blowing air up assists the rooms natural convection air currents. I choose this direction and a low fan speed in winter and summer. It helps my stove's natural convection heat in winter. In summer it cools by pulling warm air up where it can escape the house through an upstairs open window and be replaced by cooler air coming in an open downstairs window.
Of course, there are those who prefer to have a ceiling fan blow down. This pushes warm air down and partially stalls natural convection. I've found this fan direction to also keep cooler air near floor level which is bothersome to my feet in winter whereas they could be warmer with some time and the opposite fan direction. Why fight Mother Nature?
Aye,
Marty
