I have a basic question about the best way to move hot air into the upper levels of a house. I have read the forum extensively and have found a lot of useful ideas, but nothing fits my situation exactly. My house is in the northern Adirondack in NY, and we have reasonably long and cold winters.
My layout is fairly good for wood heat, but as I want to heat about 2800-3000 square feet of area on three floors, with an additional 1000 square feet or so of seasonal and other space, and I want to do it right. I have already designed my hearth thanks to all the great information I have found here.
I have a huge barn that is almost converted into a house. There is a wood stove in the library, as that is where we lived for a few years while we started the renovations on the rest of the house. This is a small stove though, and can do no more than heat that area, so we are putting in a new stove (the entire project to be funded, it looks like, by our saving on oil next winter). The stove is going to go on the first floor which is an open floor plan except for the bathroom, pantry and laundry room. The living room is open to this, and half a level up. Right inside the foyer, before you get to the kitchen or dining room, is an area with high ceilings, 12 or 14 feet – the ceiling here is level with the living room ceiling. This area is about 1500 square feet in total, including. It will heat fine and I am not concerned.
There is a fairly open stairwell leading up from the living room to the second floor. This floor has a central hall and two bedrooms near the top of the stairs, with a bathroom and an office down the hall, furthest from the stairs. This is about 1100 or 1200 square feet.
Another half flight up is a third bedroom, about 275 square feet with a cathedral ceiling and an 80 square foot walk-in closet.
Below the living room is an unheated summer porch which I might insulate and provide a vent for heat to.
I know the cathedral and high ceilings add to my cubic footage, but I hope this can also work to my advantage.
Here are my main questions: The walk in closet is directly above the part of the first floor that has high ceilings. It is adjacent to the top bedroom, as well a lot of the upper hallway. I would like to utilize vents or ducts to move air in order that there is movement in addition to the stairwell. A lot of heat from the stove will collect in that raised portion. I would like to move air from this portion into the hall way and bedroom. It is still unfinished, so putting things in will be easy.
ONE: where should I have the ducts terminate, near the floor or near the ceilings of the targeted areas? I am thinking the ceilings, but am always willing to be told I am wrong.
TWO: How large should I make the ducts? Is it a matter of bigger is better, or is there a diminishing return thing going on? The joists there are 12 inch OC so that sort of limits things.
THREE: Should I put some cold air returns on the far side of the house? Again, just simple ducts leading from the floor of the upper level (say, in the office) to the floor of the lower level in the pantry or somewhere.
FOUR: I will put louvered or closable grilles on the ends of all vent runs. Any advice on the best type or what I should look for?
FIVE: I doubt much heat will make it to the big “Seasonal room with cathedral ceilings” past the upstairs bath and office. If I open the door, natural flow up the stairs and through the hall is about the only way to move heat there (other than floor fans which I will not do. I will put a propane stove up there if I need to eventually). However, as with my other question, would putting cold air returns, dropping to the lower level, help at all?
Thank you in advance, anyone who has any insight. I certainly do not expect folks to answer every question, and am happy with help with only one or two ideas. I also understand if it is too complicated, but I am mainly looking for any ideas before I actually start building.
I have posted (or tried to) two floor plans as visual aids. I spent yesterday and today building a new woodshed out of cedar trees, and maybe when I am done I will post a picture of it as well, before I get it all messy with cordwood and whatnot.
My layout is fairly good for wood heat, but as I want to heat about 2800-3000 square feet of area on three floors, with an additional 1000 square feet or so of seasonal and other space, and I want to do it right. I have already designed my hearth thanks to all the great information I have found here.
I have a huge barn that is almost converted into a house. There is a wood stove in the library, as that is where we lived for a few years while we started the renovations on the rest of the house. This is a small stove though, and can do no more than heat that area, so we are putting in a new stove (the entire project to be funded, it looks like, by our saving on oil next winter). The stove is going to go on the first floor which is an open floor plan except for the bathroom, pantry and laundry room. The living room is open to this, and half a level up. Right inside the foyer, before you get to the kitchen or dining room, is an area with high ceilings, 12 or 14 feet – the ceiling here is level with the living room ceiling. This area is about 1500 square feet in total, including. It will heat fine and I am not concerned.
There is a fairly open stairwell leading up from the living room to the second floor. This floor has a central hall and two bedrooms near the top of the stairs, with a bathroom and an office down the hall, furthest from the stairs. This is about 1100 or 1200 square feet.
Another half flight up is a third bedroom, about 275 square feet with a cathedral ceiling and an 80 square foot walk-in closet.
Below the living room is an unheated summer porch which I might insulate and provide a vent for heat to.
I know the cathedral and high ceilings add to my cubic footage, but I hope this can also work to my advantage.
Here are my main questions: The walk in closet is directly above the part of the first floor that has high ceilings. It is adjacent to the top bedroom, as well a lot of the upper hallway. I would like to utilize vents or ducts to move air in order that there is movement in addition to the stairwell. A lot of heat from the stove will collect in that raised portion. I would like to move air from this portion into the hall way and bedroom. It is still unfinished, so putting things in will be easy.
ONE: where should I have the ducts terminate, near the floor or near the ceilings of the targeted areas? I am thinking the ceilings, but am always willing to be told I am wrong.
TWO: How large should I make the ducts? Is it a matter of bigger is better, or is there a diminishing return thing going on? The joists there are 12 inch OC so that sort of limits things.
THREE: Should I put some cold air returns on the far side of the house? Again, just simple ducts leading from the floor of the upper level (say, in the office) to the floor of the lower level in the pantry or somewhere.
FOUR: I will put louvered or closable grilles on the ends of all vent runs. Any advice on the best type or what I should look for?
FIVE: I doubt much heat will make it to the big “Seasonal room with cathedral ceilings” past the upstairs bath and office. If I open the door, natural flow up the stairs and through the hall is about the only way to move heat there (other than floor fans which I will not do. I will put a propane stove up there if I need to eventually). However, as with my other question, would putting cold air returns, dropping to the lower level, help at all?
Thank you in advance, anyone who has any insight. I certainly do not expect folks to answer every question, and am happy with help with only one or two ideas. I also understand if it is too complicated, but I am mainly looking for any ideas before I actually start building.
I have posted (or tried to) two floor plans as visual aids. I spent yesterday and today building a new woodshed out of cedar trees, and maybe when I am done I will post a picture of it as well, before I get it all messy with cordwood and whatnot.
![[Hearth.com] Another air movement question (well, more than one, actually)](/talk/data/attachments/8/8659-68ab86d8a72b219a576e809b12e99bd0.jpg?hash=7wm9FopRBO)
![[Hearth.com] Another air movement question (well, more than one, actually)](/talk/data/attachments/8/8660-b01105db931d381098fe6e7cce0ee9ce.jpg?hash=wfUGRnXU_0)
