Can AC system in a ranch be utilized to move heated air?

[brider]

I've asked here in the forums about a wood stove heater in my L-shaped ranch, and like all ranches, I have concerns about the heat in the back bedrooms.

It just occured to me: Can the AC system, with all ducting and apparatus in the attic, be used to circulate air (heated air) into the back bedrooms?

Here's my setup: The system was installed in the attic with a 20 x 30 intake in the hallway ceiling, about 1/3 of the way down the hall.
Room ducts are in the ceilings of every bedroom (plus the other rooms, but they can be individually shut off). If I turn on the fan without the AC running, it will suck air into the ceiling of the hall and push it out into the bedrooms (or any other room where I open the ducts). Is there a chance in hell I might be on to something?

 

[begreen]

Often the duct losses reduce the meaningful heat, but it wouldn't hurt to try it. A simple fan on the floor at the end of the hallway pointing towards the stove might also work. If it does, it will use much less electricity.

 

[brider]

Good point.

 

[Patapsco Mike]

I did this at my old house, but it was a lot less effective than I thought it should be. I think the only way it would work well is if the intake is right next to, and above, the stove.

 

[fossil]

We tried, and it was basically a bust for us...but then our configuration is different. Our ductwork all runs beneath the floor in the crawl space. In the winter, it's really cold down there. Even though the ducts are insulated, the air pulled from the house pretty much lost whatever heat it had as it passed through the crawl space, so when it was redelivered to the house we just had to start warming it up all over again. We're doing a major remodel right now, and along with an entirely new electric forced air heating system and new ductwork, I'm having them put in a totally separate little system which will take a suction from the three most remote corners of the bedrooms (floor registers), through its own inline fan & filter, and return that air to a register in the brick hearth just behind the stove. Won't be running the "big" fan trying to distribute heat. Next season I'll find out if my idea works. Good luck, I'm sure you'll figure something out. Rick

 

[Hogwildz]

Its worth a try, I would close some of the other registers in the heated rooms and try and concentrate on the cooler rooms, leaving those open.
If its a fairly shorter run, it may work. You may also want to install a ceiling fan in the stove room. Although I have a much more open setup, the ceiling fan in my insert room moves air throughout most of the house very effectively. Enough that I can feel the heat at the base of the steps on the other side of the house. Of course I have half the house second story open above the stove room, and the other 1/2 of that 1/2 of the house is also an open loft where those steps are. IMO, a ceiling fan with enough CFM's will move that air somewhere.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

I'v got the same situation. I ended up with a large box fan that pulls cool air from the hallway floor and pushes it into the livingroom. The warm air arrives where it should. ceiling fdan keeps things appropriate in the living room end of the home.

A small elect. heater is handy in the master bathroom and associated masterbedroom on very windy cold days. 40,000 BTU unit heats 80-90% of home.

Good luck!
Mike P

 

[Adios Pantalones]

It should be more effective if ducts are in interior walls, as any heat loss from ducts would be into the house anyway. (BeGreen taught me about this one I think).

 

[billb3]

At the cost of spinning the motor and subject to duct losses (if any).