Can I overcome poor room layout to circulate heat?

[MacKay]

I would like to install an insert into our existing masonry fireplace. I am leaning towards the Jotul Kennebec. The room that the fireplace is in only has 8 ft. ceilings and doesn't really provide a lot of airflow to the other rooms. I was considering moving the cold air return vent in that room up near the ceiling and put the magnetic covers over the other cold air returns. Then while burning I would run the fan on our furnace to possibly circulate the heat throughout the rest of the house. Any reason why this will not work? I don't want to overheat the one room and freeze in the rest of the house obviously.

 

[Chettt]

I would shut the heat off and let the house cool to 60 degrees. Then I would put two or three of the bigger electric space heaters in that room to simulate a woodstove.

 

[Corey]

The old 'circulate heat with the furnace' trick is discussed on here quite a bit. In general, your ductwork is relatively leaky, the heat from the insert isn't really that concentrated (compared to gas, oil or electric), and generally ductwork passes through an unheated space (attic, basement, crawlspace) which looses even more energy. It seems to work for a select few, but generally the results are poor. Then you have to consider the pressure imbalance if you block off all intake vents except the one in the fireplace room. The massive blower of the furnace will want to pull air from somewhere. Evaluate your situation and see where that will be.

Your best bet would be to try and use a couple of small room fans to shift cold air across the floor or hot air across the ceiling. Many swear by the cold air method, but I find it to make an uncomfortable cold draft on the floor and would rather push the hot air across the ceiling. IMO, an 8 foot ceiling in the stove room (what I have, too) isn't necessarily bad. That alone will help force the heat out to other parts of the house. If you had a vaulted ceiling, then it would be a heat trap and other measures would definitely be needed.

 

[SlyFerret]

Don't move your cold air return. Your central heating/AC system is was designed and built the way it is for a reason. If you move that return, you're liable interfere with the way it operates and could really reduce it's performance.

-SF

 

[mtfallsmikey]

I agree that it works very poorly as a general rule, but has anyone tried installing a variable speed control on a furnace fan? If you reduce the velocity, duct temp may stay higher.

 

[colebrookman]

We just use two 15 watt fans to push air to the bathroom and the kitchen areas. The fans are quiet, and we can easily shut the off if needed. The bedrooms are always a little cooler but it's good to sleep. We also back the bedding with a heated mattress pad that we use just to warm the bed at first then shut them off. Works for us and we still save big $$ on propane, our back up.