I have a ceiling fan directly above my stove in a lower level of my house and was wondering what is the best way to run it. Is it best to pull the air up to the ceiling or push it down to the floor?
Ceiling fan above stove
- Thread starter Trilifter7
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
Try both ways for a couple days and see what works best in your environment.
Something that I have noticed in threads like this is that there are too many variables for there to be a rule.
It will all depend on how the air currents flow around your house.
-SF
Something that I have noticed in threads like this is that there are too many variables for there to be a rule.
It will all depend on how the air currents flow around your house.
-SF
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
This past post may help. The illustrations are good. Reverse works best for me.
The big difference in reversing the fans is that it creates draft free air circulation that works with natural convection instead of against it. It is the nature of air to sink as it cools. Reversing the fan works with sinking cool air on the exterior (cold) walls creating a more even warmth and draft free circulation.
![[Hearth.com] Ceiling fan above stove](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/81/81051-372874f0a6629394ae2358789ab58f53.jpg "[Hearth.com] Ceiling fan above stove")
Many weeks of experimentation have led me to conclude that in MY INSTALLATION, the ceiling fan closest to my stove is most effective when forcing air up. This provides the best circulation of warm air and causes no drafts at floor level. Another ceiling fan farther from the stove seems best at forcing air to the bedrooms when it blows in the down direction. However, I am still experimenting with this fan. I can feel a slight cold draft at floor level when this one blows down.
Blades on these fans are a wood composite material. They are defined as "flammable" for Codes purposes. I had to move one fan further away from the double wall stovepipe to be in compliance. Just a thought.
Best wishes and happy holidays.
Blades on these fans are a wood composite material. They are defined as "flammable" for Codes purposes. I had to move one fan further away from the double wall stovepipe to be in compliance. Just a thought.
Best wishes and happy holidays.
"Directly above the stove..." ? Like how many feet directly above the stove?
I go with the direction that scatters the fly ash the greatest distance each time you reload the stove....
I go with the direction that scatters the fly ash the greatest distance each time you reload the stove....
Take a thermometer and put it in an area of the room that you will occupy often. I use the top of the back of a couch or head level on the wall. Let the fan run for 15 minutes in each direction and compare.
I have counter clock in stove room, but clock in the adjacent kitchen.
I have counter clock in stove room, but clock in the adjacent kitchen.
Thanks for the posts so far everyone. I am def going to do some experimenting. The fan is about 3 feet away from the front of the stove. I had an old standard ceiling fan that I always ran in updraft mode so to not get a draft in the room. This fall I installed a new fan that has 2 motors with 3 short fat blades off each one. The new fan design makes each motor/blade offset to each side of the stove... Which made me start to question which way is best to run them. I will upload a pic of the setup later if I can. I'm out of town in Erie PA right now so it might not be until Sunday night.
Here is the setup. It's too warm tonight to get a good fire going so I will have to do some experimenting later in the week. I'll let you all know what I find.
![[Hearth.com] Ceiling fan above stove](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/85/85321-f127f7be98a63c1631bc289e7333c2ed.jpg?hash=mrXORPPqAM "[Hearth.com] Ceiling fan above stove")
Definitely blowing towards the ceiling. The purpose of the ceiling fan is to stir up the air and reduce thermal stratification, you know, that hot at the ceiling and cold at the floor feeling. The intent is not blow air at anything or anybody, these drafts might feel nice in the summer or when you are trying to stay cool but not in the winter when heating with a hot box on the floor.
That's what I was thinking Highbeam. I'm going to experiment still and see if I find any difference with the new fan setup.
Sawdust62
Member
I also have a fan above the stove...it works best on reverse. Big difference in the entire house when the fan is on.
That's what I've always known as well but with the new fan configuration it has me questioning. I still think up will be best but I'm still going to experiment just to make sure. Might even pull out some incents and test a few spots like I read someone else did recently.
Sprinter
Minister of Fire
Might as well experiment some. My biggest objection to blowing down is that the draft is just uncomfortable. Blowing upwards on medium speed I can't feel it.
Yea up is def more enjoyable. I usually run it up on medium but I'll deal with it down for a little just to have some piece of mind on which way is best.
Huntindog1
Minister of Fire
If your main objective is too heat the upper levels then try not using the fan at all. As the heat may more easily rise up if there isnt alot of air bouncing around down stairs.
Ceiling fans off and stove fan off is what I would try to see if the upper level heats better.
Ceiling fans off and stove fan off is what I would try to see if the upper level heats better.
That is what I have found in the past to work best. I use to forget to turn the fan off at night before bed or in the morning when I leave for work and it was amazing how much heat I lost from the fan circulating cold air after the stove burned out. I usually just run the fan when I am home and the stove is burning hot. Otherwise I leave it off whenever I can't tend to the stove. I'm going to try the fan up and down just to see how it changes the flow of heat through the house.
As others have mentioned, up in winter (reverse), down in summer is the typical approach. I have 2 fans now - on the summer setting it feels drafty, but winter setting moves the hot air down from the peak, and we can really feel a difference in the adjoining room (kitchen) too. But we're not heating any upper levels - assuming you are, it can't hurt to try no fan vs fan, as Huntingdog1 suggests. A bit of experimenting with this is all part of "dialing in" your install.
Halligan
Feeling the Heat
I run mine pulling air up toward the ceiling. The fan is about 4 feet from stove. I run it on low, just enough to "stir the air".
Paulywalnut
Minister of Fire
Winter direction blowing up seems to suck smoke out of the stove.
I just leave it off unless It's really cold .
I just leave it off unless It's really cold .
Which was is up or down? Mine goes counter clockwise. I can't really tell which way the air is moving. It's about 10ft from the floor and there is ~3ish feet above that till ceiling.
On fans that I've installed, counter-clockwise is pushing air down (summer setting). But I don't know if some models are the other way around..?
Well the conclusion is that running the fan on low or medium pulling the air up is best. I also
only turn it on once it warms up down stairs and the stove is really cranking. For night time or long burns no fan at all works best. Thanks for all the input everyone. Now I just need to try that incents trick!
only turn it on once it warms up down stairs and the stove is really cranking. For night time or long burns no fan at all works best. Thanks for all the input everyone. Now I just need to try that incents trick!
- Status
Similar threads
