Cold basement, Blowers and fans?

[Itslay90]

How many people use them with their wood burning stove, and do they actually work in pushing more heat in to the room/ whole house.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Are you talking about blowers or fans?

If so, I use one, and it helps transfer heat to the air.

I use it as an additional tool. In warm weather, I can turn off the blower and keep the house a little cooler.

 

[Itslay90]

Are you talking about blowers or fans?

If so, I use one, and it helps transfer heat to the air.

I use it as an additional tool. In warm weather, I can turn off the blower and keep the house a little cooler.

Yes the blower, only asking because I just brought one, because I been noticing all the heat is up in the ceiling so I’m trying to stop that.

 

[begreen]

What did you buy? A factory blower for the stove or external fan?

Is the ceiling height a standard 8ft flat ceiling or a tall cathedral ceiling?

 

[Itslay90]

What did you buy? A factory blower for the stove or external fan?

Is the ceiling height a standard 8ft flat ceiling or a tall cathedral ceiling?

This is the one that’s in the basement, and the oem blower that’s going in the back of the stove

 

[Itslay90]

This is the one that’s in the basement, and the oem blower that’s going in the back of the stove

8ft is the living room

 

[begreen]

Is the issue that the heat in the basement feels high and the floors feel cold? If so, are the basement walls insulated? is the floor insulated? What is the basement floor surface? Exposed concrete, carpet, pre-engineered flooring?

 

[yooperdave]

Get yourself one of these little sweethearts. They are whisper quiet on low and work like a charm.



But remember this. Don't try to move the heated air; rather, set the fan on the floor aimed at the stove. This will move the cooler air to the stove and then displace the heated air throughout the space. You may even find yourself not using the stove's blower any longer.

Cooler air is much easier to move as opposed to heated air.

 

[Itslay90]

Is the issue that the heat in the basement feels high and the floors feel cold? If so, are the basement walls insulated? is the floor insulated? What is the basement floor surface? Exposed concrete, carpet, pre-engineered flooring?

Yes the basement feels cold and the walls and and falls is not insulated

 

[begreen]

Yes the basement feels cold and the walls and and falls is not insulated

A blower will help a bit, but it is not going to solve this issue. Currently, about one-third - 33% of the heat generated is getting sucked out through the walls and floor. That means one cord out of three is heating outdoors and not the basement. Getting the walls insulated and putting something on the floors will make a huge improvement in comfort and reduced wood consumption.

 

[yooperdave]

Thats a rather high estimate of heat loss. I have the same thing in my basement; no insulation in floors and less than 1/2 the walls are insulated.

With the wood furnace running the basement temps are always in the low to mid 60's. Comfortable enough for watching TV.

But when I light the wood stove down there, and place the fan I suggested blowing at the stove base, the basement will heat up to 72 no problem.

The walls are poured and the floor is slab. The joist ends are insulated with fiberglass.

Try that fan suggestion Itslay90 It's probably a $25 investment and if it doesn't work out, you'll have an extra fan in your house.

 

[Itslay90]

Thats a rather high estimate of heat loss. I have the same thing in my basement; no insulation in floors and less than 1/2 the walls are insulated.

With the wood furnace running the basement temps are always in the low to mid 60's. Comfortable enough for watching TV.

But when I light the wood stove down there, and place the fan I suggested blowing at the stove base, the basement will heat up to 72 no problem.

The walls are poured and the floor is slab. The joist ends are insulated with fiberglass.

Try that fan suggestion Itslay90 It's probably a $25 investment and if it doesn't work out, you'll have an extra fan in your house.thanks

Thats a rather high estimate of heat loss. I have the same thing in my basement; no insulation in floors and less than 1/2 the walls are insulated.

With the wood furnace running the basement temps are always in the low to mid 60's. Comfortable enough for watching TV.

But when I light the wood stove down there, and place the fan I suggested blowing at the stove base, the basement will heat up to 72 no problem.

The walls are poured and the floor is slab. The joist ends are insulated with fiberglass.

Try that fan suggestion Itslay90 It's probably a $25 investment and if it doesn't work out, you'll have an extra fan in your house.

Thank you, but I tried that fan, it doesn’t work, but I think I have a small air leak. That I have stop.

 

[bholler]

Thats a rather high estimate of heat loss. I have the same thing in my basement; no insulation in floors and less than 1/2 the walls are insulated.

With the wood furnace running the basement temps are always in the low to mid 60's. Comfortable enough for watching TV.

But when I light the wood stove down there, and place the fan I suggested blowing at the stove base, the basement will heat up to 72 no problem.

The walls are poured and the floor is slab. The joist ends are insulated with fiberglass.

Try that fan suggestion Itslay90 It's probably a $25 investment and if it doesn't work out, you'll have an extra fan in your house.

As someone who heated 2 homes from the basement starting without insulated walls before getting it done I don't think that estimate is high at all

 

[yooperdave]

As someone who heated 2 homes from the basement starting without insulated walls before getting it done I don't think that estimate is high at all

Coming from someone who has heated homes from the basement (5 that I can think of right now) probably longer than you have been alive, it does work!

Perhaps you were doing something wrong....did you have the fan blowing in the right direction?

 

[Itslay90]

Coming from someone who has heated homes from the basement (5 that I can think of right now) probably longer than you have been alive, it does work!

Perhaps you were doing something wrong....did you have the fan blowing in the right direction?

I put it on the other side of the basement where it’s lil cooler over there

 

[bholler]

Coming from someone who has heated homes from the basement (5 that I can think of right now) probably longer than you have been alive, it does work!

Perhaps you were doing something wrong....did you have the fan blowing in the right direction?

Of course it works. Especially with a furnace. In that case the heat loss doesn't enter into it nearly as much. I am telling you in 2 different houses now I started heating from the basement with no insulation on the walls. Then changed nothing at all about the setup other than insulating the walls and I saw substantial wood savings. I didn't calculate it but 1/3 seems very possible.

Amount of time doing something one way doesn't mean there isn't a better way. I personally experienced the difference as have many others. Without insulation you are putting allot of effort into heating the earth surrounding your basement.

 

[yooperdave]

I put it on the other side of the basement where it’s lil cooler over there

Mine is placed about 10-12 feet away. Any farther and the air moved by the fan would dissipate before reaching the stove.

 

[yooperdave]

Amount of time doing something one way doesn't mean there isn't a better way. I personally experienced the difference as have many others. Without insulation you are putting allot of effort into heating the earth surrounding your basement.

And that is the point I'm trying to make here! Not everyone can afford the insulation improvement immediately; until then, try the fan for pete's sake!

Indeed, insulation along with air sealing (probably most important) will be the best improvement.

There's a lot to say about the success of experience. Take for instance your field of work. You are always giving advice based on your experience.

 

[bholler]

And that is the point I'm trying to make here! Not everyone can afford the insulation improvement immediately; until then, try the fan for pete's sake!

Indeed, insulation along with air sealing (probably most important) will be the best improvement.

There's a lot to say about the success of experience. Take for instance your field of work. You are always giving advice based on your experience.

Ok no one said fans can't help distribute heat. Just that without insulation you will be loosing about 1/3 of your BTUs to the surrounding earth which you doubted. I said from my experience I believe that number.

 

[yooperdave]

Ok no one said fans can't help distribute heat. Just that without insulation you will be loosing about 1/3 of your BTUs to the surrounding earth which you doubted. I said from my experience I believe that number.

And just to make sure this horse is dead, I believe that over 1/3 is too great of an estimation for the heat loss.

Maybe the experience has something to do with my location being so much farther north than yours?