Dispersing the heat

[Gasass]

We will be doing some remodeling on our 2nd flr come spring and have a question about getting the heat to travel upstairs.

1st floor entry of the stairwell has an opening 3'-0" x 8-0". Up 8 steps to a landing, turn 180 degrees, up 6 steps to a small hallway 6''-0" wide by 3'-0" deep. Bathroom door is straight ahead, bedroom doors to the left and right of the stairwell. I plan on having operable transoms above both bedroom doors. Something simple....a couple of hinges with a hook attached to the transom and an eyelit fastened to the ceiling.

Would it be more beneficial to have a flat ceiling, with a ceiling fan, in the stairwell or a sloped ceiling (following the angle of the steps) funneling the warm air to the transoms?

 

[Cynnergy]

That's an interesting scenario. I like the idea of hinged transoms - that should work well.

People here normally recommend a small fan at the top of stairs pointing down the stairs - the idea is that it is easier to move the cooler denser cold air than the hot. I suspect this with a sloped ceiling would work better than the ceiling fan with a square ceiling, but the ceiling fan blowing down would certainly be more aesthetic.

 

[oconnor]

Ideally we would all be closing bedroom doors at night for fire safety, and I would think the same for an open transom.

Best way to get the warm air up into the rooms is to give the cold air an escape route. Something that pulls cold air from the floor of the rooms and returns it to the floor of the room the stove is in would be ideal.

 

[Gasass]

Ideally we would all be closing bedroom doors at night for fire safety, and I would think the same for an open transom.

Best way to get the warm air up into the rooms is to give the cold air an escape route. Something that pulls cold air from the floor of the rooms and returns it to the floor of the room the stove is in would be ideal.

I would think the cooler air would naturally make its way down the stairwell, no?

 

[oconnor]

It will, but not if the doors are closed and the transom is open. If you plan on leaving the doors open, then the effort in the transoms May not be worth it.

 

[begreen]

True, for a good convection pattern to develop you need a return for the cooler denser air in addition for a path for the warm heated air. Leaving the BR doors open is probably a better plan.

 

[Gasass]

True, for a good convection pattern to develop you need a return for the cooler denser air in addition for a path for the warm heated air. Leaving the BR doors open is probably a better plan.

Ok, I'm getting confused now. I plan on leaving the bedroom doors and transoms open all the time. Are you saying the cool air will flow down the stairwell only if there is another path for the warm air to rise?

What's your opinion on the ceiling fan vs the sloped ceiling?