So...we got the insert installed in mid December, inspected and it's back off to the races. We had used this insert in our old house, a modest-sized multi-level, where the stove was positioned at one end of the living room, with the half staircase up to the bedrooms at the other end of the room. We got pretty good heat circulation to the bedrooms.
To my surprise, we are getting wonderful heat circulation in our new (to us house). The house is a traditional colonial, with a somewhat open floor plan and a large two story center hallway, on the far side of the house from the stove. The stove is installed at the far end of a cathedral-ceiling den off the kitchen.
We're getting heat on the second floor, enough to keep the two heating zones (master, three other bedrooms) mostly off upstairs. Big surprise!
I think what' s helping is that when we updated the insulation three years ago, the contractor required that we install an HRV before they did the attic topsealing and other work. The HRV fresh air vent is on the wall blowing air into the room past the stove, and the HRV stale air return is in a hallway just past the edge of the den. I think this always-on system has set up a constant air current blowing warmed air out of the den and into the kitchen. Then much of that warm air makes its way into the main hallway and pulled up into the two story center hallway.
I didn't expect any significant heat to make it to the second floor. I'm very happy.
With five heating zones in the house, all on Nest, I can watch down to the 1/2 hour when various parts of the house called for heat. Pretty cool (or warm, more accurately!)
To my surprise, we are getting wonderful heat circulation in our new (to us house). The house is a traditional colonial, with a somewhat open floor plan and a large two story center hallway, on the far side of the house from the stove. The stove is installed at the far end of a cathedral-ceiling den off the kitchen.
We're getting heat on the second floor, enough to keep the two heating zones (master, three other bedrooms) mostly off upstairs. Big surprise!
I think what' s helping is that when we updated the insulation three years ago, the contractor required that we install an HRV before they did the attic topsealing and other work. The HRV fresh air vent is on the wall blowing air into the room past the stove, and the HRV stale air return is in a hallway just past the edge of the den. I think this always-on system has set up a constant air current blowing warmed air out of the den and into the kitchen. Then much of that warm air makes its way into the main hallway and pulled up into the two story center hallway.
I didn't expect any significant heat to make it to the second floor. I'm very happy.
With five heating zones in the house, all on Nest, I can watch down to the 1/2 hour when various parts of the house called for heat. Pretty cool (or warm, more accurately!)
