Move Heat to the second floor

[Eboehm]

I have been trying to figure out the best way to move the heat around the house.

The wood burning insert is on the right hand side of the house behind the garage, in the living room.

Left side of the house has an englander pellet stove.

I can have both running and fans going, get the first floor to 80, but cannot get the heat to move up the stairs. In the master bedroom (far right) will be 65 all day.

Open to suggestions.

Was going to put transom vents in all 1st floor walls.

Open vents with fuseable links in the hall 2x12

Cold air return at the top of the stairs (runs along where the garage meeta the house)

However the current air return is located there as well.

 

[kborndale]

A fan at the top of the stairs blowing cold air down the stairs works great to get the convection loop going. You want to blow cold air towards the stove.

 

[Northern NH Mike]

I put a small fan on the floor of the hall's doorway and blow cold air toward the stove. It sets up the convection nicely. It takes a while to get the second floor tempt to change but since it is where we sleep I don't want it as warm as the living areas.

 

[Eboehm]

Doorway fans should push hot air, not pull cold?

 

[stoveliker]

Moving the cold air will work better. And doing that slowly to not mix the cold and warm air but to keep stratified flows.

 

[Beer Belly]

Doorway fans should push hot air, not pull cold?

I have heard where some will put small computer type cooling fans placed high in the corner of doorways pushing warm air to upstairs rooms, and desk fans on the floor to move cold air to stove room. Our split level usually has no problem, when we do, I bump up the heat in the bedroom, once heated we shut it off, and the stove maintains it from there. Sit on the stairs, and you'll likely feel a cool / cold breeze blow by you toward the stove room, might even put a piece of toilet paper hung high, and see how the hot air is moving.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

You nee to create a convection loop as stated.. Heres the thing its difficult to create a loop by using a single staire/hall way without having to use fans. Hot air naturally once to rise and cool air naturally wants to fall.. if you can make a loop where cold is to go down the stairs and hot through up a vent from the ceiling of the first floor to the floor of the hall in the 2nd floor you would not need fans at all and the air will circulate al by itself, it will flow much more evenly and easier..

 

[Fod01]

Interesting topic. I've got a Cape Cod, and assumed that (unassisted) convection to the upstairs was a given

 

[Garbanzo62]

Having same issue. Center stair colonial with insert on exterior wall in the family room that is back side of house. Stairs up are by front door. There is a hallway to the left of the stairs and a dining room to the right. both with doorways to back of house. Back of house has family room, eating area and kitchen but is with the exceptions of a half wall and counter is effectively one room. Should I have the fan at top of stairs, or in one of the doorways? If in the door ways which one. Dining room doorway is furthest from Insert.