Moving warm air

[rpm4112]

I have a 2000 sqft colonial. I am having a hard time getting the warm air upstairs. I was looking into a Tjernlund floor to floor blower. I was wondering if anyone has one or has any suggestions. Thanks

 

[TimfromMA]

Try blowing the cold heavy air back towards the stove.

 

[TommyTally]

I agree with Tim. I have had the best luck blowing air into the stove room from the rooms I want to heat. The Tjernlund does look pretty neat.

 

[VTrider]

Hi rpm4112, this is a common question and scenario which has been discussed in detail on these forums. With that being said, it will help us to adequately answer your question if we have a few more details regarding your current setup. What stove do you currently have? Is it ducted? What is the layout of your home? Ceiling fans? Do you have an additional source of heating?, etc.?

 

[canuck_22]

My HRV output is in the same room as my P61A, it cycles 10 min fresh air and 50 min recirc, it has done wonders.

 

[Lfdp13RET]

My HRV output is in the same room as my P61A, it cycles 10 min fresh air and 50 min recirc, it has done wonders.

What is HRV?

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Just to get the almost inevitable debate rolling, for this and the 100 other "moving heat" discussions we'll have on this type of forum... My two cents after burning for five years:

1) First, don't even think about cutting holes in floors between stories. Yes, it moves heat but it violates fire codes in many places, which exist for very good reasons. Also, trying to move heat to a second story with a hole in the floor often means you move it to one room or a hallway, and 2nd stories often have multiple rooms (generally bedrooms). Not that much is accomplished, with a significant increase in risk.
2) Attempting to move warm air horizontally with fans is a lot like trying to push a string.
3) Cutting in new returns in existing ductwork near a stove, then attempting to use the HVAC blower to move that air is worthless in many - but not all - situations. If your ductwork is well sealed and perhaps insulated it can work. But if not, your efforts will be futile. Return ducts are notoriously poorly sealed, especially in older homes that used joist bays as returns.
4) Putting a small duct fan in a return duct near a stove and trying to pull the air up is of only marginal value, and not worth the effort. It also effectively creates a direct path between floors for smoke, etc., so is not a good idea (see #1 above).
5) Using a fan to push cold air toward the stove is not a bad idea, but does increase the "draft" feeling in many cases. Not a bad thing to try, though, as cost and effort are almost nothing. Many report it works especially well pushing cold air down stairs.
6) Putting the stove in the basement can help heat the upper floors a bit, but is unlikely to heat the whole house to a comfortable level. The same goes for a stove on the first floor heating the second story. Cool rooms will exist.
7) Remember, pellet stoves (and wood stoves, gas stoves, etc) are essentially large space heaters. If your home is carved up with walls, corners, hallways, doors, etc., you no longer have A space, but rather several. Performance will be affected.
8) if you want to heat your entire house evenly and use pellets to do so, you can have a relatively small, open floor plan, buy multiple stoves, or get a boiler or furnace fueled by pellets. One stove helps a lot, but won't replace the furnace/boiler if you don't want some rooms to be cool.
9) Yes, I have tried all of this EXCEPT #1, cutting holes in floors, for the reason stated there.

Hope that helps with the original question, and now I can just copy this note, paste it in for about 99 more threads, and quote a number.

 

[canuck_22]

What is HRV?

Heat Recovery Ventilation

http://www.lowes.ca/air-purifiers/v...632&cse=3632&gclid=CJTJz42O_8ECFSxgMgodrHEA_Q

 

[bogieb]

Just to get the almost inevitable debate rolling, for this and the 100 other "moving heat" discussions we'll have on this type of forum... My two cents after burning for five years:

1) First, don't even think about cutting holes in floors between stories. Yes, it moves heat but it violates fire codes in many places, which exist for very good reasons. Also, trying to move heat to a second story with a hole in the floor often means you move it to one room or a hallway, and 2nd stories often have multiple rooms (generally bedrooms). Not that much is accomplished, with a significant increase in risk.
2) Attempting to move warm air horizontally with fans is a lot like trying to push a string.
3) Cutting in new returns in existing ductwork near a stove, then attempting to use the HVAC blower to move that air is worthless in many - but not all - situations. If your ductwork is well sealed and perhaps insulated it can work. But if not, your efforts will be futile. Return ducts are notoriously poorly sealed, especially in older homes that used joist bays as returns.
4) Putting a small duct fan in a return duct near a stove and trying to pull the air up is of only marginal value, and not worth the effort. It also effectively creates a direct path between floors for smoke, etc., so is not a good idea (see #1 above).
5) Using a fan to push cold air toward the stove is not a bad idea, but does increase the "draft" feeling in many cases. Not a bad thing to try, though, as cost and effort are almost nothing. Many reort it works especially well pushing cold air down stairs.
6) Putting the stove in the basement can help heat the upper floors a bit, but is unlikely to heat the whole house to a comfortable level. The same goes for a stove on the first floor heating the second story. Cool rooms will exist.
7) Remember, pellet stoves (and wood stoves, gas stoves, etc) are essentially large space heaters. If your home is carved up with walls, corners, hallways, doors, etc., you no longer have A space, but rather several. Performance will be affected.
8) if you want to heat your entire house evenly and use pellets to do so, you can have a relatively small, open floor plan, buy multiple stoves, or get a boiler or furnace fueled by pellets. One stove helps a lot, but won't replace the furnace/boiler if you don't want some rooms to be cool.
9) Yes, I have tried all of this EXCEPT #1, cutting holes in floors, for the reason stated there.

Hope that helps with the original question, and now I can just copy this note, paste it in for about 99 more threads, and quote a number.

I've tried all of those except anything to do with ductwork (have FHW). Yes, even the holes in the floors. None work very well and now I've resigned myself to putting in a second stove (my floor plan is anything but open in this small house).

Stupid thing is, I listened to all the "experts" (wasn't on this forum then). I originally thought to put in 2 small stoves, but contractor friends and people who sold stoves said get one big stove and move the air. Heat rising is fine in theory (and in open spaces), but not at my house. I could have spent a whole lot less time and money if I had gone with my original plan! Oh, and at some point, I will need to plug up all those holes that I cut into the floors!

 

[Jack Morrissey]

Just to get the almost inevitable debate rolling, for this and the 100 other "moving heat" discussions we'll have on this type of forum... My two cents after burning for five years:

1) First, don't even think about cutting holes in floors between stories. Yes, it moves heat but it violates fire codes in many places, which exist for very good reasons. Also, trying to move heat to a second story with a hole in the floor often means you move it to one room or a hallway, and 2nd stories often have multiple rooms (generally bedrooms). Not that much is accomplished, with a significant increase in risk.
2) Attempting to move warm air horizontally with fans is a lot like trying to push a string.
3) Cutting in new returns in existing ductwork near a stove, then attempting to use the HVAC blower to move that air is worthless in many - but not all - situations. If your ductwork is well sealed and perhaps insulated it can work. But if not, your efforts will be futile. Return ducts are notoriously poorly sealed, especially in older homes that used joist bays as returns.
4) Putting a small duct fan in a return duct near a stove and trying to pull the air up is of only marginal value, and not worth the effort. It also effectively creates a direct path between floors for smoke, etc., so is not a good idea (see #1 above).
5) Using a fan to push cold air toward the stove is not a bad idea, but does increase the "draft" feeling in many cases. Not a bad thing to try, though, as cost and effort are almost nothing. Many report it works especially well pushing cold air down stairs.
6) Putting the stove in the basement can help heat the upper floors a bit, but is unlikely to heat the whole house to a comfortable level. The same goes for a stove on the first floor heating the second story. Cool rooms will exist.
7) Remember, pellet stoves (and wood stoves, gas stoves, etc) are essentially large space heaters. If your home is carved up with walls, corners, hallways, doors, etc., you no longer have A space, but rather several. Performance will be affected.
8) if you want to heat your entire house evenly and use pellets to do so, you can have a relatively small, open floor plan, buy multiple stoves, or get a boiler or furnace fueled by pellets. One stove helps a lot, but won't replace the furnace/boiler if you don't want some rooms to be cool.
9) Yes, I have tried all of this EXCEPT #1, cutting holes in floors, for the reason stated there.

Hope that helps with the original question, and now I can just copy this note, paste it in for about 99 more threads, and quote a number.

I agree # 5 works, and may cause a little "drafty condition " but its worth it!!

 

[shawnfire]

I agree #5 works just fine for me small fan in the hall on low on the floor works good enough for me tried to blow hot air did not work. also changed ceiling fan back to summer and that seems to work better also

 

[fireitup]

Say what you want about them, "unasthetic", etc. I use the pie-shaped, 90 deg door-frame fans. Home Depot, black or white, install in seconds, very quiet and do a great job. Sorry, too lazy to post a pic. 1800sqft, house is circa 1800. I use 3 fans on the first floor, 1 from stove room (formal dining room) to kitchen, 1 exiting kitchen to large livingroom, and another from the stove room to the front door foyer. The one from stove room to foyer goes right up the main staircase. All upstairs rooms are 69-71 with my Breckwell P23 insert on setting 3 of 5. If it's above freezing outside, I can drop stove to 2 setting and still maintain these temps. Stove room can approach 80, but kitchen and livingroom are a perfect 71-73. Keep in mind, my house is crazy old, with only minimal insulation here and there.

 

[fireitup]

Forgot..as far as blowig cold air out, I also have a small, round, 12" diameter floor fan at the top of the staircase blowing down the stairs, set on LO. I'm pretty confident that the cold air upstairs goes downstairs close to the steps themselves, and that warm air from downstairs which is near the ceiling gets drawn up the stairs, creating a circulation affect that's definitely working for me.