New stove! Best way to circulate heat with my layout?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Hope everyone has a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here

Tim3345

New Member
Sep 26, 2017
5
New England
Hi Everyone,
Looking for some quick feedback on the best way to circulate air for my layout with my new woodstove. Below is more info and a diagram.

Background: This is my first post, I've been reading threads here for several months and so impressed with the information. I purchased my first woodstove and had it professionally installed, it's a jotul rockland insert. I had a block off plate installed and liner installed (exterior chimney).


Layout: the stove is in my large living room with with 14 foot cathedral ceilings. The room has a ceiling fan. To the right of the stove, 6 feet away, is a large return vent to the central air (oil burner). This air intake really pulls in a lot of air since the furnace is right below it. I have two doorways going into the living room, a double door and a single door. The double is closer to the stove. Both go into the kitchen. There is no second floor above the living room. The house is a colonial, and the living room is a bump out over a unheated garage.

[Hearth.com] New stove! Best way to circulate heat with my layout?


Question: based on the set up, and from what I've read here. Is the best option to run the ceiling fan, then run a small fan on low in the kitchen on the floor blowing air through door B? I'm assuming I'd have better luck getting the hot air to exit the double door, door A?

also, does it make sense to run the central air fan to distribute the air or would I would loose more heat through the ducts?

Thought?


Any other tips? Thank you so much!
 
I would leave all doors open. Then place the fan on the floor pointing out the playroom door E toward door A. With doors B, C and D open you should be able to establish a circular flow throughout this floor level.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tim3345
Agree with above reply. Maybe even two small fans on the floor, one at Door A and another at Door E both blowing air towards the stove. I have a similar layout with problems getting heat to the back rooms. I place one 8" diameter fan on the floor near the cold rooms and it brings them to temp rather quickly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tim3345
Third verse same as the first two. I would start with an inexpensive box fan on the floor at A pushing towards E. My second choice would be D -> B if A -> E is unsatisfactory.

Even with option A to E you are goibg to be putting plenty of heat into the air register near the stove if it is up off the floor more than 24 inches or so.

If i wasnt happy with AE i woukd probably close the register and try that before moving the fan to DB.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tim3345
A to E or E to A? My preference is to blow the cooler air toward the warm. Cool air is denser and easier to move. Also, blowing toward opening A from E provides a larger opening with the double doors.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tim3345
E to A. Good catch @begreen . On the floor in the playroom blowing gently over the kitchen floor straight at the stove.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tim3345
A to E or E to A? My preference is to blow the cooler air toward the warm. Cool air is denser and easier to move. Also, blowing toward opening A from E provides a larger opening with the double doors.

Cooler air is more dense, however that makes it harder to move not easier, that's why you want to move the air on the floor.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tim3345
Awsome replies. I'll try e to a. That has me thinking a bit more. E to A will provide plenty of cool air to the stove intake, the blower will shoot hot air to the back of the living room near door b, keeping the circular motion!
 
A basic box or 12" table fan set on the floor will work. Try running it on low or medium speed. Let us know how it works for you once things cool down.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tim3345