Pellet stove transferring heat to the 2nd floor

[Spence]

Hi all. We have an Englander 25 pellet stove on the first floor of our house. It's a pretty open floor plan but i'm not sure how the ventilation needs to work to get the air upstairs (if it can at all). Starting with the first picture, the stove's on the right, I walk straight and before the bathroom, I turn left to walk upstairs. After upstairs I turn left and that doorway leads to our bedroom. The last picture is the ceiling of the upstairs central area. Any thoughts? A ceiling fan installing in the middle part of the 2nd floor? Thanks in advance.

Cheers,
Spence

 

[mchasal]

I'm still working through this issue myself. So far I've had the best success with a fan at the top of the stairs blowing cold air down the stairs. I've tilted the fan at an angle that roughly matches the pitch of the stairs. This pushes the cold air down along the steps while allowing warm air to replace it along the ceiling of the staircase. Still experimenting with it though.

There are a couple of other recent threads on this topic if you haven't already seen them:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/floor-register-fans-getting-heat-upstairs-in-my-cape.116577/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/circulating-hot-air-from-your-pellet-stove.115566/

 

[T_lee05]

Did you reverse your fan blades on the ceiling fans?

 

[Bioburner]

Once I had the stove up and running I twisted a paper towel and lit it and snuffed it out and used the smoke from it to check the air flows around the house. In a few minutes and a couple relights found the strongest air movements and a couple small fans have the air moving to and from the stove much better. Way easier then blindly trying to move air.

 

[mik_kane]

ThermGuard

http://www.bearmountaindesign.com/

 

[bdaoust]

ThermGuard

http://www.bearmountaindesign.com/

Isn't ThermGuard for the purpose of moving air only applicable to forced hot air and not hot water baseboard systems? I understand with hot water baseboard systems that it will help prevent pipes from freezing, but not sure about moving air. Unless the warm air from baseboard heat generated when thermaguard runs helps push the existing air around?

 

[bridgerman]

Isn't ThermGuard for the purpose of moving air only applicable to forced hot air and not hot water baseboard systems? I understand with hot water baseboard systems that it will help prevent pipes from freezing, but not sure about moving air. Unless the warm air from baseboard heat generated when thermaguard runs helps push the existing air around?

Hi bdaoust,

You are correct. ThermGuard moves warm air in a furnace equipped home by turning on the furnace fan periodically. The stove-warmed air is drawn into the furnace return and distributed throughout the home to create an even heat. In a boiler home, ThermGuard's timer moves water in the heating pipes to keep them from freezing. If you want to move warm air in a boiler home, an axillary fan system would be required like ceiling fans or hallway fans.

Thanks for asking the question as some other users might need the same clarification.

Cheers,
John

 

[bdaoust]

Thanks for the clarification John. I'm really considering your product because I have hot water baseboard and the previous home owners froze an outside wall pipes. Because the pellet stove heat always has my thermostat reading high 72+, I need to be home to force the hot water system to kick in. I've heard nothing but raves about ThermGuard!

 

[bridgerman]

Thanks for the clarification John. I'm really considering your product because I have hot water baseboard and the previous home owners froze an outside wall pipes. Because the pellet stove heat always has my thermostat reading high 72+, I need to be home to force the hot water system to kick in. I've heard nothing but raves about ThermGuard!

Awwww Shucks.....thanks for your kind words.

Lemme know if I can be of further assistance.
John

 

[Spence]

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably tinker with the fan blowing down the steps and also the ThermGuard for preventing frozen pipes in the basement. I'm in Mo and don't think it gets cold enough to freeze my pipes in the basement, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'm not an HVAC pro of course. I have a natural gas forced-air furnace and electrically powered water heater. So when ThermGuard kicks on the fan it will help prevent the pipes from freezing?

 

[bridgerman]

Thanks for the replies. I'll probably tinker with the fan blowing down the steps and also the ThermGuard for preventing frozen pipes in the basement. I'm in Mo and don't think it gets cold enough to freeze my pipes in the basement, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'm not an HVAC pro of course. I have a natural gas forced-air furnace and electrically powered water heater. So when ThermGuard kicks on the fan it will help prevent the pipes from freezing?

Hi Spence,

If you have a supply and return in the basement you will definitely move some heat down there by running your furnace fan periodically. If you don't have a return, you would have to leave a door open to allow the basement air access to the return upstairs. I think you can get some good information by searching ThermGuard and basement in the forum.

Thanks,
John