RSF fireplace..should I run a dedicated duct to other side of home?

[lithnights]

I plan on installing an RSF wood fireplace (likely Opel) in the family room of my new home (3150 sq ft). I will have an electric heat pump as my main heating source, but am hoping to use as much wood burning as I can, to limit the use of the heat pump. I want to hopefully heat up my whole home as much as I can using the fireplace.

I am thinking of installing the central ductwork option, but rather than hooking up to the homes ductwork, I am thinking of running one dedicated duct from the fireplace to the opposite end of the house in an effort to keep the FR from getting too hot AND to send heat to the rest of the home. This opposite end is about a 40 feet run, then a 90 degree turn then another 15-20 feet run, away. See attached floorplan. The blue fireplace in the family room is where my fireplace would be, somewhere in the living room is where I was thinking of running the duct to.

1. Is this a good idea?
2. If it is a good idea, where would you run that ductwork to?
3. What are your thoughts on doing this dedicated duct VS. hooking directly into the central ductwork of the home so that the heat gets sent to ALL rooms, including the 2nd floor bedrooms?

Thanks in advance!

 

[rideau]

Put a poured floor under the laundry washer, or a ceramic or metal pan, with a drain/drain pipe for when you have the inevitable flood. It may take a month, it may take 25 years, it WILL happen and you'll be very thankful you provided for it.

Re the ducting: I'd talk to RSF about it. They designed those systems, and they will know how to best accomplish your needs.

 

[begreen]

Is there any reason why the RSF duct has to follow the house plan? Could it go diagonally direct to the LR instead of the 90 route? If so, at least do a 45 with a long diagonal.

 

[lithnights]

Good idea on the floor. I had told the builder that I wanted joists doubled up in that laundry room (we have front loaders and the washer spins like crazy and shakes our current 1st floor laundryroom!) in order to dampen any movement and sound. And I had thought about putting a drain in that room actually since it's right next to the bathrooms and I'm guessing at some point, we could have a washing machine leak.

I'll mention the poured floor..I assume you mean some type of mortar bed?

And about the ducting, yes I absolutely plan to talk to RSF about my plan, but thought I may find someone on here who has actually done it in real life.

Thanks!

Put a poured floor under the laundry washer, or a ceramic or metal pan, with a drain/drain pipe for when you have the inevitable flood. It may take a month, it may take 25 years, it WILL happen and you'll be very thankful you provided for it.

Re the ducting: I'd talk to RSF about it. They designed those systems, and they will know how to best accomplish your needs.

 

[rideau]

Good idea on the floor. I had told the builder that I wanted joists doubled up in that laundry room (we have front loaders and the washer spins like crazy and shakes our current 1st floor laundryroom!) in order to dampen any movement and sound. And I had thought about putting a drain in that room actually since it's right next to the bathrooms and I'm guessing at some point, we could have a washing machine leak.

I'll mention the poured floor..I assume you mean some type of mortar bed?

And about the ducting, yes I absolutely plan to talk to RSF about my plan, but thought I may find someone on here who has actually done it in real life.

Thanks!

Yes. Some type of mortar bed. The alternative, if you have a really nicely finished room, would be to get a teak (or I guess mahogany) floor laid in the same fashion you would lay a boat deck. If You opt for that, make sure the baseboard is a part od the floor, so watertight, and have a drain going into a pipe. I researched this when doing my teak bathrooms, but don't remember the details of how to do it. Easy to check.

I've read the literature on the RSF products, including their Renaissance Rumford. They look to be fine products. I'd certainly be putting one in if I were building today. I'm a bit envious, though I do love my Woodstock.

Enjoy your new home. I like the design. Keep warm.

 

[lithnights]

Good point. I had thought about going diagnol, and I imagine it could be a possibility. I guess my initial concern was that I wanted the duct to run in between the joists as much as possible so that they don't dip down below the joists and thus affect headroom when I finish my basement. I know the main plenum of the heating system has to run across (left to right), so I thought (to minimize headroom issues elsewhere), I could just run it next to that. Does that concern make sense?

I agree about the 45 if possible. I know every hard 90 takes away a fair amount of pressure/force of the air, so I want to make it as clean a run as possible, without impacting headroom of a finished basement. I guess this will be a discussion with the fireplace installer as well as HVAC guy when we get to the design of the ductwork.

Thanks!

Is there any reason why the RSF duct has to follow the house plan? Could it go diagonally direct to the LR instead of the 90 route? If so, at least do a 45 with a long diagonal.

 

[begreen]

Good point. I had thought about going diagnol, and I imagine it could be a possibility. I guess my initial concern was that I wanted the duct to run in between the joists as much as possible so that they don't dip down below the joists and thus affect headroom when I finish my basement. I know the main plenum of the heating system has to run across (left to right), so I thought (to minimize headroom issues elsewhere), I could just run it next to that. Does that concern make sense?

I agree about the 45 if possible. I know every hard 90 takes away a fair amount of pressure/force of the air, so I want to make it as clean a run as possible, without impacting headroom of a finished basement. I guess this will be a discussion with the fireplace installer as well as HVAC guy when we get to the design of the ductwork.

Thanks!

Go up a size for the longer run and insulate the duct to R12. That will improve heat output in the living room. To shorten the length of the run, locate the output register in the LR along the foyer/kitchen wall. If you can soften the 90 deg turn using a pair of 45s and a short diagonal, that will help too.

 

[lithnights]

Yes. Some type of mortar bed. The alternative, if you have a really nicely finished room, would be to get a teak (or I guess mahogany) floor laid in the same fashion you would lay a boat deck. If You opt for that, make sure the baseboard is a part od the floor, so watertight, and have a drain going into a pipe. I researched this when doing my teak bathrooms, but don't remember the details of how to do it. Easy to check.

I've read the literature on the RSF products, including their Renaissance Rumford. They look to be fine products. I'd certainly be putting one in if I were building today. I'm a bit envious, though I do love my Woodstock.

Enjoy your new home. I like the design. Keep warm.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[lithnights]

Go up a size for the longer run and insulate the duct to R12. That will improve heat output in the living room. To shorten the length of the run, locate the output register in the LR along the foyer/kitchen wall. If you can soften the 90 deg turn using a pair of 45s and a short diagonal, that will help too.

View attachment 89618

I really like your idea of the long run, then 2 short 45s. I will definitely run this by the HVAC and fireplace guys.

1. When you say go up a size for the longer run, do you mean use e.g. 8" duct instead of 6"..or whatever is usually used, to run the heat from the fireplace to the living room?

2. When you say insulate to R12, what is the normal insulation for insulating ductwork? I have no clue, b/c my current forced air system has no insulation on any of the ducts (the basement is a pretty moderate temperature.) I definitely want to do whatever I can to keep the heat output as high as I can.

Thanks!