Transom to move heat?

[Soopah 27]

Sorry for another post about moving hot air :red: But, I'm finishing up the sheetrock in my hearthroom and can't bring myself to cover up the area over the door to our livingroom. I saw this idea at Woodheat.org and it won't let go...

The wall between the top of a door or archway and the ceiling is called the transom and it is the greatest barrier to horizontal heat movement in houses. If you remove this section of wall, the warm air at ceiling level of the hearth room can flow easily down a hallway or into the next room.

Has anyone here done this modification?

My wife will kill me for making another hole - but, I figure now is the time to do it.

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?

 

[precaud]

I saw this idea at Woodheat.org and it won't let go...

The wall between the top of a door or archway and the ceiling is called the transom and it is the greatest barrier to horizontal heat movement in houses. If you remove this section of wall, the warm air at ceiling level of the hearth room can flow easily down a hallway or into the next room.

Has anyone here done this modification?

Yep. I put a 30" x 8" transom at ceiling level in the wall between the living room (where the stove it) and my bedroom. It made a HUGE difference for the entire western side of the house. As long as the bedroom door is open, a large convection loop is established which silently circulates the air from living room, into bedroom, into hallway leading to bathroom, through dining room, and back to the stove in the living room. I can lay down on the floor and feel the cold air moving in toward the stove.

Before doing this, I really couldn't say that the woodstove was heating the whole house. Now it does.

 

[Soopah 27]

I guess it's time to fire up the sawzall...

 

[precaud]

And since you'll be using the ceiling to distribute heat, insulate the bejeezuz out of it!

 

[Soopah 27]

And insulate the bejeezuz out of the ceiling too!

Really? (OK) Can-do. I hadn't planned on this but, why not...

I think I see an experiment brewing....

The ceiling in the room with the stove will be done like a "drop" ceiling, with the sheetrock installed (floating) up into the space between the joists. This will allow me to go back, take down the ceiling panels & install the massive amounts of insulation prescribed - after the ceiling is up & record improvements/temps.

I'll leave provisions over the door (for a transom) too. I've got an area that is 14x32 that I'll frame-in today & cut-out after Cristmas. (to reduce the plaster dust mess)

I'm jamming to get this room squared away for Christmas & stove install on the 13th.