Venting for a cold room

[bobforsaken]

This question isn't pellet stove specific but...

I have a cold room in my house which happens to be my son's room. We keep the door shut to the room all the time to keep the animals out of his room, and because of this the room never seems to heat. Last season we ran a small space heater on medium when he was sleeping, and that seemed to keep it comfortable. Of course it made the electric bill uncomfortable.

I've added a single vent through the floor in his room as close as is possible to the heat source. So far there has been no success in changing the temperature upstairs in his room.

I'm guessing I need to add another vent to allow air exchange and to allow cold air to drop through the second vent while hot air rises through the first. Is this correct?

If so, should I place the second vent in a colder part of the house than the first vent? Does it matter?

Advice?


Thanks,

 

[bobforsaken]

I forgot to mention.. part of the reason it may be so cold is that the ceiling to the first floor is insulated with the exception of the first vent. The only regular heat transfer upstairs is up the stairwell which leads to my son's bedroom door which is closed.

 

[imacman]

....So far there has been no success in changing the temperature upstairs in his room......I'm guessing I need to add another vent to allow air exchange and to allow cold air to drop through the second vent while hot air rises through the first. Is this correct?......

You are experiencing what many basement pellet stove owners find out...that heat doesn't really want to move into upstairs rooms from the basement as easily as it would seem.

IMOO, adding another vent isn't going to improve the situation any, especially since you keep the door to the room closed.

 

[jtakeman]

Try adding a fan in the vent. Sometimes you need to force the issue.

jay

 

[tinkabranc]

If the door is left open, does the heat get in there?

If yes, how about putting a baby gate in the doorway to keep the animals
out and leave the door open.

 

[slls]

All forced air systems have a cold air return, if not the heat would not circulate. Have 2 on first floor and one upstairs. If none upstairs the heat would not circulate. The room needs air in and air out.

 

[bobforsaken]

If the door is left open, does the heat get in there?

If yes, how about putting a baby gate in the doorway to keep the animals
out and leave the door open.

Cats are more the concern... so the baby gate doesn't work in this situation. But in general the heat gets upstairs through the stairwell which has a ceiling fan sucking up at the top of the stairs.

 

[bobforsaken]

All forced air systems have a cold air return, if not the heat would not circulate. Have 2 on first floor and one upstairs. If none upstairs the heat would not circulate. The room needs air in and air out.

This is kind of what I'm thinking.. although its not really forced air.. although the ceiling where the vent is installed downstairs is above and slightly offset from a ceiling fan in the Kitchen. When I have the fan sucking air up, it didn't seem to make any difference whatsoever which is why I thought the air may need a return.

If so, what are the rules of thumb for venting? cold air return vents on floor, warm air high on wall?

Thanks