I did the same thing at my dad's house. The 2" thick foam cutouts are easily to take in and out of the windows, and make quite a difference. He leaves the window closest to the boiler uncovered and slightly open to provide some airflow.freetown fred wrote:...I picked up a 4x4 peice of 2" styrofoam & cut out inserts for basement windows & thick guage plastic & firring strips for some of the windows--amazing that about $50.00 & a few hrs wandrein about could make the difference it did.
Help Needed in Maine, Harman SF 150
- Rob R.
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
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I have neither. I do leave the basement door open, most of the heat that comes upstairs is via the blower or just from keeping the floors warmBody Hammer wrote:Forty lbs. a day is not that bad for your only source of heat. Do you have a floor register directly above the stove? And do you have a source for return air to the basement?
- Rick 386
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: AA 260 heating both sides of twin farmhouse
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: LL Hyfire II w/ coaltrol in garage
- Coal Size/Type: Pea in AA 260, Rice in LL Hyfire II
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It appears that you have a heat distribution problem.
First of all as has been stated, you need to seal up any drafts that are robbing the house of that much needed heat.
The easiest way to distribute heat will be to use the existing stairway as the main heat duct as long as it is in the center of the house. Then cut a hole in the floor at the farthest ends of the house and place a fan blowing down into the basement at each hole. You can purchase inline duct fans that do quite well. It does not take a lot of air movement to distribute the heat but it must be constant. Coal heat is not a fast recovering heat system. You need to plan for the cold days and start ramping up the stove in anticipation of those cold ones.
As was mentioned, if you want to hook into the existing hotwater baseboard heat, a coal boiler is the way to go.
Just where in central Maine are you located ?? You know for the cost of diesel fuel for a round trip, I could be swayed to make the drive and offer my expert opinion. In fact, if there was already enough snow on the ground and you had some trails located nearby, and some living space for me and my buddies, we could come up for a week and help you dial in the system each night...........
Rick
ps. we would even bring our own beer and food !!!!!!!!!!!!
First of all as has been stated, you need to seal up any drafts that are robbing the house of that much needed heat.
The easiest way to distribute heat will be to use the existing stairway as the main heat duct as long as it is in the center of the house. Then cut a hole in the floor at the farthest ends of the house and place a fan blowing down into the basement at each hole. You can purchase inline duct fans that do quite well. It does not take a lot of air movement to distribute the heat but it must be constant. Coal heat is not a fast recovering heat system. You need to plan for the cold days and start ramping up the stove in anticipation of those cold ones.
As was mentioned, if you want to hook into the existing hotwater baseboard heat, a coal boiler is the way to go.
Just where in central Maine are you located ?? You know for the cost of diesel fuel for a round trip, I could be swayed to make the drive and offer my expert opinion. In fact, if there was already enough snow on the ground and you had some trails located nearby, and some living space for me and my buddies, we could come up for a week and help you dial in the system each night...........
Rick
ps. we would even bring our own beer and food !!!!!!!!!!!!
- Body Hammer
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- Location: Knox County Maine
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Petit Godin oval
Here is what I have. It worls great for me. I can run just one fan, or both. These are 110v compartment cooling fans. Very Quiet. And run all season. I shut them down occasionaly to clean.
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Body Hammer, are these fans from computers cabinets?Body Hammer wrote:Here is what I have. It worls great for me. I can run just one fan, or both. These are 110v compartment cooling fans. Very Quiet. And run all season. I shut them down occasionaly to clean.
And an other way to "see" the natural air circulation in a house is to use scent sticks. The fume it creates is easy to follow. Can also be used to find cold air infiltering the house.SteveZee wrote:Looks good Brother. Once you get to know your house and it's circulation patterns, it's just a matter of helping that process along.
- Body Hammer
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nortcan; these fans are sold as doorway fans at most hardware and stove shops. I bought these at an Ace Hardware store locally. But yes, they are actually compartment cooling fans.
[urlhttp://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Hearth_Accessories ... 3416?Args=][/url]
[urlhttp://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Hearth_Accessories ... 3416?Args=][/url]
Thanks for the links.Body Hammer wrote:nortcan; these fans are sold as doorway fans at most hardware and stove shops. I bought these at an Ace Hardware store locally. But yes, they are actually compartment cooling fans.
[urlhttp://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Hearth_Accessories ... 3416?Args=][/url]
We also have Ace Hardware stores here. I think Freetownfred has one mounted in a doors' corner beside his stove. Silent fan is a good thing.
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don't expect miracles with those funs they are only 55 cfm
- freetown fred
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Good eye nortcan. The actual archway fan (pic 2) Entreeair) is noiser then hell & does little--the square one, I picked up at the local feed store is quiet & moves quite a bit of air--"Comfort Zone Brand" not made for archway & does nothing cosmetically but does the job
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- Body Hammer
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- Location: Knox County Maine
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Petit Godin oval
nortcan
Try Canadian Tire! Is there anything they don't have? I have been going to the maritimes for years. My wife's grandparents were from Nova Scotia. I never had a reason to go into a tire store when over that way,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,until one day. I had a slow leak in a rear tire. I went in the front door and immediately was shocked! I said "wow, this more like a Lowes, or a Home Depot!" I had no idea. My wife was in another store at the time; so I went and found her, and told her she had to come to the tire store with me. She hates the smell of new tires. But she came anyway. I couldn't get her out of there after she saw it wasn't just a tire store.
Try Canadian Tire! Is there anything they don't have? I have been going to the maritimes for years. My wife's grandparents were from Nova Scotia. I never had a reason to go into a tire store when over that way,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,until one day. I had a slow leak in a rear tire. I went in the front door and immediately was shocked! I said "wow, this more like a Lowes, or a Home Depot!" I had no idea. My wife was in another store at the time; so I went and found her, and told her she had to come to the tire store with me. She hates the smell of new tires. But she came anyway. I couldn't get her out of there after she saw it wasn't just a tire store.
Last edited by Body Hammer on Tue. Aug. 23, 2011 9:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Body Hammer
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- Joined: Fri. Sep. 04, 2009 10:33 am
- Location: Knox County Maine
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Petit Godin oval
Mason,
You're right, they are only 55cfm. But they are strategically placed. and when running 24/7, thats 3300cfm per hour, or 79,200 a day. With both fans, you can double that. And quietly. I had a single bigger fan, but I had to crank the TV just to hear it.
You're right, they are only 55cfm. But they are strategically placed. and when running 24/7, thats 3300cfm per hour, or 79,200 a day. With both fans, you can double that. And quietly. I had a single bigger fan, but I had to crank the TV just to hear it.
Nice and warm interior freetown fred!freetown fred wrote:Good eye nortcan. The actual archway fan (pic 2) Entreeair) is noiser then hell & does little--the square one, I picked up at the local feed store is quiet & moves quite a bit of air--"Comfort Zone Brand" not made for archway & does nothing cosmetically but does the job
Seem to have a lot of rooms, do the fans make a difference for a long house like yours'?