Moving the Heat Upstairs

Gentlemen:

Our Harman Mark II is in the basement doing a splendid job for us. I purchased 2 12x14 floor registers from ACE Hardware and enclosed the floor joists to use the space as "Ductwork" to channel the heat over to each one from the stove that sits in the middle of the room. Now, I have a small box fan that I have reduced down in speed with a ceiling fan speed control - which is doing fine for now. However, is there a better fan and a better way to do this. We keep the basement door open, which allows heat to come upstairs. Your suggestions are appreciated. Thank you for your help.

That sounds real similar to a project I did a few months ago. I have a wood burner in the basement, and wanted the heat to make its way up to the kitchen above. I cut a hole for the register, ducted around it and parked a duct-booster in the hole. I then still had too much time on my hands I guess, so I kept messing

I bought an attic fan thermostat (about $10 at the depot) and wired it in-line. I turned it down as low as it goes - around 65 degrees. Now when then wood fire goes out I'm not pumping cold air up; the fan only boosts when there is heat.. I thought about playing around with speed control on it but this works real well as is. Of course coal fires never go out (!) so maybe the speed control is better.

Fascinating. I have something similar that I'm considering doing with a "plug in thermostatic switch" that I picked up, made by Lutron. For the same reason, that it won't run if there's no heat and save some bucks in so doing.

The heat coming out of the vents is not hot by any means, but, I am making more circulation and it does appear to be helping with moving the warmth. When the fan is on it's lowest setting, it moves the air a bit too fast and it cools the air as it moves it, or at least, it sure seems to cool it to me!

While you are experimenting, try moving the "cold air" out of the area, from where you want the heat. If you exhaust the cold air, the heated air will replace it. Cold air will move easier.

As in a powered cold air return?

That is one method. Hot air furnaces, "pull" the cool air back, more so than pushing the heat. (however, seems like about 50/50 to me.) It's just that cold air is denser, so moves better.

The warm air vents are in the front of the room, about 26' from the basement door. Standing on the basement steps, you can feel a good bit of cool air moving down.

Air will stratify and move in both directions, in the same area. You can position a fan in different locations. Try moving the air in both directions, to see which works better. Cold air will be moving along the floor. (example) In some instances, you can open a sliding door and the air will be coming in at the bottom and going out at the top. After you have gotten a handle on the air movement, see what you might be able to do to assist it. .. or to get rid of the fan you have sitting on the dinning room table.

I just added a diagram to my one thread, http://nepacrossroads.com/post29652.html, showing the air flow of my system. Read back a ways, in order to better get the picture.

You can check airflow with a small candle like a birthday candle or similar. The flame will point in the direction the air is moving.

Some great ideas and helpful hints!

The diagram is great. Essentially what I have done is similar though I didn't run a pipe down to the stove. The ductwork opening is directly above the stove and pulls some air up through to the front of the room. When it is on, I can feel a good bit of air, more than usual, traveling down the stairs.

I can feel air moving out of the vents, though it is warmer than the room air, it is not a lot warmer. I'm going to put in a drop ceiling in the basement, and I think I can make more modifications by making a raised area in the ceiling to help "collect" warm air for the intake.

Sorry for jumping in late but I'm taking the plunge this fall and will be putting a coal stove in the basement and need to get heat up to the 2nd floor.
I thought I would need the square duct like used for forced hot air, but if I understand what I'm reading I can use 4" dryer vent? or are you using that for the cold air return

I have been doing his for a long time and reading the above comments there is a couple of basics that have got to be adhered to.

First thing is heat rises, put your stove at the lowest point. That said, whenever heat rises cold air has to makeup the volume that the rising heat will displace.
In the old days there was a huge register in the floor that heat poured out of. Around the outside of the heat discharge section was a cold air return that supplied the makeup air for the furnace. Today with our tighter houses and small vents air circulation needs the help of fans. You still need to consider how the cold air will get back to the stove to be reheated but this is an importain step. Keep the air flow balanced and you will have a warm house

Having a 2 story house, i put the stove where i wanted the heat, first floor. Somebody said that and i found it to be true. I do get heat on the second floor but somewhat colder but nice for sleeping. I'm sure if i put the stove in the basement i would have got some heat above, and maybe some heat on the second floor but i doubt it. If you can, put it on the first floor. Also, i was understanding that "hot air rises", not "heat rises"?

ray in ma wrote:Sorry for jumping in late but I'm taking the plunge this fall and will be putting a coal stove in the basement and need to get heat up to the 2nd floor.
I thought I would need the square duct like used for forced hot air, but if I understand what I'm reading I can use 4" dryer vent? or are you using that for the cold air return