Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Fireplace hot air circulation
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keithmk75
09-23-09, 10:07 AM
So here it is....my wood burning stove insert is in my kitchen and has built in fans. I also have a ceiling fan in the kitchen. My bedrooms are at the opposite side of the house (ranch). 2 of 3 bedrooms also have ceiling fans. My gas forced hot air return is in the den between the kitchen and bedrooms. During the winter with my stove on and all fans going my kitchen could be at 78, den at 72 and bedrooms at 62!
How to I get the hot air from the kitchen to the bedrooms?...
I tried keeping the hot air furnace fan on but the return is not near the stove therefore I am not pulling the hotest air into the return. I also put a thru the wall fan (200 cfm) between the den and hallway to the bedrooms. That is not powerfull enough.
Here are a few ideas I have (easiest/cheapest case senario first). Let me know what you think or if you have a better idea.
1) Put a more powerfull thru the wall fan (400+ cfm) between
the den and bedroom hallway.
2) Put a return over fireplace. Run 15' of 8" insulated flex duct from the fireplace return to the furnace return. Additionaly add an inline fan with a toggle switch to controll the amount of fireplace hot air being directed into the furnace return. Keep the furnance fan on all times to circulate air to all registers throught the house.
3) Put a return over fireplace. Run 30' of 8" insulated flex duct from the fireplace return to a 3 way spliter. Off each split would be about 8' of reduced 4" or 6" insulated flex duct going to registers in the ceiling of each of the bedrooms. Additionally the 8" duct will have an inline fan with a toggle switch to controll the fireplace hot air being directed into the bedroom registers. *no need to keep furnace fan on*
If any of this sounds good or bad please let me know. Thanks.
How to I get the hot air from the kitchen to the bedrooms?...
I tried keeping the hot air furnace fan on but the return is not near the stove therefore I am not pulling the hotest air into the return. I also put a thru the wall fan (200 cfm) between the den and hallway to the bedrooms. That is not powerfull enough.
Here are a few ideas I have (easiest/cheapest case senario first). Let me know what you think or if you have a better idea.
1) Put a more powerfull thru the wall fan (400+ cfm) between
the den and bedroom hallway.
2) Put a return over fireplace. Run 15' of 8" insulated flex duct from the fireplace return to the furnace return. Additionaly add an inline fan with a toggle switch to controll the amount of fireplace hot air being directed into the furnace return. Keep the furnance fan on all times to circulate air to all registers throught the house.
3) Put a return over fireplace. Run 30' of 8" insulated flex duct from the fireplace return to a 3 way spliter. Off each split would be about 8' of reduced 4" or 6" insulated flex duct going to registers in the ceiling of each of the bedrooms. Additionally the 8" duct will have an inline fan with a toggle switch to controll the fireplace hot air being directed into the bedroom registers. *no need to keep furnace fan on*
If any of this sounds good or bad please let me know. Thanks.