Alternative Power sources - Need fan between floors to circulate heat from fireplace

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Need fan between floors to circulate heat from fireplace

mcelhane@hiwaay.net

2005-10-27, 10:21 am

I got a split level with a very good fireplace insert on the bottom
floor (believe me when I say that it's BTUs are sufficient to heat the
whole house - if I could only get it circulated around the house).
When I crank up the fireplace in the den, the den gets very toasty and
the upstairs stays very cold. Yes, I know that I could turn on just
the fan of my central heat, but that seems a little silly to suck hot
air from the house to the outside unit and then back (probably a good
40 feet round trip) just to circulate the air. This is especially a
bad idea due to the minimum insulation in the area where the air
reverses course (at the heat exchanger on the outside unit) Yes, I
also am well aware that heat rises and should just "naturally" go up
the stairs, but the den would be melting before that type of heat
exchange happens to a sufficient level to heat the upstairs. All I
need is a small squirrel cage fan (i.e., quiet) that is made to fit
between the ceiling and the floor. Bathroom fans are typically too
noisey.
Anyone know where I can get this beast?

Thanks.

SQLit

2005-10-27, 12:21 pm

<mcelhane@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:1130417093.889556.92430@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> I got a split level with a very good fireplace insert on the bottom
> floor (believe me when I say that it's BTUs are sufficient to heat the
> whole house - if I could only get it circulated around the house).
> When I crank up the fireplace in the den, the den gets very toasty and
> the upstairs stays very cold. Yes, I know that I could turn on just
> the fan of my central heat, but that seems a little silly to suck hot
> air from the house to the outside unit and then back (probably a good
> 40 feet round trip) just to circulate the air. This is especially a
> bad idea due to the minimum insulation in the area where the air
> reverses course (at the heat exchanger on the outside unit) Yes, I
> also am well aware that heat rises and should just "naturally" go up
> the stairs, but the den would be melting before that type of heat
> exchange happens to a sufficient level to heat the upstairs. All I
> need is a small squirrel cage fan (i.e., quiet) that is made to fit
> between the ceiling and the floor. Bathroom fans are typically too
> noisey.
> Anyone know where I can get this beast?

suck air to the outside unit? You must have a hvac unit that I am not aware
of. All of the split systems I have ever seen used freon from the inside to
the outside, not air.

The hvac fan will be the cheapest method especially if the return air grill
is upstairs.
>
> Thanks.
>

barry@sme-online.com

2005-10-27, 2:21 pm

Sub-optimum idea to have fan in opening between floors, for
fire-safety. You might think about using air-movers like "Vornado"
fan(s) to augment natural convection currents. They're very quiet, and
the models I have move lots of cfm.

You also may be overestimating heat output and upstairs insulation, and
the bit about the outside air-mover would cause me to contact a lawyer.

HTH,
J

William P.N. Smith

2005-10-27, 3:21 pm

mcelhane@hiwaay.net wrote:
>(at the heat exchanger on the outside unit)

Does this mean you have a heat exchanger that's outside (in an attic
or unheated basement), and it's poorly insulated and would probably
lose heat to the outside?

I'd give the central air handler a try before anything else, but some
other ideas:

- Open some extra vents between upstairs and down, maybe with just a
heating grille over them. Convection won't work up and down the same
stairwell, but will work a lot better up one way and down another.

- Some bathroom fans (Panasonic?) are really quiet, but pretty pricey.

Bughunter

2005-10-30, 4:21 pm

I would also recommend that you try using the furnace blower. You existing
ductwork has cold air returns, which are necessary to get any circulation. I
have tried the fans between floors, and they are only slightly effective to
the areas near them. Every kind I have used (small muffin fans) are too
noisy. You also move a lot of dust with the air, since unlike your furnace,
there is no filter.

<mcelhane@hiwaay.net> wrote in message
news:1130417093.889556.92430@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>I got a split level with a very good fireplace insert on the bottom
> floor (believe me when I say that it's BTUs are sufficient to heat the
> whole house - if I could only get it circulated around the house).
> When I crank up the fireplace in the den, the den gets very toasty and
> the upstairs stays very cold. Yes, I know that I could turn on just
> the fan of my central heat, but that seems a little silly to suck hot
> air from the house to the outside unit and then back (probably a good
> 40 feet round trip) just to circulate the air. This is especially a
> bad idea due to the minimum insulation in the area where the air
> reverses course (at the heat exchanger on the outside unit) Yes, I
> also am well aware that heat rises and should just "naturally" go up
> the stairs, but the den would be melting before that type of heat
> exchange happens to a sufficient level to heat the upstairs. All I
> need is a small squirrel cage fan (i.e., quiet) that is made to fit
> between the ceiling and the floor. Bathroom fans are typically too
> noisey.
> Anyone know where I can get this beast?
>
> Thanks.
>

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