Cathedrel Ceiling

[PChristy]

We have a propane$$$$$$$$$$$$ fireplace - LOML really loves to turn that thing on and it runs me out of our livingroom - We have a 11.5 ft cathedrel ceiling with a 3' flat section at the top - we have a ceiling fan that brings the heat down but that is where it stops. The heat does not go into the other parts of the house - My thoughts where I could put something like a bathroom fan in the ceiling with ducting and take it into the other rooms ex. kids bedrooms because they always have there doors closed - just enough of the heat does go into the dinning room where the thermostat is at and that causes the main heat not to come on and I refuse to turn that up - does anyone know if this would work or have another idea to get the heat destriputed through out the house

 

[Travis Porter]

I have a similar issue. I just turn the fan on for the furnace at times to help distribute the heat.

I will be curious to see other suggestions as well.

 

[PChristy]

I have a similar issue. I just turn the fan on for the furnace at times to help distribute the heat.

I will be curious to see other suggestions as well.

We do this too but with the doors closed the kids rooms are always cold and then they complain that they are cold:BangHead:

 

[Bas]

Hmmm..obvious solution is to move the thermostat. That might be cheaper than trying to run new duct work.

 

[ptt49er]

But moving the termostat doesn't help distribute the heat from the living room to other rooms in the house.

I wonder if you couldn't do the exhaust fan idea...I don't see why not.

 

[PChristy]

Hmmm..obvious solution is to move the thermostat. That might be cheaper than trying to run new duct work.

It is in the central part of the house - it is about 25-28ft away from the fireplace now at the beginning of the hall - I wouldn't know where to move it - What I am trying to do is not have both heat sources going at the same time -

 

[woodylarry]

My kids and LOML complain about being cold too. Or they used to. Now I hand them a sweater and socks if necessary. Much less expensive than turning up the heat. Guess I'm a cheap old ......... ?

 

[ptt49er]

OK...so what happens when it's a slow Friday in an office full of mechanical engineers?

Check out these: http://www.fantech.net/fr.htm

Watch ebay for good pricing: http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZFANTECHQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZR40QQ_mdoZ

Get a model with 600 cfm or more and you can use the blower to service two bedrooms (figure 150 to 200 cfm's per room). Get a couple of louvers, boots, some round duct and a tee from your favorite big box store and you're [STRIKE]cooking[/STRIKE] heating with gas.

Watch for deals if you're not in a hurry and I think this set up would a good solution.

The concern with the bathroom vans is the low CFM (most aren't rated over 100) and the low amount of static pressure they can handle.

Anyways, back to work I go...

Good luck!

 

[sediener]

Can you cut some vents in the kids rooms doors and run the house fan to distribute.

 

[MIKE NOAH]

My original thought was where is your return air vent in relation to the overheated room? If you could capture the hot air in the living room with an additional return air vent then let your central air system's fan distribute it as Travis mentioned you wouldn't have any additional fans or wiring to install. FWIW I cook for a living and this reply could be useless :rotflm:
Mike

 

[Bas]

What I am trying to do is not have both heat sources going at the same time -

Ah, right, now I see. Yup, this is a problem. If you turn up the thermostat (or move it, which accomplishes the same thing) the bedrooms are comfortable but the living room will be blazing hot. And if you turn the thermostat down, the living room is comfortable but the bedrooms are cold.

The real question is: What is the temperature in the shop? :rolf:

How easy/ difficult is it to close the vents in the living room. Granted, that's a pain to do every time, but still probably less time consuming than running duct work.

 

[PChristy]

The real question is: What is the temperature in the shop? :rolf:
Depending on what the temp is outside

How easy/ difficult is it to close the vents in the living room. Granted, that's a pain to do every time, but still probably less time consuming than running duct work.

No problem at all but as I mentioned in my first post is if the wife has the propane$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ fireplace going I sure don't want the central air going as well - I am trying to not have both running at the same time - I am just wondering if the cost of running the duct(which I would do myself) and the cost of the fan(eletrical I would do myself) would benifit us in the long run - just trying to cut back on somethings - hey I have to do something to find the money to buy some more tools:icon_thum

 

[ptt49er]

If there is normally a big temperature difference between the bedrooms and the living room that inline fan might be the way to go.

25' of 6" flex duct is under $30 and you might be able to score a deal on the fan on ebay.

 

[scsmith42]

It generally doesn't cost very much to run the fan blower motor as opposed to the entire HVAC. That's what the switch on the thermostat that say's Fan - ON / Auto. If you put it in the "on" position, it only turns on the blower fan - not the compressor.

If you added a return air duct to your HVAC in the room in question, and turned your furnace fan to the "on" position, it would draw the warm air out of the room and recirculate it through the house, and not require a lot of power in the process. It would be especially efficient if you placed it up in the ceiling, and had the ability to close the damper in the summer so that you wouldn't be drawing such hot air into your Air conditioner.

Since all of the bedrooms are already designed to stay warn/cool when your HVAC is running, it should work just fine.

 

[Bigdog72]

Don't know how old your house is but, depending on your system, I wouldn't go cutting in extra return airs. Most system returns are designed to supply enough air to operate the air handler efficiently. As for the bath fan, not sure I would want one of those loud fans right over my head while I am trying to watch my expensive tv.

 

[Jim Murphy]

A most interesting and timely post. We've been in the little house for 3 years and over Christmas, for the FIRST time, I fired up the gas logs.

Admittedly, this is a little house, about 1300 SF, and heretofore I had relied on the *))&%#@^$ PROFANE furnace for heat. My FatherInLaw (86 years old and needs 78° to be comfortable) came to spend a few days, and just for S&G I fired up the propane logs. WOW. With bedroom doors closed, it heated up in no time. :eusa_thin :eusa_thin :eusa_thin.

The furnace is 60K BTU, and the logs are 22K BTU. The furnace has a "return" which sucks in cold air, especially when the dog and cat go in and out. The logs really don't "suck" that much, although basic Thermodynamics 402 teaches that they do (although without a fan).

Since he left (Thanks Be) I have been running the logs instead of the oversized furnace. I'd like to think I'm saving propane, but there are so many variables (degrees days, doors opened, sun vs clouds), there's no way to scientifically determine.


SO...... NCWWers

What's your experience with using gas logs INSTEAD OF the furnace. Cost effective?

FWIW: Gas logs at 22000 BTU/HR cost between $0.50 and $0.65 per hour, depending on your supplier and how much they rip you off.

PS:FWIW: Wholesale propane is $0.823/gal. What are you paying?

PPS: My last fillup 1 Dec 2008 (I own the tank, auto-fill) was $2.20/gal.

 

[PChristy]

PPS: My last fillup 1 Dec 2008 (I own the tank, auto-fill) was $2.20/gal.

WOW! I am getting ripped off - the last one we had was at $3.65
but I only have a 100 gallon tank and I believe they charge more for a smaller run

 

[PChristy]

Don't know how old your house is but, depending on your system, I wouldn't go cutting in extra return airs. Most system returns are designed to supply enough air to operate the air handler efficiently. As for the bath fan, not sure I would want one of those loud fans right over my head while I am trying to watch my expensive tv.

The house is over twenty years old but the room where the fireplace is only two years old and so is the unit - say I was to mount one of the bath fans would it hurt to mount it in the attic middle ways between the rooms in question and then run duct to the cathedrel(am I spelling that right)ceiling so that it wouldn't be heard that much

 

[PChristy]

It generally doesn't cost very much to run the fan blower motor as opposed to the entire HVAC. That's what the switch on the thermostat that say's Fan - ON / Auto. If you put it in the "on" position, it only turns on the blower fan - not the compressor.

If you added a return air duct to your HVAC in the room in question, and turned your furnace fan to the "on" position, it would draw the warm air out of the room and recirculate it through the house, and not require a lot of power in the process. It would be especially efficient if you placed it up in the ceiling, and had the ability to close the damper in the summer so that you wouldn't be drawing such hot air into your Air conditioner.

Since all of the bedrooms are already designed to stay warn/cool when your HVAC is running, it should work just fine.

I do sometimes run the fan but with the doors closed to the bedrooms it only throws out cold air into them - ok for the rest of the house between the FP and the return air

Don't think that I can add any duct to the system - it is under the house and I need it ran in the attic

 

[TedAS]

Phillip,

I am in the midst of addressing this exact problem.

We had to install a new heat pump last month, so I asked my HVAC guy this same question. Not only do I have gas logs but also this room is the hardest room in the house to cool in the summer.
His recommendation was to add a large (14x20) return grill as close to the ceiling as I could get it. Attaching it to the return plenum on the air handler with 12” flex duct. He says running only the fan on the air handler when we use the gas logs will help distribute the heat through the rest of the house. In the summer the AC will draw the hot air off of the top of the room and make that room cool as easily as the rest of the house is. He said the added return air may actually improve the year round comfort of the house and will not upset the balance between the return and supply air.

Fortunately I have a corner right above the air handler where I can run the 12” duct through the first floor straight to the attic. I am about ½ way finished with this job. With a little dry wall no one will know it is there.

Ted