We have a tri-level townhouse with an open stairwell. We heat with gas. I'm looking for something to document this to skeptical housemates.
2006-10-31 16:13:31 · 19 answers · asked by Jesse J 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
Bob Vila the home repair guru has this to say...
Ceiling Fan Heating
During winter, a ceiling fan can move heat trapped near the ceiling back into the living area. This is especially valuable in rooms with high or vaulted ceilings. Remember to run your ceiling fan counter-clockwise in the summer and clockwise in the winter.
2006-10-31 16:16:47 · answer #1 · answered by angel_s_garden 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know that you are probably wore out from reading all the answers,, but here is a testimonial.. I had a Bi-Level, and I could not keep the basement heated due to the warm air rising up thru the stairwell to the main floor (Living Room Area ),, Since I do commercial heating and A/C for a living and I work in alot of the different plants , some have open doors in winter because of tow motors going in and out,,, they use what is called a Air Curtain across the door way,,, It blows air across the opening from a supply duct to a pick up duct or a return.. this kept all cold air outside and warm air inside ... A ceiling fan above your stairwell with the rotation so the air goes down, will make a air curtain so the warm air can not rise and go up to your main floor.. Once I did that I could maintain a comfortable temperature in the lower level.. also running your blower on your furnace will help also, but it will also cost alot more to run that blower then a ceiling fan,, good luck I hope this soothes the housemate some.. Bob G
2006-11-01 06:47:57 · answer #2 · answered by Bob G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have a forced air furnace & it is wired so you can have the fan on 100% of the time. that would work better than a ceiling fan.
What you want to do is mix the air up some.
Moving the hotter air from near the ceiling & mixing with the cooler air near the floor.
On a ceiling fan there is a switch that you push up for the winter & down for the summer. You push the air up & then it returns down along the walls in doing this you don't feel the movement of the air as much.
2006-11-01 00:29:18 · answer #3 · answered by Floyd B 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes this is true, because heat rises and if you have your fan on it pushes the warm air back down. It also helps to circulate the air in the room , you do not have to have the fan on high, Is your heat forced hot air? If so where are the vents. They make small fans that fit down inside of the vent to help circulate the air coming from the vent , which will help. Good luck with the skeptical housemates.
2006-11-01 00:19:27 · answer #4 · answered by advantage_taken 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
your ceiling fan should have a reverse cycle option on the controller panel.. switch it to that when you have your heating on and it reverses the fan pushing the warm air downwards.. In the long run this will save heaps on your heating bill. Putting several thru the tri-level house will help push the air thru much easier.. and the fans dont need to be on flat out.. just a gentle breeze should do the trick
2006-11-01 17:58:02 · answer #5 · answered by aussie_chic66 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I think so. It works like this: you turn on the heater, and the room heats up. Then you turn the heater off. Soon, the heat starts to kind of disappear. The thing is that the heat has risen up, so when you turn on the ceiling fan, it circulates the warm air back down so you don't have to turn the heater back on. It also keeps the room from getting too stuffy and all that.
2006-11-01 00:16:22 · answer #6 · answered by moxie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hot air rises. The ceiling fan will keep the warm air circulating thus keeping the room warmer thus keeping the furnace running less frequently. Call your utility provider and they will give you real statistics for your skeptical roomies. Another thing that will save on your utility costs is setting your thermostat at your chosen level of comfort and leaving it there. Constantly turning it up and down sucks up energy big time. If you turn it down because you're too warm it takes twice(?) as much energy to bring it back up to temp when you get too cold. Like I say, call your utility provider and they will give you all kinds of tips on conserving energy.
2006-11-01 00:21:46 · answer #7 · answered by valducci53 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On the most part, most of the answers are correct!
But this does not work at my home, I have hydronic radiant heat. My heating system heats objects not the air, another benefit most objects are not on ceiling or escaping through faults in the vapour barrier or insulation voids for that matter!!
2006-11-04 22:21:39 · answer #8 · answered by diSota 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
my husband and I use ceiling fans all year. Heat rises and the ceiling fans can be used to keep the heat blown down. You will have to reverse the direction of the blades to achieve this. hope this helps!
2006-11-04 22:41:13 · answer #9 · answered by cylnc 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a fireplace insert as a sole heat source in my 14x18 office - i can tell you that the ceiling fan (turning "backwards") DEFINITELY evens out the heat in the room.
2006-11-01 01:33:19 · answer #10 · answered by Adagio 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋