We are freezing to death, our furnace is under our house and I believe having the fan on would push the cold air up. We use our woodstove for most of the winter and he believes turning the fan on will circulate the woodstove's heat. Is this correct?
2006-12-02 19:25:46 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Actually, your husband and all of the answers so far ASSUME that the fan's intake (called the "return air grille") is somewhere close to the heat. Unless that is the case, somebody is smoking something to think it'll heat the house.
One of the problems of woodstove heat as a whole house system is that it is so localized to that one room. Some relief can be had by visiting a true woodstove shop (yes, they exist) and check the internet for heat exchange & fan systems built for a woodstove. Typically, they surround the flue pipe and use a fan to distribute that heat elsewhere.
It is, certainly, possible to create a system like your husband is thinking by using the heat of the woodstove but it means he would have to route some ductwork from the warmth (probably a heat exchange box on the flue of the woodstove) at the woodstove to the central fan.
Big project but an excellent one. Very energy/cost efficient and it'll increase the value of your home. You may need a contractor to help route the ductwork thru the studs and joists.
2006-12-02 23:18:56 · answer #1 · answered by James H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The air coming out of the registers is the air that goes into the cold air returns. If the ductwork under the house is sealed, then the air down there is not being pulled into the system. The problem is that any air that is below body temperature will feel cold if it blows on you. He should adjust the fan to it's lowest speed, be sure the ductwork under the house is sealed well. If the ductwork is not insulated or the area under the house is not insulated, the air will be cooled down as it travels back to the furnace. He should try closing the registers in the room with the stove, keeping the return open in that room...and possibly adding a chase to make the return pull the hottest air off the ceiling.
2006-12-02 23:00:31 · answer #2 · answered by roadlessgraveled 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your husband is WRONG. The circulator fan will only pickup cold air and send it right back out, creating nothing but cold drafts.
A ceiling fan installed in the same room as the woodstove would do a much better job of distributing the heat from the woodstove.
2006-12-02 23:49:26 · answer #3 · answered by bob j 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
If the ducts below your house are insulated then the fan helps to distribute the heat from the woodstove thru the house, but uninsulated ducts will probably cause you to lose heat
2006-12-02 20:09:33 · answer #4 · answered by kcp2112 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
let's face it, if the fans are sucking in warm air they will circulate it around the house.
the question is whether the warm air is entering the central heating system.
without having seen your system, I would guess that very little is doing so because they are not designed for that purpose.
2006-12-02 21:06:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No I disagree with him without the furnace on you just blow cold air into every room opening the doors of the wood stove during the day might help but not while you are sleeping it is too dangerous
2006-12-02 19:33:21 · answer #6 · answered by john h 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
heat rises, I have a fan on all the time and my heater is turned down real low I breath better with the air circulating. and my elec. bill is low, yes sometimes it does get a little cooler then it should but we grab a blanket. I hate paying the same amount for my elec. as I do for my rent, Your body does adjust, give it some time
2006-12-02 19:37:11 · answer #7 · answered by Diana J 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Well if you are freezing, than that proves it, right.
Tell him its your house, and what you say goes....turn on the real furnace
2006-12-03 01:02:56 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It would be cheaper and more efficient to use ceiling fans.
2006-12-04 10:28:59 · answer #9 · answered by daedgewood 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I agree with your husband.
2006-12-06 16:37:39 · answer #10 · answered by luther 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋