Browse Forums Heating, Cooling & Insulation Re: Heating Advice 5Jun 12, 2009 10:36 pm We have lived in a "tri level" house for 15 years. We have an Osburn 2400 wood heater, and also a portable gas heater which we rarely use. Our climate is very col in winter (lows of -8 degc), and largely we live in t-shirts in winter, and the kids are forever kicking their blankets off. Our house has family room and garage on lower level, and bedrooms above. Middle level has entry, kitchen, and casual dining. Also formal lounge and dining but this is closed off with doors. All other is open plan. We dont have any forced circulation because the design is good for day and night living. If forced circulation to even the "whole of house" temp is required this is simply a matter of getting inline fans installed from upper to lower levels. you may lose some wardrobe or other pace to do it but it would work. BTW. we just sold our house, and are now looking for a dryer. the wood heater dries all the clothes overnight in the upper gallery. And its low cost heating. Re: Heating Advice 6Jun 13, 2009 12:12 am Quote: I will probably have the same issue as I will be building a 2 storey house this year sometime. Does anyone know what kind of heating works well in 2 storey homes? Its kinda open-plan so I'd assume that the heat will go upwards and dont really want this to happen. I dont want to block off the stairs, so that cant be an option... Any ideas? Fighting the laws of physics - well thats not going to be very cost effective. You will also find that to acheive your enegy rating will be more expensive. Re the poster of this threads issue. You need to stop the heat flowing upward to stop it in the most effectrive manner. Other options are as sdiscussed - to use a heat transfer system to move the heat back down to the lower level - Ceiling fans in the right spot might help if they can move it back down. Blocking it off is the best method. - It's that old Physics in action again. Hot air rises. Re: Heating Advice 7Jun 13, 2009 1:40 am Yak_Chat Quote: I will probably have the same issue as I will be building a 2 storey house this year sometime. Does anyone know what kind of heating works well in 2 storey homes? Its kinda open-plan so I'd assume that the heat will go upwards and dont really want this to happen. I dont want to block off the stairs, so that cant be an option... Any ideas? Fighting the laws of physics - well thats not going to be very cost effective. You will also find that to acheive your enegy rating will be more expensive. Re the poster of this threads issue. You need to stop the heat flowing upward to stop it in the most effectrive manner. Other options are as sdiscussed - to use a heat transfer system to move the heat back down to the lower level - Ceiling fans in the right spot might help if they can move it back down. Blocking it off is the best method. - It's that old Physics in action again. Hot air rises. I have ceiling fans installed at the top of the 2nd storey stairs (before mentioned gallery). Found them to be completely ineffective, and actually creates "draughty" conditions on the lower floor. As said before, i would recirculate the warm air from the highest point to an accessible point that is as far from the stairwell as possible. You could have the fan connected to a thermostat which would automate it a bit. The radiant heat from a combustion heater should suffice, but this obviously depends on its location. Re: Heating Advice 8Jun 13, 2009 11:22 am Quote: I have ceiling fans installed at the top of the 2nd storey stairs (before mentioned gallery). Found them to be completely ineffective, and actually creates "draughty" conditions on the lower floor. As said before, i would recirculate the warm air from the highest point to an accessible point that is as far from the stairwell as possible. You could have the fan connected to a thermostat which would automate it a bit. The radiant heat from a combustion heater should suffice, but this obviously depends on its location. The issue with fans at the top os the stairs i that it does not have a warm pool of air to move to another area - it has rising air and it basically ciculate the air and as you experienced - introduces cold air. If a ceiling fan can be loctaed in an area that hot air gathers - then a slow turning fan in reverse mode can push that air back to where it is more useful. as for temperature sense/on/off heat transfer fans - these are readily available devices from the right suppliers. and yes a combustion heater if very effective at warming the whole area while it is running - but the upper area tend to get a lot hotter than the lower ones. Re: Heating Advice 9Jun 13, 2009 11:06 pm Yak_Chat Quote: Other options are as sdiscussed - to use a heat transfer system to move the heat back down to the lower level Why not combine the existing system with this solution - add another RCAC return air grille in the upper storey where most of the hot air accumulates. However, the best solution is to zone off the upper storey so you don't end up heating the entire air mass of the house. Are there any other reasons why the lower storey is cold? Are you losing heat in directions apart from upward? 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