Heating a house

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Yep. Someone gave us our gas log as a gift, which I appreciate, but the gas log situation is exactly as you describe above.

I'd stuff some insulation up the chimney when the gas logs aren't in use, but that idea makes my wife nervous. So yearround, it's a hole in the house.

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Reply to
N
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Good thought. If the OP spends the most time in his living area, could make sense to move the thermostat there.

Given that my home sounds similar to the OP's, and I have similar problems, I have a question:

Would it be possible to have two thermostats in my home, which could supply one average reading that would trigger my HVAC system?

BTW, my thermostat is in the middle of the hallway where the bedrooms are.

Given that my home sound similar, I'll bet part of the problem is more windows, proximity of heat-producing kitchen appliances such as fridge, stove, and dishwasher, and air leaking through the chimney. And in my case, the living area is just so dang big that it's harder to heat or cool, compared to the bedrooms, which are smaller.

In my case, the heat gets to the living area, but it's never as warm as in the bedrooms. In summer, the situation is reversed, except it's worse: hot living area, cool bedrooms.

Hope nobody minds me interjecting my situation in my home. The OP's situation sounds so similar to mine that my experience may be relevant and/or I can learn something along with the OP from you other posters.

Reply to
N

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One change I've noticed in a friend's house with increased insulation is that not only is the temperature more stable, but the place is quieter because the HVAC runs less.

Been there, done that. We used to live in an old place and it was almost as if having a fire in the fireplace made the place colder!

We eventually learned that the fireplace, which was very shallow, was actually designed to burn coal, so the fireplace really didn't (and wasn't meant to) work well with wood.

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If the OP wants a quick fix, an electric heater with a built-in fan would be my recommendation.

If the OP wants a real fix that will save energy and (in the long run) save money, and as a side benefits probably make the home quieter, the temperature more stable yearround, and save wear on the HVAC, the OP will need more insulation and anything else that an energy audit of the OP's home will recommend.

Reply to
N

Most heating systems work on a simple on/off switch triggered by the thermostat. I can think of a way to have each of them set to a different temperature and connected to an intermediate switch which would require both to be on before it would turn on the heating system but I can't see any benefit in doing that. A more complex system would continually sample the temperature reading at multiple locations and turn on the heat when the average (or weighted average) reached a specified value. That might have more benefit but I've not seen any such thing on the market. Maybe for a Johnson Controls type commercial system but not for homes. I think it would be less expensive to put in a second heating system.

That sounds like leakage/loss of temperature differential in the distribution system. Are the ducts insulated? (Assuming forced air because it does both heating and cooling.) Or maybe the total volume of warm air at the starting point isn't great enough?

Reply to
Elmo

If this is consistant, then that just means that you have to arrange for more air to be delivered to and returned from the living area, and less to the bedrooms, until it's right.

You'd only need a separate heater or zone if either the error, or the desired relative temperature of the assorted spaces changed, at different times.

Reply to
default

We have an open concept house. One thing that hasn't been mentioned on this thread is installing and using a ceiling fan. These are very economical winter or summer and more so for open concept or large spaces.

Reply to
Serendipity

I had one of those myself once upon a time. Nothing like coming in from a freezing winter day and sitting with that monster. Back in '94 we had a huge snowstorm that knocked the power out for days. My neighbors were out pulling up their wooden fence to burn for heat while we were comfy in the house. Sure miss the old timey simple things that just worked.

To the OP. Since you already have gas in the house look for a gas burning wall unit if you have space for it. You can get nonvented or vented and they both do a pretty good job though I prefer the vented because I am scared of possible carbon monoxide. These will also work without power so that gives you a source of heat in an emergency situation as well.

Steve B.

Reply to
Steve B.

Oh, we can tell that from here - no doubt your usenet access is via a telegraph wire connected to your Babbidge Difference Engine which is located in a room lit by coal gas lamps. It's obvious from the font.

What puzzles me is that a self-declared fan of 19th century technology and wing back chairs apparently doesn't own at least one himself, especially since they're so widely available at an astonishing range of prices.

Reply to
Lou

my uncle is very happy with his pellet stove. it looked nice, traditional, and cast-iron to me. i have no idea how pellet prices stack up against other energy sources though.

Reply to
socks

I've always been a little suspicious of the idea that ceiling fans were helpful in winter. It seems to me that the warm air from my heating system would mix with the cooler air anyway and that a fan wouldn't help much, if at all. I've always suspected the idea that a ceiling fan is useful in winter is a ploy to sell more ceiling fans, but I could be wrong.

However, ceiling fans in hot weather can be great! I used to live w/o AC (couldn't afford it) and the ceiling fan over my bed was so effective that on hot summer nights with the fan running, I'd sometimes wake up after a few hours because I was so cold.

Reply to
N

We use our ceiling fans year round. We reverse the motor direction during the winter. It then circulates the warm air (remember heat rises) from the ceiling height back down. Good way to keep the windows defogged and in some cases, defrosted. That's the theory anyways.

Randy

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Reply to
RSMEINER

If you measure it, you'll find there is a considerable vertical temperature differential in most winter heating situatons.

Corse there is also another effect too. If the air temp is kept on the low side, like say 60F, the draft at that temp isnt very pleasant, particularly if you are basking in front of radiant heat sources.

I basically bask in full sun on sunny winter days and the air temp isnt all that high at all.

When its not sunny, I basically have a fan heater blowing hot air on me. That works because I dont move around much.

A ceiling fan is the last thing I need in winter.

Dont need one in summer either because I use a massive 'swamp' cooler on the roof that blows a hell of a gale thru the most important parts of the house, all the air movement I need.

Yes, you are. They do have their place, particularly if you attempt to keep the entire room comfortably warm and dont have any fans in the heating method used, say just have fanless oil filled heaters or wood stoves without internal fans etc.

Yeah, I hardly ever leave the swamp cooler on when I go to bed, because of that effect, I have to get up to turn it off because its too cold. I do like it warmer than most tho, many wouldnt consider the initial temp with it off cool enough for sleeping.

Reply to
Rod Speed

Whoa! Somebody's cat has learned to post on the 'net!

Reply to
Andy Hill

I think the effectiveness depends on the design of the area in which the fan is in. In an open concept living area, the ceiling fan improves the air circulation. This would be especially helpful when using a radient heat source suce as baseboard heaters or a wood stove. In the winter, you set the fan so that it blows the hot air from the ceiling to the floor

Reply to
Serendipity

LOL!

Reply to
N

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