CountryPlans Forum

General => General Forum => Topic started by: AdironDoc on November 06, 2010, 08:32:36 AM

Title: Wood stove location vs cold bedrooms
Post by: AdironDoc on November 06, 2010, 08:32:36 AM
Now, I know most guides say optimal placement of the wood stove is in a large central area where most people will congregate, and further, that it is best avoid an exterior wall, but I'm certain this is a challenge for some of us. Many cabins, including my own plans, will use the stove as a focal point with sofa/chairs facing it. Living rooms typically have 3 exterior walls with one interior wall split by a hallway, or staircase, etc. That means an exterior wall.

In my case, it will likely be in the center of the far wall against a wall of stone from my river for thermal mass. Flupipe will be exposed a fair distance for added efficiency. Air will rise and should heat the two sleeping areas in the loft, both of which will overlook the central room. The problem in my plans, and most plans I see, is the bedroom/other rooms downstairs at the opposite end of the cabin. My cabin: 20 x 36 with open floorplan except for a single bedroom and bath downstairs. Entrances on long walls in front with small porch, and in back on long adirondack porch. That leaves fewer placement possibilities. My stove is rated for 600-1500sqft with 82% efficiency.

I will be off grid, so I'd like to avoid extensive blowers, etc. My stove has a blower option, but not sure of the wattage. What have others done to direct heat towards the far room in their cabins? Can a row of registers be put in the wall on the wall that separates common room from bedroom?
Doc




Title: Re: Wood stove location vs cold bedrooms
Post by: Redoverfarm on November 06, 2010, 10:10:19 AM
Doc I looked back on your previous post but was unable to see any floor plans for your build.  It would definitely help to visualize your options for your stove placement.  With that being said there are a couple of options some of which you touched upon.  Using decorative air grates (fan assisted or not)to increase the airflow to remote parts of your cabin.  To make this more efficent there sould be two one being the natural convection process near the ceiling and the other being near the floor level to get that colder air that falls in the process to complete that circulation process. Sort of like a "cold air return" in the HVAC world.   Another would be to install a few ceiling fans to circulate the air.  Fans are not only for summer time use.  As you may know that by reversing the fan direction they can also be very helpfull to heat as well.  During the winter when the house is essentially closed up it takes very little force to make air travel.  Even a low wattage fan can circulate air as long as it has a path to travel. Think of your house like a bottle. There is air in the bottle but it does nothing to move.  If you opened up the bottom of the bottle the air would circulate through it.  Bad example but I think you get the drift.  There is also doorway fans which are rather small triangular fans that mount in the upper right or left corner of the door opening which would help circulate the air.  With an open loft area the majority of the air is going to go up so anyway that you can restrict that flow will increase the warmth of the down stairs remote areas. Another option although less popular would be to create an air duct which would original near the stove and run to the rooms needing heat.  Nothing elaborate with a small wattage duct installed fan to draw air from the area near the stove and push it back to the colder rooms.

In addition to consideration of the placement of the stove it should be placed close to the ridge area of the roof to eliminate bracing of the exterior flue pipe on the exterior of the roof and still maintain the 2' clearances of the ridge line for maximun draw. Enough of my rambling. Hope this helps.