How to heat downstairs with a heat transfer system

articferrit, May 19, 4:16pm
Im after any thoughts on if it is possible to heat a cold downstairs room with our current first floor heat transfer system. It currently runs from above a new log burner to 3 vents in our open plan house and works perfectly. We have a cold bedroom downstairs and it would be about 12 meters from the current ducting, across the ceiling and down through the back of a wardrobe and the vent would be near the center of the ceiling of the cold room. I realize heat doesn't want to go downhill so does anyone have any suggestions, such as an inline fan, or something else, which might work.
phoenix22, May 19, 4:55pm
we've done this. We have a transfer system pumping air downstairs into our bedroom from the lounge above. Just has a fan pumping it through ducting, or however it works. if the lounge is warm enough, we do notice a difference in the bedroom, but it's not huge.
tweake, May 19, 5:38pm
the problems i see is the long length which reduces air flow, tho it depends on how the other vents are configured etc. the amount of air flow from the fan, can it handle another outlet?
you simply may need to fit a bigger fan to be able to get enough airflow down the long duct.

but the biggest issue is the return path. how do you get the return air from the cold room back to lounge, while still having a decent distance between inlet and outlet. it may simply be trim the doors and let air go under the doors and up a stairwell. or you may need another pipe from cold room back to the other rooms returns.

failure to get the return setup right can result in sucking so much air out of the room you suck air back down the chimney and fill the house with smoke, which at night could kill everyone.
bryalea, May 19, 5:49pm
If you are running a fan to move air downstairs would it not be easier and no extra or not much extra cost power wise to just have a heater in the bedroom for cold nights.
tweake, May 19, 6:27pm
the fans are not that big, a few hundred watts, not kilowatts like a resistance heater.

a separate heat pump would be great, but they cost a bit to buy and install.
lilyfield, May 19, 7:13pm
Electric blanket
johotech, May 19, 7:16pm
It will be a lot of effort for not much effect. Just put the money towards a heatpump instead. They are the most cost effective form of real heating.
tweake, May 19, 7:40pm
this is something kiwis need to get away from.
we need to be heating the house, which helps keeps damp and mold at bay.
boldychops, May 21, 3:34pm
I had an HRV heat transfer kit priced up to do the same thing on an existing HRV install. It was cheaper to get two heat pumps installed, way more efficient to heat.
tweake, May 21, 4:32pm
that shows how much a rip off HRV is. the addon kits (which i would not recommend) are hundreds of dollars not thousands it costs for heat pumps.
bill1451, Jun 9, 8:57am
with heat transfer SYSTEMS YOU need to install the biggest ducting with the biggest fan on a speed control, I have 8" 200mm ducting insulaTED WITH BATTS.
fatdat, Jun 14, 4:19pm
Electric underwear?
tygertung, Jun 15, 11:35am
x1
We need to get away from heating the whole house and heating the person instead. Hot water bottles are the things we need during the winter. Then aire out the house during the day. Heating doesn't address damp, ventilation does.
tweake, Jul 18, 5:15pm
kiwis have always heated the person, we have been doing that since ages ago. because our poor quality houses meant it costs to much to heat anything more.
heating the whole house is a new thing which is a big improvement.

heating moves moisture and lowers humidity. its a vital part of drying a house. ventilation only does so much.