Keeping heat on the 1st floor.

[mattwithcats]

Put a De'Longhi radiant heater on the second floor.

The De'Longhi's have an antifreeze setting, the "*" on the temperature dial.

Turn it on either 600 or 900 watts, not 1500...
Now turn off the heat upstairs.

http://www.delonghi.com/en-us/products/comfort/portable-heating/radiant-heaters

 

[dja4260]

Originally Posted By: mattwithcats
Put a De'Longhi radiant heater on the second floor.

The De'Longhi's have an antifreeze setting, the "*" on the temperature dial.

Turn it on either 600 or 900 watts, not 1500...
Now turn off the heat upstairs.

http://www.delonghi.com/en-us/products/comfort/portable-heating/radiant-heaters


I don't understand why? I have a fully functioning heating system upstairs. I typically keep the upstairs thermostat on 60 so the pipes don't freeze. All my water runs are not run on a exterior wall as well. Why heat a space I'm not using?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: dja4260
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I would think you lose a LOT of heat from that window air conditioner at the top of the stairs. Insulating that inside and out for winter would be.my first move.


Today I bought the plastic that goes over all the windows. I was going to wrap that sucker as well. That unit is 20 years old and doesn't work.


If that's the case, I'd definitely consider removal and sealing it up tight with insulation.

While I'm sure there is a way, I can't think of a good means of closing off the stairs that will be aesthetically appealing. I like the curtain approach.

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I don't understand the fan concept.


Explained Here >>> http://www.hansenwholesale.com/ceilingfans/fan-direction-summer-winter.asp

BTW: You install the fan on the 1st floor

 

[earlyre]

when i was growing up, some family freinds had an old farm house, giant wood stove on the first floor, nothing in the bathroom/ kids rooms up stairs(maybe they had electric space heaters, but i don't recall) they would always hang a thermal/blackout curtain halfway up the stairs(where the Knee wall met the ceiling) to keep heat downstairs.

If that ac unit doesn't work, what I would do is in the spring either find a Similar new unit to replace it(which being 20 years newer will be WAY more efficient than the old one was when it worked), or put a window in that hole.
yo could even spend the winter shopping/pricing/researching online for either one.

 

[dja4260]

Originally Posted By: earlyre
when i was growing up, some family freinds had an old farm house, giant wood stove on the first floor, nothing in the bathroom/ kids rooms up stairs(maybe they had electric space heaters, but i don't recall) they would always hang a thermal/blackout curtain halfway up the stairs(where the Knee wall met the ceiling) to keep heat downstairs.

If that ac unit doesn't work, what I would do is in the spring either find a Similar new unit to replace it(which being 20 years newer will be WAY more efficient than the old one was when it worked), or put a window in that hole.
yo could even spend the winter shopping/pricing/researching online for either one.


That was my plan exactly. I was thinking about putting a frosted window there. Some natural hallway light would be nice.

 

[Jarlaxle]

So would a working air conditioner when it's 90 degrees and humid, I'd bet!

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: dja4260
Originally Posted By: Kuato
I would think you lose a LOT of heat from that window air conditioner at the top of the stairs. Insulating that inside and out for winter would be.my first move.


Today I bought the plastic that goes over all the windows. I was going to wrap that sucker as well. That unit is 20 years old and doesn't work.


Right on...surprised it hasn't been taken out if it doesn't work....

 

[sleddriver]

During the late 80's I toured a passive solar house with a unique design feature that captured upper level heat and moved it to the first floor, specifically the master bedroom.

Downstairs featured a huge stone fireplace with a labyrth of air passages and a couple of fans that would continuously circulate air, thus heating it.

Upstairs at the highest point on the ceiling was a nearby wall. In the wall, he installed an air intake grille + a thermostat. He used an in-line fan along with an independent duct system to pull this upper level, hot air downstairs and blow it into the master bedroom & bath.

So even when they cut the HVAC off/back due to the amount of heat the fireplace was generating, hot upper-level air was still being constantly moved downstairs to the bedrooms throughout the night.

Rather ingenious I thought! And he did it with commonly available HVAC supplies; i.e.: No rocket science required.

Makes sense...A LOT of sense.

 

[sleddriver]

Re: Unused A/C in wall.

Depending on the unit & how it was installed, it could be a MAJOR air leak during the winter. As warm air rises up the staircase, it'll be looking for the first place to escape.

Is it possible to remove it during the Winter and fill the hole with a tight-fitting rigid foam plug, about 6-8" thick? This would seal it off + provide needed insulation at a critical location. After all, you do live in Chicago.

If not possible to remove it, I'd suggest getting some 3/4" rigid foam board (blue or pink or white stuff) and making a tight fitting cover. Foam easily cuts with a zip knife and you can stick it to itself with 3M spray adhesive, hot glue, or construction adhesive.

I used this stuff years ago to seal up all of my fir-downs and open cavities in the attic to prevent cold air from sinking into open, uninsulated, interior walls. Made a HUGE difference.

 

[Al]

can come up with perturbations of many systems.

All you need to know is that hot air rises and cold air falls. Your supply (s) need to be low in summer and return(s) to the system higher.

In Winter the supply(s) need to be higher and the return(s) to the system lower.

That rarely happens.