House too COLD!

Almost sounds like a domehome... a reversible big ceiling fan will do the
job. Push hot air down in winter, draw cool air up in summer. Ingrid

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Hi, Tim.

First, I'd check for leaks, throughout the house. The "chimney effect" can
be kicking in, sucking cold air in down below.

Then, I'd try to find heat losses, and address them: inadequate insulation,
"high-e" doors and windows.

Then it makes sense to try to "destratify" things. Moving air from low
point below to high point above. This will be difficult to do with HVAC
air-handling system alone, unless it can draw in air at upper ceiling, or
discharge and diffuse air at upper ceiling level. If you have a clear path
between levels, small air-circulator fans like "Vornado" can quietly
circulate lots of air, like from lower floor to upper ceiling.

Else, you might try such a circulator on each floor to destratify it, and
use any means available to move air in a loop from upper to lower. Like the
HVAC air-mover. (Most systems have fan settings: "On | Auto | Off".

Once leaks and losses are under control, you need surprisingly little air
movement to keep things destratified, in my experience.

Regards,
John

You should set the upstairs air vents almost closed in the winter (you
need a little ventilation always) and the downstairs air vents almost
closed in the summer. It might make more sense to relocate the
thermostat downstairs, or install two.

Check the humidity in your house. Often it is as low as 10% in the winter. This
will cause it to seem to be a lot colder than it realy is. Before I got a
humidifier 76F felt chilly now we are comfortable at 72F and sometimes less.

Get a 2 speed fan for the furnace and leave it running in low speed
constantly only going into high for heat/cool. This will constantly mix the
house air leading to more uniform temperatures.

Slowly close the registers in 'hot' rooms (maybe 1/4 per day) while the
registers in 'cold' rooms are likely already wide open.

Got lots of windows in the cold rooms? Consider window coverings - or my
favorite - clear plastic on the inside.

Is there a door to seperate the 2 floors? If so - close it to prevent the
cold air from falling / hot air from rising.

You could install a ceiling fan in the vaulted ceiling - but I'd try the
above first.

Roger in Winnipeg

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