Heat Transfer Kit - placement of outlet?

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MileHighKiwi

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#171367 15-Apr-2015 12:43

We want to install a heat transfer kit to move warm air from the lounge (with wood burner) towards our daughters bedroom. We have a 110m2 weatherboard home, insulated underfloor and ceiling, and a heat pump in the open plan dining and kitchen. The dining/kitchen/lounge is essentially all open plan with french doors that can close off the lounge. One side of the house, off the dining room, is the study and spare bedroom. We can't install a unit there because it's an extension with a flat roof and we don't really need to heat that area in the winter. The other side, off the dining room, contains a hallway with master bedroom, daughters room and bathroom and toilet. The master bedroom is fine, enough air from the dining room gets in there, and we prefer our room to be cooler anyway.

However, even though it's only just a few meters away, our daughters room is cold (usually 2-3 degrees colder than our bedroom) and I'm not sure where to put the heat transfer outlet; in her room or in the hallway near her door and the bathroom and toilet.

I have read several opinions on installing heat ducts into bedrooms. Obviously one draw back is that it gets too warm. My other concern is air quality - can the air from the lounge and wood burner contain pollutants and affect our 5 month old daughters health? We have a 7 year old 14kw Jayline and service it annually.

I'm leaning towards putting the outlet outside her room, about 3 feet from her doorway. I think/hope the air will circulate enough to flow into her room, and also the bathroom and toilet. If I can bring that section of the house up by just a few degrees it will make a lot of difference.

We are looking at this unit https://www.electricaldirectltd.co.nz/ecommerce.php?func=14&DCI=136&DPT=p&DPI=1931&S=f57a56526bb07900a74f5e906556b3b9

Thoughts?

timmmay

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#1284680 15-Apr-2015 12:50

If you're concerned about air quality you could get a heat recovery ventilation system (NB: not specifically HRV brand, they're expensive and often not so good), it uses the warm stale air to heat fresh air from outside. Of course that will cost you $3K not $300.

Can you do a diagram? Much easier than a description.

MileHighKiwi

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#1284694 15-Apr-2015 13:16

Here's a poorly drawn layout and image, lol.. can't afford the expensive option, will have to do a basic transfer kit. The X's are my intended location of the outlet.

Jase2985

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#1284708 15-Apr-2015 13:43

would it not be better to suck the cold air from her room and pump that back into the lounge? then the resulting air flow back into the hallway and into her room would be warmer lounge air?

just an alternative thought

MileHighKiwi

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#1284724 15-Apr-2015 13:56

Jase2985: would it not be better to suck the cold air from her room and pump that back into the lounge? then the resulting air flow back into the hallway and into her room would be warmer lounge air?

just an alternative thought

Ok, that's an option I had not considered.

Jase2985

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#1284725 15-Apr-2015 13:57

also means your 14kw fire doesn't end up overheating the lounge area

KShips

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#1284734 15-Apr-2015 14:03

Jase2985: also means your 14kw fire doesn't end up overheating the lounge area

I've thought about adding a transfer kit and thought it makes sense to suck cold air out of room and pump it in behind the fire. This should stop cold drafts and also stops the heat loss through ducting when drawing hot air through cold roof space.

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timmmay

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#1284758 15-Apr-2015 14:40

If you suck air out of a room it may come from the heated room, but it depends where your house leaks. If the room with the fire is sealed and down the corridor you have a door that doesn't seal you'll get cold air into the room. Also heat rises, so you're taking the warm air from the bedroom and putting it above the fireplace, the heated air from the fireplace is going up. I'm obviously not an expert though.

Also, cutting holes in ceiling impacts insulation, even if there's a duct there heat can rise through it.

KShips

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#1284772 15-Apr-2015 14:45

timmmay: If you suck air out of a room it may come from the heated room, but it depends where your house leaks. If the room with the fire is sealed and down the corridor you have a door that doesn't seal you'll get cold air into the room. Also heat rises, so you're taking the warm air from the bedroom and putting it above the fireplace, the heated air from the fireplace is going up. I'm obviously not an expert though.

Also, cutting holes in ceiling impacts insulation, even if there's a duct there heat can rise through it.

I was thinking of having it under the floor rather than ceiling so it's drawing the cold air.
Good point about sealed rooms and closed doors though! Would have a major impact so wouldn't really suit anywhere that has doors between locations.

timmmay

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#1284826 15-Apr-2015 15:23

I also thought if I had central heating I might use grates in the floor.

If you push warm air in you know you're getting warm air in. If you suck air out a poorly sealed window might you get a lot of cold air coming in there, air coming through cracks in the floor, etc.