# floor vent for wood stove



## squig

My husband wants to install a floor vent in our upstairs hallway so the hot air from the woodstove in the family room can heat our bedrooms.  has anyone done this?  What would we need, and where would we get it?  Anybody know if this is against some kind of fire code? 
Thanks - Sue


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## glennjanie

Welcome Sue:
My Dad's first cousin was Sue Quig; small world.
You need to check with the local fire department or building inspector for the Code answer. However, I have seen this done in several instances and it worked just fine. A ceiling fan blowing upward on low will help to circulate the air in your home too.
You could use a return air grille on the ceiling and a floor register above to finish it off. Maybe it would be best to buy the grille and register before cutting the hole. If your joists are on the standard 16" o.c. spacing you can only use up to a 14" register between them but the length can be 24" or more. Remember, you are depending on gravity flow to move the heat up (hot air rises, cold air falls) it would be a good idea to leave any doors open between the two spaces for free movement.
Glenn


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## squig

thanks glenn


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## Netta1989

OK, I am searching for some helpful tips. I have a rancher house with a wood stove in the basement, I also have a gas fireplace on the first floor almost right above my wood stove. I am trying to find a way to vent my floor or walls to have the heat rise to my main level floor to help with heating cost. We leave the basement door open the heat does rise up the steps but it's really only heating the kitchen that is right at the open door. We can feel a difference through the floor but I am looking for something more effective and money saving. I have a few ideas, wonder if any suggestions? I am looking to see if I can replace my drop ceiling tiles for a "open" grid like for my ceiling tiles? Also, I have been thinking about putting "vent" through the floor on both sides of my fire place to help bring "more" heat to the main level. Another idea I had was maybe making "vents" in my walls on my main level somthing like ducts to have the heat move quicker to the main level? Any ideas? Thanks in advance


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## guyod

Sounds like you have all good ideas. 

Do you have forced air? i have seen homes where they rigged the duct work to circluated wood fire place heat through the ducts. 

An exhaust fan in your drop ceiling pulling hot air into your first floor would help alot too. If you get a thermostat controlled on it will turn on only when there is hot air to move. 

I would have one opening in the ceiling above the fire place . Use the grill you are talking about then have the fan above that and put floor vents in where needed. the whole area above the drop ceiling will be a big heat duct. 

good luck


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## handyguys

glennjanie has it - I have done this in a cottage heated with just a single propane heater on the first floor. The bedroom above has a floor register and is open to below (no ceiling, exposed beams). If you have a finished ceiling then a grill on that side would finish it off. I am not aware of any code issues with doing this.


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## inspectorD

Those are good ideas, just remember not to vent up through at the gas fireplace. The wrmaed up air will just go up the flue of the fireplace as makup air.
Move the vents about 10 feet from the area above the fireplace. the heat will find it's way up.


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## jasonkoll

It is by no means a bad idea, as hot air natrually rises and cold air natrually drops.  How well does it travel up the stairway now?  Cutting in a few return air ports is not going to increase the travel substaintally.


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## Firefita88

I'm not sure if anyone is still reading this thread, but I have been looking to do the same thing as stated in the original post.  I have a 12x24 living room on the first floor, and the exact same size room above it on the second floor.  I want to heat the second floor living room with the heat from the wood stove on the first floor.  Also, the first floor living room becomes too hot and almost unbearable (90 degrees when the stove is cranking).  
I also wish to place some vents in the ceiling (plaster) to the floor above (hardwood).  I did find out that IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO THIS, you must use ductwork.  Simply put a sheet metal duct connecting the vent in the ceiling to the register in the floor above.  The reason for this is if there is ever a fire in the home, this will prevent the fire from spreading through your floors.  If you do use ductwork, once fire reaches the ceiling vent it will make its way in and down the joists.  Once the fire gets between your ceiling and the floor above it - it will certainly make its way through the house in no time and makes it very difficult for firefighters to extinguish.
They also sell register vent fans to help assist with air flow if need be.  I did a google search under "register fan" and many came up.  Hope this helps....


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## judester

I have a 1/2 wood - 1/2 oil furnace - we use mainly the wood portion as we like it nice and hot in the winter.
The heat from both sections of furnace goes up through all the floor vents in the house but we are finding the
heat from the wood gives off a lot of residue on the windows, curtains and walls.  Hate to think what we are
breathing.  Does anyone have a solution to stop the black film going on everything?  Is there some kind of
insert we could put in the floor vents for the film without blocking the heat into the room?


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## coachgeo

judester said:


> I have a 1/2 wood - 1/2 oil furnace - we use mainly the wood portion as we like it nice and hot in the winter.
> The heat from both sections of furnace goes up through all the floor vents in the house but we are finding the
> heat from the wood gives off a lot of residue on the windows, curtains and walls.  Hate to think what we are
> breathing.  Does anyone have a solution to stop the black film going on everything?  Is there some kind of
> insert we could put in the floor vents for the film without blocking the heat into the room?


sounds like inefficient chimney draft on the wood stove allowing for smoke to get into the room. How long has it been since you cleaned the chimney?


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