heating ducts

Brad White

Unless you like your second floor perceptably cooler, you absolutely should extend ductwork up there.

Think of it this way: The amount of heat needed from a warm air system to maintain any spaces temperature is a function of two things- a specific volume of air at a specific temperature at a given heat loss. More air at lower temperature or less air at higher temperature can yield similar results.

For example, most furnaces put out air between 110 and 130 degrees, which is between 40 and 60 degrees warmer than the room desired temperature.

If you merely heat the downstairs to comfort, any air making it's way up to the second floor by convection will be essentially <i><b>at</b></i> room temperature. There is no way that secondary space can make space temperature. It needs the air entering it to be warmer.

Yes, as noted find a closet or other nondescript space and do it right.

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heating ducts

I have forced air and I was wondering if I need to put heating ducts going up to the 2nd floor. I have 2 bedrooms and a bathroom on the 2nd floor, but it is a small house and I want to know if I can just condition the bottom of the house and allow the heat to rise to the rooms upstairs. Will this work, or should I put ducts in? Also, should the ducts rise up along the wall in a corner somewhere...how should it rise up to the 2nd floor? Thanks.

Unknown

generally I'd have to guess the heat would be better on the second floor if you push some air up there. Normally we try to find closets one above the other or some other unused corner space and use them to chase duct up into the attic and then feed the rooms down through the ceiling from there. Hope this helps.

Big Ed_3

My Guess

Your talking about a old Cape style house ? Freeze in the winter and bake in the summer up there.... Worst set up with warm air . You have large heat loss upstairs compared to down stairs . Upstairs should be zoned and your are limited in installing ducts . Capes with a slab using counter flow furnaces are even worst ... I would try to talk you into a boiler and radiation for even comfort . Zone it up and down ......