Air Circulation in a Loft-like Space

[Rockwell]

So I have an open concept house and my bedroom space is above the living with cathedral ceilings. I have central air conditioning but I find that the main floor is much cooler than upstairs. I bought a floor fan to point upstairs and circulate the air.

How does everyone else circulate their air in their lofts?

 

[Bartolo]



So I have an open concept house and my bedroom space is above the living with cathedral ceilings. I have central air conditioning but I find that the main floor is much cooler than upstairs. I bought a floor fan to point upstairs and circulate the air.

How does everyone else circulate their air in their lofts?

I have a space like that at the top of my 4-level townhouse and I'm thinking about getting a big fan installed, through the roof and into the ceiling, so that I can suck the hot air out and pull the cool air conditioned air up, especially at night.

 

[culture]

Try dampering off some of the grilles/registers on the main floor to force more air to the upper level. Begin dampering off in rooms which you find the coolest, and/or rooms in which you spend less time.

Edit: just re-read your post. Is the upper floor bedroom open to the lower floor? What type of system do you have installed? split system (indoor furnace, outdoor condensing unit), rooftop packaged unit etc?

 

[Lafayette]

I'm moving into a loft next month and also have the air circulation issue to address.

I'm planning on going for a Vornado air circulator. While "air circulator" sounds like a fancy way of saying "fan," apparently there's a big difference. A Styleforum search combined with Amazon reviews confirms this.

I won't have any feedback until next month, so until then I can only recommend doing a Vornado search.

Anyone with a Vornado reading this, please chime in.

 

[Fred49]

If you have enough room try Big Ass Fans. They make a residential unit and they move a ton of air!

 

[Fred49]

one application

 

[willpower]

...

 

[Rockwell]

Just an update. I bought a smaller sized heavy duty fan at Home Depot. I put it near a air vent and blow the air upwards. It works great. I just put it away when I don't need it. It's better than hanging a big ugly fan at the top of my stairs. Usually takes 5-10mins to get the air circulation going to change the temp of the 2nd floor.

 

[NormanF]

So I have an open concept house and my bedroom space is above the living with cathedral ceilings. I have central air conditioning but I find that the main floor is much cooler than upstairs. I bought a floor fan to point upstairs and circulate the air.
How does everyone else circulate their air in their lofts?

I bought a pair of Lasko Wind Machines in the front of the room, placed a Vornado Air Circulator on the kitchen table in the kitchen in the back and set up a Lasko Box Fan in my kitchen facing window. It brought the high temperature down to a bearable level. My second floor apartment came without air conditioning. For $130, they helped to beat the summer heat by circulating air around my living space. Its exactly what I needed for comfort.

 

[NormanF]

I'm moving into a loft next month and also have the air circulation issue to address.
I'm planning on going for a Vornado air circulator. While "air circulator" sounds like a fancy way of saying "fan," apparently there's a big difference. A Styleforum search combined with Amazon reviews confirms this.
I won't have any feedback until next month, so until then I can only recommend doing a Vornado search.
Anyone with a Vornado reading this, please chime in.

I can recommend Vornado. Do not get 2 because the effect is canceled out but they can be used in conjunction with floor fans to push the air around the room. This is better than just having fans because with fans, the air is cooled only wherever they blow. With a Vornado in the mix, the cool air is spread evenly around the room. The difference can be felt right away.

 

[Reggs]

Use low thread count bedding.

 

[Leanna Rachel]

Thanks for this thread Rockwell! I was wondering if you could share what type of unit you use to cool the main space? I have a loft (with a sleeping loft that gets even hotter)... We live in Los Angeles and it's been 80-100 degrees much of the summer. We're dying!!!