Heating an open plan barn

[flower]

Hi all,

Just wondered if anyone could share their thoughts on what has worked for them with regards to heating a newly renovated open plan barn. I am asking on behalf of some friends who have renovated their barn but have found their current heating to be inadequate during the really cold spells. We are going to arrange for some heating engineers to visit the property (the owners are currently living in the UK), but it would be really useful to hear from anyone who has done a barn conversion themselves (particularly if it is open plan), to see what has or hasn't worked well.

Thanks in advance.

Flower

[zeb]

The only folks I know who have a barn conversion - not all open plan - have wet underfloor heating downstairs and a large woodburner. I think they may have electric heating upstairs.

[Iceni]

I suspect that you already know the cause of the prob - your highlighted words may give a clue.

Our barn conversion is nearly finished. Main floor is approx 140 m2 comprising

 - winter quarters of 45 m2 (where we have lived since 10/03) with Villager logburner

 - the rest (open plan kitchen/living of 60 ish m2 + shower/laundryroom + bedroom + larder) has oil fired c/h to be run at frost free in the winter to be supplemented by another wood burner when we solve chimney siting challenge.

- mezzanine of 90 ish m2 is heated by chimney from Villager. Opening the doors should enable us to sleep up there all year

So we hope that we will beat the really cold weather. Time will tell.

John

not

[Rasputin]

We have an open plan barn - 75 square metre downstairs and 85 square metre mezzanine, average ceiling height 4-5 metres.

We use a large wood-burning stove (downstairs) and oil fired central heating with reclaimed radiators (also radiators in the bedrooms)

Works a treat, and doesn't cost too much (we have good roof insulation as well)

[friend of stouby]

 

Is part of the problem that heat rises unobstructed to the upper level, and all cold/cooler air falls to the ground floor where living area is?

[Rasputin]

We had thought that would be a problem, and anticipated adding big fans.

In fact the difference is perhaps 2-3 degrees, and our lounge is on the mezzanine, with the bedrooms below. So the bedroos and kitchen are 2 degrees cooler, but that is probably the best setup anyway.

[Michael]

 Flower.I have[and still do] designed a few barn conversion wet heating systems and we have allso installed them.Depending on the client and his pocket i normally try to talk them into underfloor heating ground floor ,each room circuit thermo controlled  back at manifold allso zoned .1st floor conventional heating except for bathrooms if its going to be a tiled floor we tray it and also run underfloor,ground and all floor circuits to manifolds zoned valved, its important where the room stats are sited.As the barn is already renovated its going to be difficult to do a tidy job or install a first class system.Anyway if the u values are right, ie, the barn is renovated to a good standard and the heating system and boiler is calculated  and installed correctly maybe upsize the ground floor rads.If the foyer/lobby is part of the open plan i would close it in.Happy days.Michael

[flower]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Currently there is a wood burner with fans above the mezzanine but I think the space is too big to cope with just that. (can't remember the size as the barn belongs to a friend).Oil fired central heating is something that they are considering so it's good to hear your comments on that. Radiator piping I believe was already installed whilst renovating just in case.

Thanks Michael for the info on wet heating systems. Underfloor heating is too late for them as all other renovations are complete but I'd be interested to hear more as we are looking to do our own conversion next year.

Many thanks again.

Flower

 

[Kitty]

Friends of ours nearby (in 33) with a very, very large open plan space have purchased a Canadian wood burning stove that is ENORMOUS - it looks like a locomotive in shape with an equally enormous tube coming out if it.  I don't know where they got it - Canada?  I'll try to ask them (they're away at the moment).  It does use lots of wood but depending on where you are, wood is cheaper than other fuels.