I have a 24'x'26' frame garage, gable roof with large dormers on either side of the attic, and open stairway to the fully insulated and drywalled upstairs. I have a Rinnai ES38 furnace downstairs which is more than adequate- I keep the thermostat around 60 and the upstairs is 4 to10 degrees warmer (if the sun is out) which is great- I have an office up there so quite comfortable.... in the cold months-- adequate heat rises up the stairwell. My wife and I are so grateful pulling the car out of the nice warm garage on those real cold mornings!!
Summer however is a different story. Windows in both dormers work when there's a decent breeze, and not too warm, but doesn't take much to heat up when the sun comes out even though well insulated.
My HVAC pal says I need to close off the stairwell but I am resisting- solutions could be as follows (or some combination of these)
A) mini split upstairs
B)mini-split two levels-one up one down
C) level to level fan (tjernlund.com makes a nice Level to Level 70cfm model)
Installed in floor/ceiling
D)level to level as in C, with addition of chase up near the ceiling of the upstairs, and down near the floor downstairs.
The Level to Level can be installed to blow up or blow down and not sure what would be best, probably pull the hot air from up at the ceiling down to the concrete floor.
Any suggestions/recommendations? Mitsubishi the best mini-split?
If I have to close off the stairwell I would probably use plexiglass or something-there is a lot of light in the stairwell that I don't want to lose, have a fixed skylight above the stairs. & maybe a door or hanging curtain or something. I'm up and down the stairs constantly.
Summer however is a different story. Windows in both dormers work when there's a decent breeze, and not too warm, but doesn't take much to heat up when the sun comes out even though well insulated.
My HVAC pal says I need to close off the stairwell but I am resisting- solutions could be as follows (or some combination of these)
A) mini split upstairs
B)mini-split two levels-one up one down
C) level to level fan (tjernlund.com makes a nice Level to Level 70cfm model)
Installed in floor/ceiling
D)level to level as in C, with addition of chase up near the ceiling of the upstairs, and down near the floor downstairs.
The Level to Level can be installed to blow up or blow down and not sure what would be best, probably pull the hot air from up at the ceiling down to the concrete floor.
Any suggestions/recommendations? Mitsubishi the best mini-split?
If I have to close off the stairwell I would probably use plexiglass or something-there is a lot of light in the stairwell that I don't want to lose, have a fixed skylight above the stairs. & maybe a door or hanging curtain or something. I'm up and down the stairs constantly.