Yurt Forum - A Yurt Community About Yurts  

Go Back   Yurt Forum - A Yurt Community About Yurts > Building a Yurt
Search Forums
Advanced Search

Ceiling Fans For Climate Control?

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-13-2015, 07:19 PM   #1
Yurt Forum Youngin
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 11
Default Ceiling fans for climate control?

Hi,
I've been living in my yurt in the Adirondacks for 9 months now. We experience pretty extreme temperature swings here. On a hot day the yurt interior can sometimes reach temperatures greater than 100 degrees, even with the

dome

cracked. Last summer, the nights were downright chilly, even with the occasional fire in the woodstove.
Has anyone had any success controlling the climate of the yurt using a ceiling fan? My thought is I can better ventilate the yurt during the day and then reverse the circulation of the fan at night to force warm air downward. My thought was to hang the fan directly below the

dome

for better convection inside the yurt.

Last July and August I did not spend the day inside the yurt if I could avoid it because of the extreme heat. Every night I found myself bundling up, because the temperature inside would drop to 40 degrees. I'd rather not keep my

insulation

up all summer so I'm hoping the fan will help provide a little more regulation.

Any idea if it's worth the effort?

Kiwassa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-13-2015, 10:30 PM   #2
Administrator
 
Jafo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,416
Default Re: Ceiling fans for climate control?

Plenty of people use ceiling fans. What kind of

insulation

are you using? Reflective insulation helps reflect the sun away in the summer.
Jafo is offline   Reply With Quote
Groovy Yurts
Old 04-14-2015, 07:25 PM   #3
Yurt Forum Addict
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,185
Default Re: Ceiling fans for climate control?

If you have a typical trad yurt without a really tall ceiling or loft, it's your call. I'd install the ceiling fan just to see how much it helps. I can't sleep well when it is hot.

The heat from a wood stove stratifies. If there is no ceiling fan to mix the air the temp will be hot up high and cool down low. To exemplify this, my wife and I tried to sleep upstairs in the open loft of some friends cabin. It was winter and the wood stove was blazing away. No ceiling fan, and no windows to open. The temp up there was like the sahara desert. It was bloody hot. However it was fine down on the cabin floor. Unfortunately we couldn't sleep down there.


To cool my yurt during the summer I undo the roof cap, and roll the wall canvas up a foot or so around the perimeter. I tuck the cover in the middle wall rope to hold it secure. As hot air exits the cap, cool air comes in under the wall cover. Lemme tell yuh a very nice breeze results. Po boy air conditioning.
Bob Rowlands is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2015, 07:38 PM   #4
Yurt Forum Youngin
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 11
Default Re: Ceiling fans for climate control?

Jafo-- I'm currently using foam board insulation, however I haven't hung it between the rafters. Instead, I created a drop ceiling using wire and placed the 3 inch think foam board above that. It worked great for the

heating

in the winter, but I'd prefer to take it down for the summer. I kind of miss the high roof, the rafters and the sun coming through the dome. So I don't intend to use any insulation in the summer.

Bob -- I do have high ceilings. From the floor to the roof ring I measured 13 feet. That's a lot of space for heat to get trapped. I like your "air conditioning". I've get a similar effect by removing the zip up clear vinyl panels.
Kiwassa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2015, 08:27 PM   #5
Yurt Forum Member
 
MT Rod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Cotacachi, Ecuador
Posts: 98
Default Re: Ceiling fans for climate control?

Hi Bob,

"during the summer I undo the roof cap, and roll the wall canvas up a foot or so around the perimeter"

In Mongolia they only do this on the north side of the yurt where it's shadow keeps the ground cooler. I think I posted some pictures of it a few years ago. It is amazing how much cooler that air is coming off that cool earth.

MT Rod
MT Rod is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-10-2015, 09:56 AM   #6
Yurt Forum Addict
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,185
Default Re: Ceiling fans for climate control?

Thanks for the info Rod. I'm going to try that.
Bob Rowlands is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2015, 10:08 AM   #7
Yurt Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Near Itasca State Park, MN
Posts: 41
Default Re: Ceiling fans for climate control?

We initially installed 2 ceiling fans to help circulate the woodburning stove's heat, which worked well, but we added another above our bed last summer, for a total of 3. They are never turned off and always run, year round.
SeverTheTether is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2015, 11:00 AM   #8
Administrator
 
Jafo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,416
Default Re: Ceiling fans for climate control?

I wish you could still get the old spring style ones that you wind up. I never see them anywhere..
Jafo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-20-2015, 02:31 PM   #9
Yurt Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Near Itasca State Park, MN
Posts: 41
Default Re: Ceiling fans for climate control?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jafo View Post
I wish you could still get the old spring style ones that you wind up. I never see them anywhere..
That would be fantastic for off grid.
SeverTheTether is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
None


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:20 PM.


Yurt Forum | Buying a Yurt | Building a Yurt | Yurt Life | Yurts for Sale | Yurt Glamping | Yurts Pricing Yurt Calculators | Yurt Insurance | Yurt Insulation | Yurt Classifieds

Copyright 2012 - 2024 Jeff Capron Inc.

Yurt Posts Delivered to your Email!

Stay up-to-date with all the new yurt posts to your inbox!

unsusbcribe at anytime with one click

Close [X]