I have a sun room with a perforated ceiling, and live in the northeastern
U.S. I've tried several heaters, and none of them work well to keep me
warm during the winter months. The heat just dissipates through the
perforated ceiling before it reaches me. I currently have a Holmes 1500
watt quartz heater. This is the best I've tried so far. It has a fan, and
blows the hot air a couple of feet or so. It's not a very powerful fan.
Can anyone recommend a heater I could place near me, that has a decent fan?
I'm thinking if the hot air blows over me before dissipating through the
ceiling, It will do a better job of keeping me warm.


-Thanks

"James Egan" wrote in message
. ..
I have a sun room with a perforated ceiling, and live in the northeastern
U.S. I've tried several heaters, and none of them work well to keep me
warm during the winter months. The heat just dissipates through the
perforated ceiling before it reaches me. I currently have a Holmes 1500
watt quartz heater. This is the best I've tried so far. It has a fan, and
blows the hot air a couple of feet or so. It's not a very powerful fan.
Can anyone recommend a heater I could place near me, that has a decent
fan?
I'm thinking if the hot air blows over me before dissipating through the
ceiling, It will do a better job of keeping me warm.


-Thanks


What's a perforated ceiling?

James Egan wrote:

I have a sun room with a perforated ceiling, and live in the northeastern
U.S. I've tried several heaters, and none of them work well to keep me
warm during the winter months. The heat just dissipates through the
perforated ceiling before it reaches me. I currently have a Holmes 1500
watt quartz heater. This is the best I've tried so far. It has a fan, and
blows the hot air a couple of feet or so. It's not a very powerful fan.
Can anyone recommend a heater I could place near me, that has a decent fan?
I'm thinking if the hot air blows over me before dissipating through the
ceiling, It will do a better job of keeping me warm.


-Thanks

Hi,
You are trying to do almost impossible thing. Are you trying to heat the
universe?, LOL! Radiator type heater may work better. I have a 4 season
sun room with top half of all walls is double pane glass windows, bottom
half is R20 foam core composite, roof is also foam core R40 laminated
aluminum panels with two big sky lights. I have mid-size heat pump for
heat/cool. I live in Calgary Alberta. We grow tomato, orchid, cukes in
this room.

James, the only thing thats going to help there is a radient heater. They
look a little like a large sun lamp or a sort a dish.


"James Egan" wrote in message
. ..
I have a sun room with a perforated ceiling, and live in the northeastern
U.S. I've tried several heaters, and none of them work well to keep me
warm during the winter months. The heat just dissipates through the
perforated ceiling before it reaches me. I currently have a Holmes 1500
watt quartz heater. This is the best I've tried so far. It has a fan, and
blows the hot air a couple of feet or so. It's not a very powerful fan.
Can anyone recommend a heater I could place near me, that has a decent
fan?
I'm thinking if the hot air blows over me before dissipating through the
ceiling, It will do a better job of keeping me warm.


-Thanks

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:51:09 -0500, Joseph Meehan wrote:

What is a "perforated ceiling"?

If it is allowing heat to escape then no fan is going to make it any
better, in fact a purely radiant heater with no fan would likely be best.
However I suggest you may need to address the construction of what may be a
room designed for warm weather use only. It sounds like you are wondering
why it is cold on you back yard deck in the winter.


The perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. That's what it's for. A
radiant heater is the worst solution in this case. I know, I've tried
several. The heat just rises and escapes through the perforated ceiling.
That's why a fan that blows the hot air on you BEFORE it escapes through
the perforated ceiling is a better solution.

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:44:14 -0800, Cshenk wrote:

James, the only thing thats going to help there is a radient heater. They
look a little like a large sun lamp or a sort a dish.



The perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. A radiant heater is the
worst solution in this case. I know, I've tried several. The heat just
rises and escapes through the perforated ceiling, even if the heater is
only 2-3 feet away from you. That's why a fan that blows the hot air on
you BEFORE it escapes through the perforated ceiling is a better solution.
I have a quarts heater with a small blower, and it is by far the best I've
tried.

"James Egan" wrote in message
. ..
On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:51:09 -0500, Joseph Meehan wrote:

What is a "perforated ceiling"?

If it is allowing heat to escape then no fan is going to make it any
better, in fact a purely radiant heater with no fan would likely be best.
However I suggest you may need to address the construction of what may be
a
room designed for warm weather use only. It sounds like you are
wondering
why it is cold on you back yard deck in the winter.


The perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. That's what it's for. A
radiant heater is the worst solution in this case. I know, I've tried
several. The heat just rises and escapes through the perforated ceiling.
That's why a fan that blows the hot air on you BEFORE it escapes through
the perforated ceiling is a better solution.



Can you explain what material this ceiling is made of, or provide a link to
a picture? Are they anything like the plastic gridwork panels we sometimes
see on fluorescent light fixtures in commercial settings?

Entirely separate question:

Why are you trying to heat a room that's not designed for winter living in
your climate?

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 04:23:12 +0000, Tony Hwang wrote:

Hi,
You are trying to do almost impossible thing. Are you trying to heat the
universe?, LOL! Radiator type heater may work better. I have a 4 season
sun room with top half of all walls is double pane glass windows, bottom
half is R20 foam core composite, roof is also foam core R40 laminated
aluminum panels with two big sky lights. I have mid-size heat pump for
heat/cool. I live in Calgary Alberta. We grow tomato, orchid, cukes in
this room.


No, I'm not trying to heat the universe, just myself. Of course, the
perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. A radiant heater is the worst
solution in this case. I know, I've tried several. The heat just rises
and escapes through the perforated ceiling, even if the heater is only 2
feet away from you. That's why a fan that blows the hot air on you BEFORE
it escapes through the perforated ceiling is a better solution. I have a
quarts heater with a small blower, and it is by far the best I've tried.

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 04:18:36 +0000, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

perforated


It has many small holes in it to allow heat to escape. That's why a
radiant heater does not work well, even if it's only 2 feet away from me.
The heat escapes through the ceiling before it warms you. That's why I'm
looking for a heater with a fan, to blow the hot air directly on me,
before it escapes through the ceiling.

"James Egan" wrote in message
. ..
On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 04:18:36 +0000, JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

perforated


It has many small holes in it to allow heat to escape. That's why a
radiant heater does not work well, even if it's only 2 feet away from me.
The heat escapes through the ceiling before it warms you. That's why I'm
looking for a heater with a fan, to blow the hot air directly on me,
before it escapes through the ceiling.



How is the perforated ceiling installed? Dropped ceiling, with panels? If
yes, why not change the panels in the winter?

James Egan wrote:
On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:44:14 -0800, Cshenk wrote:

James, the only thing thats going to help there is a radient heater. They
look a little like a large sun lamp or a sort a dish.



The perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. A radiant heater is the
worst solution in this case. I know, I've tried several. The heat just
rises and escapes through the perforated ceiling, even if the heater is
only 2-3 feet away from you. That's why a fan that blows the hot air on
you BEFORE it escapes through the perforated ceiling is a better solution.
I have a quarts heater with a small blower, and it is by far the best I've
tried.


I live in the NE and have never heard of a "perforated ceiling". Is this
an actual living space or some sort of room that isn't intended to be
occupied in the winter?

James Egan wrote:
On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 04:23:12 +0000, Tony Hwang wrote:


Hi,
You are trying to do almost impossible thing. Are you trying to heat the
universe?, LOL! Radiator type heater may work better. I have a 4 season
sun room with top half of all walls is double pane glass windows, bottom
half is R20 foam core composite, roof is also foam core R40 laminated
aluminum panels with two big sky lights. I have mid-size heat pump for
heat/cool. I live in Calgary Alberta. We grow tomato, orchid, cukes in
this room.



No, I'm not trying to heat the universe, just myself. Of course, the
perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. A radiant heater is the worst
solution in this case.

That makes no sense to me. A radiant heater would seem to be the
only way to deliver heat directly to you _without_ convection carrying
it away first.

I know, I've tried several. The heat just rises
and escapes through the perforated ceiling, even if the heater is only 2
feet away from you. That's why a fan that blows the hot air on you BEFORE
it escapes through the perforated ceiling is a better solution. I have a
quarts heater with a small blower, and it is by far the best I've tried.



--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

"James Egan" wrote:

I have a sun room with a perforated ceiling...

An enclosed porch under what used to be outdoor soffit vents?

and live in the northeastern U.S. I've tried several heaters...

You might seal up the holes somehow and let the sun heat the room.

Nick

"Joseph Meehan" wrote
"James Egan" wrote You have that one wrong. Radiant heat goes line of
site from the heater. Think of being on the beach in the sun and then
moving under a tree. It first hits something in the room (like you or a
wall) then warms that directly. As those objects warm up they warm the
air. The radiant heat does not rise or fall, it moves just like light.

So you need to be able to see the radiant source of the heater to be
warmed by it directly.

Correct. The one i used in Japan had a roughly 18 inch 'dish' and was a fre
hazard if too close to anything it radiated on. I had to be at least 10 feet
from me for example or it would get too hot.

Those heaters with fans are not, primarily, radiant, so they are
heating the air. Without a fan that air rises directly from the heater
up. With a fan it is blown away from the heater, but because the warm air
is lighter than the cold air it is going to rise up rather quickly and, in
your case go right out of the room without warming anything.

Yes, he'd have to be within 3ft of the fan I'd guess.

Frankly it appears you are trying to heat the outside. You are going
to need a lot more radiant heat (and cost) or you will need to seal up
that room so you loose less heat. Think of it as a patio. You need heavy
duty heat since you are outside.

Yup grin.

I suspect as he says he's tried a radient heater, he had one of the smaller
versions. I had the heavy duty stuff for Japan (where houses are not as
well insulated generally and seldom did you see double panes windows in my
area). I've seen cute little ones with a 'dish' no more than 6 inches
across. Cute but not useful in any real way except as a foot warmer in a
cold bathroom.

"James Egan" wrote

No, I'm not trying to heat the universe, just myself. Of course, the
perforated ceiling allows heat to escape. A radiant heater is the worst
solution in this case. I know, I've tried several. The heat just rises

James, if you desire to believe a radient heater (which is what everyone
keeps telling you is the answer if you cant seal the ceiling) is 'not right'
then what are you looking for?

Hot air flows will just run up the ceiling and escape before warming the
area.

"James Egan" wrote

It has many small holes in it to allow heat to escape. That's why a
radiant heater does not work well, even if it's only 2 feet away from me.
The heat escapes through the ceiling before it warms you. That's why I'm
looking for a heater with a fan, to blow the hot air directly on me,
before it escapes through the ceiling.

Um, James, thats not how true Radient heaters work. Could you have used
something labeled as such that wasnt really a radient heater? They work as
a line of sight heating unit. They also rotate on the pedistal so you do not
overheat the items in it's line of sight (LOS) to cause a firehazard.

Come to think of it, I believe I have seen oil filled electric things with
'radient heat' labeled on them. That is *not* what folks have been talking
about and would be useless in your case as they just radiate 'up'. Those
work by radiating heat to the air around them and require the room be
'sealed' to 'trap the heat in'.

The real thing has a dish shaped cone that sends heat out in a conical
spread.

On Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:10:57 -0500, George wrote:
I live in the NE and have never heard of a "perforated ceiling". Is this
an actual living space or some sort of room that isn't intended to be
occupied in the winter?


No, the room is definitely not intended to be occupied in the winter.
Someone else referred to the "perforated ceiling" as "soffit vents", which
is a more accurate description. I had already posted another message
titled:

"Question about converting sun room to all year use"

But I'm concerned about heating a room which will get very little use. So
I'm back to looking for a heater with a more powerful fan that would blow
the warm air at me.

James Egan wrote:

... the room is definitely not intended to be occupied in the winter.

A sun room with south-facing glass should not need a heater.

Nick

wrote in message
...
James Egan wrote:

... the room is definitely not intended to be occupied in the winter.

A sun room with south-facing glass should not need a heater.

Nick


In an upstate NY winter, that's a generalization that's generally not true.

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

A sun room with south-facing glass should not need a heater.

In an upstate NY winter, that's a generalization that's generally not true.

We might add "on an average day." NREL says 560 Btu/ft^2 of sun (290 diffuse)
falls on a south wall on an 29.1 F average day in Rochester with a 35.8 daily
max, so a low-mass room with R2 double-pane south glazing with 80% solar
transmission and good insulation and no holes in the ceiling might have
0.8x560 = 6h(T-32)1ft^2/R2, which makes T = 181 F. Warm enough? :-)

It should be a heat SOURCE for the attached house.

Nick

wrote in message
...
JoeSpareBedroom wrote:

A sun room with south-facing glass should not need a heater.

In an upstate NY winter, that's a generalization that's generally not
true.

We might add "on an average day." NREL says 560 Btu/ft^2 of sun (290
diffuse)
falls on a south wall on an 29.1 F average day in Rochester with a 35.8
daily
max, so a low-mass room with R2 double-pane south glazing with 80% solar
transmission and good insulation and no holes in the ceiling might have
0.8x560 = 6h(T-32)1ft^2/R2, which makes T = 181 F. Warm enough? :-)

It should be a heat SOURCE for the attached house.

Nick


Should be, but many aren't. Depends on what the owner expected, paid for,
and hopefully got in return.