7. Temperature Gradient – Long Horizontal Runs

A common theory is that if you buy a stove with excess capacity for the room it is in, it will 'waft' a useful amount of heat right through the house. This can indeed be done where 'open plan' architecture has been employed.

The above illustration depicts what happens. A classic 'cartwheel' develops in which air heated by the stove is driven up to the ceiling and replaced by cooler, denser air travelling in from the far end of the chamber.

As the 'cartwheel' rotates, heat travels further and further out from the stove until it reaches the far wall by which time the warm air has cooled down and increased in density. At this point it sinks down to ground level and is hauled back to the stove.

Over a period of time the temperature gradient diminishes so that the whole area feels comfortably warm, even though density differences are still sufficient to keep the 'cartwheel' turning.