skyl4rk
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- Nov 30, 2014
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(This applies to non-forced air heating systems)
The biggest problem with heating a van is air stratification, where air is chilled by the windows or body of the van and it sinks to the floor area. I have lived in a van and a sailboat with a variety of heating systems, and there is always a pool of cold air from about the knees down. I tried mounting the heater close to the floor with some success but still, the floor area is cold. Even a forced air heater has a cold floor problem soon after the fan stops. My most successful solution is to wear insulated boot liners.
One way to increase comfort might be to mix the air. Install a dryer duct tube with one end up high above the heat source, and the other end pointing at your feet on the floor. Use a small pc cooling fan and run the fan when you are heating the van. I suspect that very little air fow would be needed to mix the hot and cold air to improve feet comfort. This type of duct could be built into cabinetry, which would look better than dryer duct.
The biggest problem with heating a van is air stratification, where air is chilled by the windows or body of the van and it sinks to the floor area. I have lived in a van and a sailboat with a variety of heating systems, and there is always a pool of cold air from about the knees down. I tried mounting the heater close to the floor with some success but still, the floor area is cold. Even a forced air heater has a cold floor problem soon after the fan stops. My most successful solution is to wear insulated boot liners.
One way to increase comfort might be to mix the air. Install a dryer duct tube with one end up high above the heat source, and the other end pointing at your feet on the floor. Use a small pc cooling fan and run the fan when you are heating the van. I suspect that very little air fow would be needed to mix the hot and cold air to improve feet comfort. This type of duct could be built into cabinetry, which would look better than dryer duct.