How to Move Air From a Vaulted Ceiling

Vaulted ceilings benefit greatly from the addition of a ceiling fan.

Adding significantly to the size of a room, vaulted ceilings can help turn a small house into one that appears cathedral-like inside. The downside of these ceilings is that air often gets stuck at the top; heat becomes essentially glued to the ceiling because of poor roof insulation and because heat naturally rises from the inside of your home. Improving air circulation at the level of the ceiling can improve heating efficiency the quality of the hair within the home.

Things You'll Need

• Ceiling fan
• Ridge vent
• Return air vent

Instructions

1. Install a ceiling fan. Fans serve as one of the simplest and most efficient ways to move air. The easiest way to install a ceiling fan is to remove an existing light and replace the electrical box with a new one. From there, all that’s needed to install the fan is to build it and mount it to the ceiling.

2. Add a ridge vent to your roof. Ridge vents run along the ridge of your roof and enable warm air to leave your house, rather than being stuck inside. Installing a ridge vent is considerably more complex than adding a ceiling fan. However, it provides excellent ventilation and prevents heat from penetrating your roof and sitting at the top of your vaulted ceiling. Adding a ridge vent requires you to remove the existing shingles that form the ridge cap on your roof, take off the sheeting and then secure the vent into place with nails.

3. Add a return air vent. A return air vent takes cold air from the living area of the home to the furnace. A return air vent in your home is typically indicated by a white grate somewhere on the wall. Sometimes the grates are colored. While you likely have a return air vent already in the room with the vaulted ceiling, adding a second can help circulate the air more efficiently. Installing a return air vent requires a significant amount of duct work. If you’re not familiar with air ducts, it’s safer to contact a heating, ventilation and air conditioning professional.