Common questions we see this time of year at Brickliners involves heat output. During the spring and fall, homeowners want to use their fireplace as supplemental heat to avoid cranking up the central heating unit until necessary. Would you fireplace produce more heat if you installed a blower? There are many benefits to using a fireplace blower, and the first and foremost is definitely more heat output!
Fireplace Heat
When your fireplace is burning, it produces heat. How much heat actually makes it into your home all depend on the efficiency, the type, and flue you use. The heat you feel while standing next to your fireplace unit, insert, or stove is called radiant heat. It’s the rays of energy from the fire itself that radiate out and heat things around it. Once the items in the room warm up and begin to heat to give off their own energy, this is called convective heat. The process of your home heating up through radiant heat take time. It may take too much time compared to switching on a furnace, turning up a thermostat, or lighting a fireplace with a blower.
Conductive Heat Transfer
A fireplace fan blower uses a space behind the fireplace to heat up air before it’s blown out into the room. This conductive heat transfer uses new air pulled in through vents, not air from your fire. This means the draft of your fireplace unit is not affected at all. It’s designed to work with the unit safely and efficiently, and it should only be installed by a certified and licensed professional. Placing a box fan near your fireplace will not work in the same way as a fireplace blower. It may even lead to smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide intrusion, and decline of the efficiency of your chimney system.
Should You Install a Blower?
When you’re deciding whether or not to install a blower to your unit, the first thing you should consider is whether or not to invest in fireplace professional. Next, you should figure out if a blower makes sense for your home.
- Is your fireplace designed to use a blower?
If your fireplace is a circulating fireplace, it already pulls air into the unit to use, and is likely perfect for a blower or fan. It should be included in the owner’s manual whether your model includes the option for a blower or fan kit. If you don’t have the manual, or can’t remember what you were told at installation, ask a professional. - Is there an electrical outlet nearby?
Not only will your blower use electricity to run, but it will need to run a large portion of the day and night in order to do what you want most–distribute the heat from your unit into your home. This means there will be a cord in your living area, and you’ll use more electricity than before. - Is it the right blower for your unit?
Make sure your blower is the right one. The right blower or fan kit will maximize the heat while maintaining safety and efficiency.
Don’t let your fireplace become a backdrop this season. Have Brickliners install a blower, and your fireplace will be a heat machine. Call 802-872-0123 or schedule online to have a CSIA certified chimney expert transform your fireplace today.
