A fireplace blower is a fan positioned outside the firebox of the fireplace. It is employed to move air all around unit’s warm exterior before returning it to the space. Warm air is circulated by fireplace fans, which also improve the room’s ability to retain heat.
Fireplace blowers just move air more efficiently to increase the volume of airflow surrounding the hearth and the ambient temperature in the entire room; they do not enhance the fireplace’s overall BTU output (Source)
Contents
- How to Determine Whether a Fireplace Has a Blower
- Functions of a Blower
- To increase heat transfer
- Enhance the gas fireplace’s efficiency
- Cut your electricity costs
- Enhance the gas fireplace’s safety
- Set the room’s temperature uniformly
- Fixing a Noisy Fireplace Blower
- Owning a Fireplace without a Blower
- Conclusion
How to Determine Whether a Fireplace Has a Blower
A blower isn’t standard on all gas fireplaces. Gas fireplaces are more frequently equipped with fireplace blowers than wood-burning fireplaces, however not all gas fire pits are.
You can examine the gas fireplace’s manual or inquire with the installation service provider to find out if your fireplace has a blower. You could listen to the sounds of the fireplace when it is on if a gas fireplace is already fitted and you are unsure whether it has a blower or not.
Usually, a quiet buzzing noise can be heard coming from the gas fireplace’s back. The fan or blower makes that noise.
You might also try feeling the sidewalls of the fireplace. There is no blower if you can just feel the heat coming from the center of the fireplace. However, if the fireplace is radiating heat from all sides, a fan inside the gas fireplace is likely circulating the heat (Source)
Functions of a Blower
To increase heat transfer
The heat from a gas fireplace would only be localized in front of the fireplace if there wasn’t a fireplace blower. Consider the blower in a gas fireplace as a heat dissipator. However, the blower does more than just assist in distributing heat across the space.
Enhance the gas fireplace’s efficiency
More heat will be distributed around the room by a gas fireplace that has a blower than by a gas fireplace without one. This increases the efficiency of the gas fireplace.
Cut your electricity costs
If you don’t have a blower, you may have to run the gas fireplace for several hours to heat the room sufficiently. Your electricity bill may increase as a result. However, the blower effectively and swiftly distributes heat throughout the space.
Because of this, you need to turn on your gas fireplace for shorter periods of time, which consequently uses less energy.
Enhance the gas fireplace’s safety
Several gas fireplace blowers come with an integrated thermostat. The gas fireplace’s energy and heat are controlled by the thermostat. By doing this, you may avoid the gas fireplace getting too hot.
Set the room’s temperature uniformly
You know how frustrating it can be if the immediate space surrounding the fireplace is heated but the wings of the house are cold if you’ve ever owned a fireplace no blower. You will typically need to stay by the hearth to warm yourself (Source)
Fixing a Noisy Fireplace Blower
You should get in touch with a licensed fireplace service shop to have the fan in your fireplace inspected if it is rattling. Vibration in the fireplace itself is a frequent reason for the fireplace fan to rattle.
To lessen the noise, a fireplace repair specialist might reposition the fan or build suitable buffers between it and the fireplace (Source)
Owning a Fireplace without a Blower
Your fireplace will still operate without a blower. The blower has no impact on the unit’s drafting or fuel efficiency because it is located on the exterior.
It is a device that aids in distributing warmth around the house. Radiant heat will be used by a fireplace without a blower to safely and effectively warm the space and house (Source)
Conclusion
Most fireplaces allow you to install a blower. Find a blower that is approved for use in fireplaces and be sure to install it according to the unit’s manual’s directions.
To make sure the installation is done properly, that the fan is level, and that it doesn’t rattle, you should probably have your fan installed by a licensed fireplace dealer.