What Is a Fireplace Blower and How Does it Work?

Ottawa’s Fireplace Experts Bring You The Answers

With the temperature of a Canadian winter sometimes getting as low as negative 40°, effectively heating your home is important. A fireplace not only can provide warmth to your home, but it can also make your living space cosy and welcoming. Fireplaces are a wonderful way to fill your home with natural heat while keeping your energy costs low.

A fireplace blower is a must-have accessory for your fireplace. Not only does it ensure hot air is being distributed throughout your home, but it also directs some of the air through your chimney.

This guide will go over how fireplace blowers work and what benefits you can experience by having one installed in your home.

What Is a Fireplace Blower?

Fireplace blowers are external fans that are mounted on the outside of your fireplace. Sometimes they can be installed inside of your fireplace unit but still outside of the firebox.

They’re designed to circulate the hot air throughout the unit’s exterior before pushing it out into the room. Fireplace blowers also increase the heat penetration throughout your home.

With that in mind, fireplace blowers don’t increase your unit’s total British Thermal Unit (BTU) output. Fireplace blowers are effective at moving the hot air around to increase the airflow that’s around your fireplace. As a result, the temperature of your room and home increases as well.

How Does It Work?

The fireplace blower starts by pulling air in from your room. It then forces it into a channel that’s on the exterior of your fireplace. As the air moves around the warm fireplace, it increases in temperature.

By the time the hot air is released back into your room, the air is at a higher temperature than the rest of your room. That warm air will rise and settle close to the ceiling. The cooler air is pushed down and forced in the direction of your fireplace.

One of the benefits of a fireplace blower is that it circulates the air throughout your room. It’s much more than a fan working to push hot air into a room. It works to continually cycle your room’s air throughout your hot fireplace.

If you don’t have a fireplace blower, your fireplace only relies on radiant heat to increase your room’s temperature. Radiant heat refers to when your fireplace just warms up furniture, people, and other items that are in its direct path. As a result, heat is radiated back into your room.

When building a fireplace, the addition of a fireplace blower forces the hot air around your fireplace to move. It distributes the fireplace air, providing additional comfort and warmth.

The Benefits of Getting a Fireplace Blower

As we discussed, fireplace blowers work hard at distributing fireplace air. If you have a fireplace or are looking to have one installed, there are so many fireplace blower benefits.

Some of the benefits include:

Increased fireplace efficiency
Energy bill cost reduction
Helps you heat larger rooms
Affordable
Easy and quick installation
Lasts for a long time
Quiet

Your Fireplace Blower Questions, Answered

While fireplace blowers are fairly straightforward, there are a few questions you may have. It’s important to do thorough research whenever you add something new to your home.

Is It Safe?

Fireplace blowers are safe for you and your family. Be mindful of small children and pets, as they should steer clear of a hot fireplace.

Is It Loud?

A fireplace blower isn’t louder than any other type of fan you might have in your home. The sound is similar to a bathroom fan or a vent that’s above your stove. Fireplace blowers make a minimal amount of noise but aren’t totally silent.

The fireplace blower needs a small motor to run, which is what causes the noise. However, modern fireplace blowers have improved greatly over the past two decades. They’re quieter, smaller, and more powerful than their predecessors.

Does It Work for Any Kind of Fireplace?

You can easily add a fireplace blower to most wood and gas fireplaces, as well as stoves and inserts. The one thing you need to keep in mind is finding a fireplace-rated blower that is compatible with your unit. You’ll also need to follow the installation instructions or have a certified specialist install it.

Do I Need a Fireplace Blower?

You can operate your fireplace without a fireplace blower. The blower is installed to the outside of your unit, so it doesn’t affect its drafting or fuel-efficiency. A fireplace that doesn’t have a blower will still operate effectively and safely.

Is a Fan Kit Different?

A fireplace blower and fan kit are similar products. They both circulate the hot air from a fireplace throughout a room.

Are There Different Types?

There are a few different fireplace blower options you can explore when shopping for the accessory. You might want to look for one that has a variable speed control. This enables you to control the hot airflow.

If you’re not in the room, you can increase the speed, so more air is circulated. Since this increases the noise level, you can turn it back down when you come into the room.

Another option is an internal thermostat. This is a great option when you can’t use a wall-mounted thermostat.

Other Installments for Your Fireplace

In addition to a fireplace blower, there are a few other accessories you should have on hand. Below are our top accessories that’ll make your life easier:

Tool set
Ash bucket
Firestarters
Bellows
Fireplace grate
Fireplace smoke guards
Wood storage
Outdoor firewood racks

Trust in The Burning Log for Fireplace Installation

A fireplace blower will provide you and your home with a variety of benefits, increasing the temperature of your home while lowering your energy costs.