Fireplace Screens

A lot of people find that they enjoy their fireplace so much that they would like to use it as their primary source for heating their home. And for some people, this is something that can be done but if it is not done properly, they will find themselves having problems. The complaints that are most often expressed is that the warm air from the fireplace does not make it to the other side of the room, let alone any of the adjoining rooms. This means that unless this issue is resolved, the fireplace cannot help on saving money from gas bills.

The fix is simple and complex all at the same time because the item needed is easy to purchase but depending on how your wiring is set up in the house, it can be difficult to install. Well, maybe not difficult for those who do well with all of the different do it yourself projects, but time consuming for sure. All a fireplace needs to work more efficiently is a fireplace blower. The fireplace blower is mounted either in front of the fireplace or in a doorway facing out.

Why It Works

When the fireplace blower is placed in front of the fireplace, it makes sure to distribute the warm air throughout the room. But if the room is already being filled with nice warm air then you do not want to do that. Instead, install the fireplace blower facing out in a doorway so that it will push warm air into another room. This means that you are getting more heat for the wood that you are burning and in turn will save money on your heating bills. And you do not have to worry about the fireplace blower affecting your fire’s combustion rate as it was designed with everything in mind.

The only thing is that the fireplace blower will need to be powered by electric so if you do not have the proper electrical outlets near the fireplace or door frame, then some will have to be ran. If you are not a licensed electrician then you should probably call a professional in. Messing with electric when you do not know exactly what you are doing is not safe at all. The installation of a fireplace blower is not worth you risking your life. Have someone come out, run the lines, and then you can install the fireplace blower on your own.

There’s nothing quite as charming as the sight, smell, and sound of flames slowly consuming a wood log in a fireplace. Yes, wood burning fireplaces are controversial these days because they emit particulates and smoke into the environment, but they remain popular in part because wood is a sustainable fuel that can be regrown for harvest.

Inefficiencies Of The Fireplace

The only problem with using a wood burning fireplace or a gas burning fireplace, for that matter to heat a home is its inefficiency. Without a fireplace blower, all the heat from a fireplace stays right in front of the firebox opening. Unless you are standing directly in front of a fireplace, you may not feel the heat at all.

How A Fireplace Blower Can Help

A fireplace blower will move the air around the room like a fan. A fireplace blower sucks in unheated air and takes the warm, heated air from your fireplace and propels the air outward, further into the room than would otherwise be possible by radiant heat alone.

If you want to gain the maximum efficiency from the wood or gas that you burn in your fireplace, a fireplace blower is essential.

Installing A Fireplace Blower

Installing a fireplace blower insert in your fireplace can be easy and inexpensive if the builder of your home, or some previous owner, wired the fireplace unit for electric power. If electricity is already available, the process of installation will be relatively simple.

However, if power is not already available for your unit, you will need to have wiring done by an electrician before a fireplace blower can be installed.

Blower Grate Combinations

One popular and space-saving configuration for a fireplace blower is to combine the blower and the fireplace grate. The grate is made up of a series of hollow pipes bent to form a “U” shape. The back of the U is placed against the back of the fireplace, with the arms of the U facing into the room. Wood is placed inside the U and lit, and as it burns, the metal of the U heats up. When the metal gets hot, the blower is switched on. Hot air flows through the pipes and is blown out the ends of the “U” by an electric motor.

Early versions of these blower-grate combinations were wired for AC power, with a cord that could be plugged into a wall outlet near the fireplace. If you can find one of these units at a vintage store or thrift store, consider yourself lucky indeed.