Will a blower increase the heat output of a fireplace?

There is nothing better than getting home from work on a cold day and sitting in front of your fireplace with a warm cup of hot chocolate. There’s just one thing, the heat doesn’t feel warm enough and you can still feel the icy chill from outside. If you have installed a gas fireplace, a blower will increase the heat in your fireplace. Here’s how it works:

All fireplaces emit their primary heat from their front side. However, there is still heat that is emitted from the back and sides. Even though there is an air channel that allows air to flow around the entire fireplace, this is usually slow and heat is lost or wasted in the standard venting process. A blower enables you to recover this wasted heat by moving it before it is lost, making your fireplace more energy efficient. As its name describes, it draws in room air and blows it over the back surface of your fireplace. The heated air rises and is pushed back out into the room.

A blower will maximise heat output over existing air channels. Make sure you look at the different varieties of blowers and how they run. There are variable speed and thermostat limit switch blowers, which run on ball bearing or sleeve bearing motors. Make sure you consult a professional before purchase.

In general, it’s probably best to install a new fireplace with a blower at the same time as this enables you to complete your installation in one step. You would have to consult a professional if you wanted to add on a blower to an existing fireplace, especially if the power is not hooked up to the fireplace. Blower kits can be tricky to install and may affect your finishes. For more advice contact My Fireplace today for heating and cooling systems solutions with a professional finish.