Fireplace Heaters & Blowers Buyer's Guide

 

Enjoying a roaring fire on a chilly day is one of life’s little pleasures, so it should come as no surprise that most prospective homeowners these days put a fireplace at the top of their list of most-wanted features. Proof can be seen in the fact that 68% of realtors surveyed believe having a fireplace increases the value of a home.

And while a properly sized fireplace can produce fires capable of heating a room or even part of a home, did you know that there is a simple way to make your fireplace even more efficient? The key is using a fireplace heat exchanger and blower system.

The best part is this solution can be easily installed for a fraction of the savings it will bring over its lifetime. Often for around $400.

Adding a quality fireplace heater and blower to your existing fireplace setup can increase your fireplace’s efficiency and help provide constant and even heat for your home. In reality, a properly installed setup can retain an extra 10,000 to 40,000 BTUs worth of heat that can then be circulated back into your home. Interested in finding out more? Well, read on for our complete buyer’s guide to fireplace heaters and blowers which includes everything you need to know to select the right equipment for your fireplace, no matter what type it may be!

What are Fireplace Heaters and Blowers?

First let’s get down to basics, what exactly are fireplace heaters and blowers? Many homeowners think incorrectly that the two are interchangeable terms, or that if they have one, they don’t necessarily need the other.

A fireplace heater and blower work best as a part of a team to help circulate and retain air heated by your fireplace. This process can be a little complicated, so let’s break it down into its component pieces. First up, fireplace heaters.

 

Fireplace Heaters

Fireplace heaters can also be referred to as heat exchangers or grate heaters. They are almost always a tubular shape (though basket style versions are also popular) and are designed to help circulate cool air into your fireplace that will be warmed by the fire and then returned to your living area.

This works because the tubes of a grate heater act as a heat recovery device, which keeps heat that would otherwise escape and be wasted and brings it back into your home. The conductive and convective nature of the tubular setup helps make this process efficient while building on your fireplace’s natural radiant heating capabilities. (Radiant heating is how a typical fireplace heats up space and is reliant on a more limited range of direct warmth to raise the temperature of everything within its immediate vicinity, including people, furniture, and the air.) 

Heat exchangers are made for almost every type of fireplace you could have and are an indispensable tool when trying to improve the heating efficiency of your fireplace.

However, there is no such thing as a universal fireplace heater. A wood-burning fireplace will require a different solution from a fireplace insert, so pay attention later when we talk about what heat exchangers are right for what types of fireplaces. Next, let’s look at how fireplace blowers can help improve the heat exchange process.

 

Fireplace Blowers

In the most basic of terms, fireplace blowers are fans that help circulate the heat that your fireplace produces while also bringing in cold air to be heated in your hearth. You may be familiar with blowers already if you have a certain type of fireplace that normally utilizes them built-in.

How do they work? Well, a fireplace blower typically is installed on the exterior or inside of your fireplace’s firebox. From this location, it is able to draw in cold air to be heated and cycle it back out into your living space.

This cycle is possible thanks to the way convection heating works; once warm air is blown back into the room it naturally follows a convection cycle, settling near the ceiling and pushing cold air down and towards the fireplace. In this way, a blower helps your fireplace’s heated air penetrate deeper into your living space than your fireplace’s radiant heating alone would allow.

It is important to note at this point that a blower doesn’t actually increase your fireplace’s BTU output, for this it needs to be combined with a heat exchanger. The best products available will be a combination of the right type of grate heater for your fireplace combined with a fan attachment for even better air circulation.

 

Why Do You Need Fireplace Heaters and Blowers?

In two words: efficiency and warmth.

We all love our fireplaces, but they often are not the most efficient way to heat (or even add supplemental warmth) to your living area. Properly utilizing a fireplace heater and blower system can help increase your fireplace’s efficiency.

This means you can enjoy the same fire as you always do, but that its warmth will be amplified and spread further into the room than versus what a fireplace’s radiant heating capabilities can produce alone. Using a complimentary heat exchange system will allow fires in your fireplace to be more efficient and warmer than ever.

 

Types of Fireplace Heaters and Blowers

There is a wide variety of fireplace heater and blower options to pick from, so you’re almost certain to find one that will work for your fireplace. Below, we will look at some of the most common models of each appliance, starting with blowers.

One thing to note: Almost all fireplace blowers will require access to a standard 120-volt electrical outlet for power.

 

• Blowers for open-faced wood-burning or gas fireplaces: Like all fireplace items, these fans will be specially tested to withstand high temperatures. Most will have an attachment to connect to an installed grate heater. These blowers will have weaker fan actions so that they don’t overpower the natural venting effect of your chimney’s draft. If it were to overpower the draft, you would be in danger of blowing smoke and soot into your living area.
• Blowers for front-sealed wood-burning or gas fireplaces: Because there is less risk of overpowering a chimney’s drafting abilities these fans are normally much stronger. If your blower is installed correctly and uses HVAC quality components as mentioned in the distribution systems below, it may be able to heat rooms that are open and adjacent to your fireplace.
• Hot air distribution system blowers: These fans work on a much larger scale by taking large quantities of heat from your fireplace and distributing it to other areas of the home via heat manifolds or distribution pipes. In this way, this type of blower functions much like an HVAC system for your fireplace’s heat.
• Rotary style blowers: This is the most common type of blower used in fireplaces. It resembles a standard automotive or HVAC fan and is housed in a cage. It is usually mounted inside of the fireplace. While quieter than they used to be, dampeners are still often used to cut down on the amount of noise these units produce.
• Impeller blowers: These blowers resemble a propeller; they are quieter during use and generally less powerful. Because of their lower output capabilities, impeller blowers are not commonly used as fireplace blowers.

 

Next, let’s look at different types of grate heaters and be sure to remember that some fireplace heaters will have a blower built-in to their system.

One thing to note: Don’t confuse a grate heater with the type of simple metal grate that is used to hold firewood in place, these are different products altogether.

 

• Tubular grate heaters: You can identify this type of grate heater thanks to its tubes, which are often curved into a C-shape. They are typically made of steel and are designed to be conducive to your fireplace’s heat output; they retain excess heat and passively circulate it into the room.
• Basket grate heaters: These heaters are similar in shape to a basket; they are typically used with wood-burning fireplaces to hold logs. The fuel source is loaded onto the top of the grate similarly to a tubular heater and a blower is normally attached at the front of the firebox to aid in circulating air.

• Airculators: These heaters feature a slim profile and combine the best aspects of a heat exchanger with a powerful blower system. Because of this, they are the best at heating up a room fast and keeping it at a comfortable level throughout.

 

Additionally, when considering the grate heater types above, it is important to remember those fireplace heaters designed for inserts will usually slide into place. And make sure you have enough clearance in your firebox when accounting for the added space a heat exchanger and blower system will take up.

 

Choosing the Right Heater and Blower for Your Fireplace

This all sounds great, but how can I tell if my fireplace can use a grate heater and blower? And if it is able to, how will I know what ones I should get?

First, let’s consider blowers.

If you have a circulating style fireplace you should be able to add a blower. You can tell if you have a circulating style fireplace by looking at the panels above and below your fireplace.

• If you see vents: there is a pretty good chance you have a circulating fireplace.
• If the panels are solid or flat looking in appearance: you may not be able to use a blower in your fireplace setup.
• Don’t give up hope: if you don’t see vents on the front of your fireplace, some manufacturers make replacement panels with venting for use with a heater and blower system.
• In general: you are going to have an easier time finding blowers for fireplace inserts, stoves, and gas fireplaces, though there are models for other types of fireplaces.

 

Conversely, installing a grate heater is much more straightforward.

Since most standalone units are passive and don’t require electricity, they just need to be properly installed in the firebox in a manner suitable for their fuel type.

For example, C-shaped tubular heaters should be centered around the back and bottom of the firebox and rise out and towards the front clearing the top of the firebox by no less than two inches.

While there are a variety of grate heaters available, different types will all have certain commonalities. For instance, once installed, you typically will always burn your fire directly on top of a basket-shaped grate heater, regardless of what fuel type you are using.

 

What Size and Type of Heater and Blower System Are Right for Me?

Knowing what size heater and blower are right for you will depend on a few distinct factors.

The first factor is the size of the room you are trying to heat.

Larger rooms will require more BTUs, this means you will need a larger grate heater with a more powerful blower. Smaller rooms may be able to get by with a grate heater alone or with a much less powerful fireplace fan.

The second factor to consider is the size and type of fireplace you have.

Smaller fireplaces will have less clearance between your fire and the sides of the firebox to play around with. Generally, this means you will need to use smaller equipment.

In addition, if you will be installing an exchange heater into a masonry fireplace’s firebox, it is important to get the correct dimensions to ensure a proper and fire-safe fit. Be sure to measure each side of your firebox as masonry fireplaces may shift and lose their level over time. An incorrect fit will mean your system will be inefficient at best and may not be compatible at all at worst.

 

We’re Here to Help!

A professional will be able to guide you through the rest of the process and our team of friendly NFI-certified experts are more than ready to help you take the next steps. Fireplace Deals’  inventory has dozens of design options for your perfect installation—whether you’re focused on a more efficient burn or having the most inviting centerpiece for your next family get-together. Browse our selection to learn more, or look through our Learning Center for more great knowledge. Or if you have specific questions call 866-8483473, or send us an email.

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