# External blower on a gas fireplace?



## alank2 (Dec 23, 2010)

Hi,

I have a single floor house with a gas style fireplace in one corner of it.  It is vented and has a flue(sp?) I can open and close.  No glass doors, just the chain curtains, and I have a gas log setup in it.  I have to turn on the gas and light it manually after opening the flue.

I use it sometimes just for effect or to slightly warm up the living room, but I wonder how good it would be at heating my home should my furnace fail.  It has vents below and on top of it and I can see in them to see there is an air space, but no blower.  I am assuming this area is an airspace that surrounds the "fire box" with the purpose of having a blower move air through it to warm it.

Here are my questions!

1.  How efficient is this fireplace when turned on?  No glass doors to radiate heat...  I am guessing not very efficient.

2.  How much better would it be if I could circulate air through the air space around the fire box?

3.  I really don't see how it would come apart easily, it is bricked in.  So I'm not sure how easy it would be to add an internal blower.

4.  Do they make external blowers?  Something that would lay across the bottom vents and pull air in from the room and blow into the vents forcing warm air out of the top vents?  If something like this isn't made, could it be made?  I like building stuff and I could make a small air box with fans to fit it.  What CFM would be ideal?  This might only be used in an emergency for a furnace failure, how much would it improve heating of the room?

Thanks,

Alan


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## DAKSY (Dec 27, 2010)

alank2 said:
			
		

> Hi,
> 
> I have a single floor house with a gas style fireplace in one corner of it.  It is vented and has a flue(sp?) I can open and close.  No glass doors, just the chain curtains, and I have a gas log setup in it.  I have to turn on the gas and light it manually after opening the flue.
> 
> ...


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## alank2 (Dec 27, 2010)

Hi,

I am not talking about blowing any air into the firebox, but into the louvers below the firebox that are meant for an internal blower.  How would this be any different than an internal blower?

Thanks,

Alan


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## granpajohn (Dec 8, 2011)

Put a muffin fan in front of the vent. Quiet and low power draw.
Is this sketch similar to what you have?
Should be perfectly safe if (If) the ducts are not cracked or degraded.
Post a photo would help.
This post probably belongs in another forum.
This place might have parts:
http://www.northlineexpress.com/fir...replaces/all-about-old-style-heatilators.html

You may have a FP converted from wood. The problem is the flue that sucks warm air out. Yes, the doors would help keep the warm air inside while you are in not in the room, (sleeping, for example). You would probably want to burn it with doors open while in the room.


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## ironpony (Dec 8, 2011)

alank2 said:
			
		

> Hi,
> 
> I have a single floor house with a gas style fireplace in one corner of it.  It is vented and has a flue(sp?) I can open and close.  No glass doors, just the chain curtains, and I have a gas log setup in it.  I have to turn on the gas and light it manually after opening the flue.
> 
> ...




1) not very efficient

2) it does help, 

3) they usually come apart easily, the bottom "brick" comes out and the blower mounts underneath

4) none I've ever seen

my gas FP is non vented and puts alot of heat into the room
if you run it on medium it will run you out of the house


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