Install a fan kit or something else?

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Bullyboy

Burning Hunk
Apr 8, 2017
138
Central Ontario
Well it's damp and cold here today and I got to thinking about starting a small fire to take the chill off. Which made me remember! I'm all set for this years burning but I forgot about one big issue I was gonna deal with over the summer. I have a Blaze King Ashford 30. Minimum clearance to back wall is 6". Not sure if you go from wall to back of the top of stove or the center part that looks like some sort of guard that lines up with the chimney but it's 9" to the guard and 11 1/2 to the top. The stove was installed in the spring so it's had some fires but nothing over an extended time. The wall behind seemed to get extremely hot sometimes, especially during the phase of cat engaged and thermostat wide open for 20 to 30mins. I plan on burning 24/7 over the winter and am hoping I've got good distribution so wasn't considering a fan, However if it will help keep the wall cooler I'll spring for it. Any thoughts on it? Do you think it will help keep it cool or should I be looking at possible tiling the back the same as the hearth or maybe some sort of deflector shield?
 
To the back of the stove the part that protrudes the farthest ( air intake square thing centered with the chinney). That's where the minimum clearance should be. My installer installed it measuring from the back of the firebox and that was way to close the wall was getting hot. This is after moving it.

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Ok, so I'm dealing with a 9 inch space then. Is that enough room for a fan kit if that would even help? Is your wall getting pretty hot to the touch?
 
After spacing the stove correctly my wall stays a decent temp I have the fan kit. But even if I don't run the fans it stays OK. I think the hottest the wall gets is around 100

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I should have lots of room for the kit then. I wonder if even when it's not running it's helping absorb some of the heat.IMG_20170903_181610143.jpg
 
It does add an air space so yds it will probably make a difference

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Ok. Thanks for your help. Guess I can spend some time now researching price. Lol.
 
How does it help the control?
 
It helps on better distribution of heat around the house plus remember, this stoves are convective but I know that depending the heat demand they can do good on radiation too.
 
Not real sure why they even sell these stoves without the fans? Fan kit made a giant difference in the heat distribution for me. Definitely recommend adding them.
 
How loud are the fans? is there a variable control or just on or off?
 
variable speed control. I run mine very slow. Running slow I am not bothered by the noise.
 
Yeah anything below medium you don't need to turn the TV up. Even on high its still pretty quiet

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If i am doing hot reloads in my ashford, the fan is running. If any of my four kids are home, i dont hear the fan at any speed.

The heat distribution with the fan kit is much much better.
 
That's funny. The wife wants me to get my hearing checked cause I keep turning the tv up. She has yet to figure out it's only when the kids are around. Or she's asking for something to get done. Thanks for your help guys. Much appreciated.