Old Style Heatilator Firebox

[Sillium]

I recently bought a house with two fireplaces, both are masonry (block) with stone and brick venner. They both have the old style heatilator (brickolator) firebox with flue tubes. The one in the picture has two fans, one on each side, that push air around the outside of the fiebox and up and thru the flue tubes, then out the black grate above the fire place. I recently upgraded the doors to Wilkening supreme with ceramic glass. The other firreplace has no fans, it is in the unfinished basement so they must of just never put them in.

What I need help with is the fans that are supposed to move the air. They are original, they also barely move the air. I have cleaned them up and lubricate them the best I can. The air that does get pushed out of the grate is around 200F. What I want to do is replace the fans with something that will move a litle more air, and of course be a little quiter.

Anyone know of a source for fans like this, or have knowledge or a suitable substitute?

 

[webbie]

Here are my suggestions....

A lot of factors are at play with these types of fans and heatforms. The chamber back there can be very big and the fireplace may be on an exterior wall - meaning a lot of masonry which is very very cold. It's possible that powerful fans may produce no more..or even less...heat!

Fans are also not very good at pushing against back pressure - blowers (squirrel cage) can be much better at it.

I would start with experimentation - using inexpensive table or room fans rigged up, and see if you truly get more air flow...and, if the temperature of that air remains over 120-130 at the same time. This may at least give you some hints as to what you are shooting for.

There are literally thousands of fans and blowers available at places like Grainger and elsewhere...

My thinking is that you aren't going to get too much more out of it, but if the whole masonry structure is interior then I could be wrong.

 

[Sillium]

Thank you for the reply!

Luckily the entire masonry structure is internal, so no external heat loss. I also tried your idea of using a fan to test flow, I removed the fan and used a small high flow fan with a homemade cardboard shroud. With a fire burning, velocity increased but temp stayed around 180-200. So I think Im good with moving more air.

The problem then only remains with the fans, the fan mount is welded to the vent cover, I can remove the motor and blade, but only replace it with a similar motor from Grainger but I think Ill have the same noise and performance.

The shroud and fan then mount to a metal frame that is an odd size, 8 3/4 square that is inset into the concrete, at about six inches into the air passage the passage size halves, effectively ruling out most of the suitable blower type fans. Im thinking that I may have to get creative to accomplish more airflow and less noise. If I find a suitable solution I will update!

Thanks again for the help!

 

[bluedogz]

I have the exact same setup, and have been looking for ways to get rid of the whole &%$# thing that don't involve a jackhammer. So far, no luck.
FWIW, my fans are noisy as all get out too. Might be the mice that live in there...