Can you upgrade a fireplace blower?

[Patrick Graham]

I bought a manufactured home last year with a factory installed Coleman woodburning fireplace. With the blower on, it wouldn't even make a candle flame quiver. Is it possible to upgrade the fan system in it? I heard once that the fans weren't designed to actually blow out heat, but to keep the fireplace surround cool. Is there any truth to that? Thanks all.

 

[BobUrban]

They actually do both for most stoves - move heat and cool the stove.

Can you get to the fan? if yes, then yes you can upgrade with a more powerful fan(or the same fan that actually works as yours may be dead)

 

[mellow]

I would try pulling the existing fan and cleaning it, a lot of the time hair and other things get attached to the blades and it loses its ability to move air.

 

[Owen1508]

If you change the fan to a higher CFM you can adversely affect the stove. It can lower the temp in the firebox too low. Best to keep the same CFM. It may be as said above the old one isn't doing the same job as it did when it was new. Cleaning , oil or even replacing could be due.

 

[maverick06]

If it wasnt blowing like a hair dryer, the blower is bad, replace with new, then think about upgrades.... finding a supplier can be hard sometimes....

I saved the old blowes on mine that were dieing, they had bad bearings, I have thought about replacing the bearings, $5 worth of parts would probably save me $80 in blowers, but i havent found the same bearing (or had time too look much)