Do Those Little Fans Really Work?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Mass. Wine Guy

Mass. Wine Guy

Feeling the Heat
Nov 23, 2007
313
Northeastern Massachusetts
The ones that are mounted on doorframes to help circulate the warm air through the house. I have a new stove that works fine, but I'd love to "share the wealth" with the rest of my home. Are these fans just gimmicks? If not, is there one brand that stands out?

Thanks.
 
I got better results by using a regular table fan on the floor of the cool area blowing cold air towards the stove. It was quieter and did the job much faster.
 
I am very interested in this.

I purchased a few of these from a used air conditioner on ebay
http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5SA-4001
Not the same exact fan but looks identical and is only loud if you have it on full blast. ITs the same type of fan that is used to cool a coal stoves stoker motor. They go for $5 each used.

Anyways, I have an extra here and I think I am going to wire it up to a typical cheap wall mounted fan rheostat to push air to the end of my house down the hallway.

I seen this one http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5MM-F-10 but I am not paying 52 bucks :)

Oh.. I found the auction I won on ebay last month for the fans - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160284613415

Anyone have a link to the lowes unit?
 
It depends on what you need and how much air you want to move. And yes, they do work - but if you buy a cheapo, you will hear it. I do not even hear my 75cfm fan.
 
If you have the ability, try the fans at the top of the door blowing hot air into the cool room and then try them at the bottom of the door, pulling the cold air from the cold room. You might be surprised at the results. (hint: it's the same thing that BG was getting to.)
 
In general, yes - you will be surprised how a relatively little amount of air movement (how ever you wish to do it - cold air across the floor or warm air across the ceiling) will really spread the heat.
 
would love to do the low to high method mut my 17month old daughter would get in trouble with a low mounted fan!
 
Try to find a muffin fan from a old Computer power supply. That is what Northline express is selling with a bracket. You should be able to get one for under 5.00 of might even get one for free. The old fans were 120v not like the new 12v fans. Most were 4" but you might get lucky and find a 3' fan. I use a 3" fan and painted it white and can't hardly tell it is in the door way. The do help alot in moving the heat around. Here is a link to some fans. All you need to do is add the wire.
http://cgi.ebay.com/TWO-ETRI-115-VO...ryZ53297QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Don
 
Valhalla said:
JFK said:
Yep they work,
Super-quiet fan is the best I have used. I bought ones from Home Depot and they were too loud.

Northline express is the cheapest:

http://www.northlineexpress.com/category/fireplace-accessories.asp

30 dollars each
Click to expand...

JFK,

I just ordered two Super Quiet from NorthlineExpress.

Thanks for tip on the quiet ones!
Click to expand...

Yep, I have 2 one on the top for blowing warm air out and one on the bottom, I am still getting a draft into the room so I still need to tweak the fans it seems like. I'll post pics in a new post of what I do and hopefully some of the big guns can help me out :)
 
Last year I had a tall fan near the stove trying to blow heat down to the cold rooms. Didn't work too well.
This year, I have a small fan on the floor of the cold area blowing towards the stove. Works a hundred times better in warming up those rooms.
 
Went to the local home depot just today, they have door frame fans for $14! Best deal i've seen so far. Bought two and just put one in....working really nice its moving more heat than i expected
 
I am lucky in my setup for this one area. I have a door and a window that goes into the sun room where the stove is. I put a window fan in the window (that is where they are supposed to go) and push air towards the stove. The doorway will push enough heat into the rest of the house that I can hold up a kleenex up near the door and it will wave in the wind. Now to get a small ceiling fan to push the ton of heat up there down before it goes into the house and I'll be even better.
 
How - Quiet are the "QUIET" fans???

Is it as you can see the movevement of fins but zero on sound. Want for my wood stove area as I can't stand the blowers
on the pellet?
 
mikepinto65 said:
Went to the local home depot just today, they have door frame fans for $14! Best deal i've seen so far. Bought two and just put one in....working really nice its moving more heat than i expected
Click to expand...

Are they quiet ?
 
because of this thread I wired one into my door frame tonight. I put a rheostat on it also and have it on 1/2 speed (6 watts). It has been on 2.5 hrs now and raised the temperature in my bedroom 3 degrees (stove is at the other end of the house).
 
Brian VT said:
mikepinto65 said:
Went to the local home depot just today, they have door frame fans for $14! Best deal i've seen so far. Bought two and just put one in....working really nice its moving more heat than i expected
Click to expand...

Are they quiet ?
Click to expand...

A little loader than anticipated sounds like an oversize refrigerator fan , but I have it set up blowing air from the basement up my stairs so its no bother. I'd say probably to load for a sitting/tv area

**loud, i must have been thing of putting wood in the stove
 
I have to revise my post from above. After 3.5 hrs the temp in my room went up 5 degrees!

The temp at one end of my house was 73.5 (stove end) the temp in my bedroom was 71 (it was 66 like it usually is). The little fan is worth it.. I will post pictures when I get back from my little hunting trip. I have to pretty it up.
 
my fan I rigged up is too loud. I am sick of it already. I went down to home depot and snagged the 15 dollar one they have. I don't want to drill that many holes and the thing hardly moves any air. Thats going back.

I ponied up and ordered the super quiet one you guys are talking about.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
Please help! Poor air circulation.
Replies
9
Views
2K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
30WCF
30WCF
B
Air Circulating Fan
Replies
23
Views
993
The Pellet Mill - Pellet and Multifuel Stoves
bigealta
bigealta
BC_Josh
How can I redistribute wood heat better in my house?
Replies
19
Views
4K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
BC_Josh
BC_Josh
P
Heat & Glo Rutherford "leaking" smoke into house
Replies
4
Views
1K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
PNW-Wood
P
S
Air Circulation improvements/tips
Replies
19
Views
2K
The Hearth Room - Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
begreen
begreen
Top Bottom
Back