Using ordianary house fan on stove???

[potbelly]

Using ordinary house fan on stove???

I recently got a wood burning stove knowing it was to small for my house.

The stove is built for a 1,250ft and my home is 2,100 single story which is fine but I have been trying to maximize it’s efficiency by running an ordinary house fan on the chimney in hopes of retaining some of the heat before it escapes up through the roof….

It was a bargain so I have no qualms about not getting one with fans but after spending hours goggling and researching I find that there is a big debate on whether fans even help or not but really nothing on just running an ordinary fan on it to help circulate the warmer air???

I have tried it numerous ways…. On the floor from various positions (it has a heat shield on the back of stove and the back of the chimney) as well as placing it directly on the stove (protected) so that air flows upwardly towards the chimney….. I also have a ceiling fan that I use occasionally…….

Am I wasting my time (and electricity) or is any of this helping???

If it is of some help anyone have any idea what is the most efficient method?

Fan on floor blowing cooler air directly onto stove?

Or concentrating on the heat going up the chimneystack??

Thnx for any insight

 

[MrGriz]

I would think that it depends greatly on the layout of your house and the location of the stove. There have been many debates here about the best way to move warm air throughout the house. The one thing that stands out in my mind as working better than others is to move cold air back to the stove with a fan at floor level in a far end of the home. This should help start and keep the air rolling. I just started burning my insert and am going to begin experimenting with air movement.

One thing that would concern me about blowing the fan on the chimney would be cooling the chimney temp too much and causing a creosote build up. If you do this I would keep an eye on the stack temperature. Remember that the fan will be drawing heat from your stove and could also affect (or is it effect) your burn. From what I understand, most fans do not come on until the insert or stove is over a minimum temperature.

Just my .02, I'm sure that you will get some more advice.

 

[begreen]

Just getting some air circulation really helps. The fan doesn't need to be blowing a gale, low setting is fine. If you can convenietly point it at the stove blowing cooler air toward it, that should work. But so will a 4" muffin fan in a doorway corner. If the ceiling fan is in the same room, run it on low in reverse (blowing upward) for draft free circulation.

 

[Corey]

Without knowing all the circumstances, it is hard to say. But generally, the top of the stove is the hottest part, so anything you can do to direct air around and over that area will help extract more heat from the stove. This is assuming that you aren't pulling out so much heat that the draft is diminished or that secondary combustion is stopped (if you stove has that capability anyway).

Corey

 

[potbelly]

Thnx for the info........ I had not considered the creosote build up..

My stove is on one end of the house (compromise with the wife) so the other side is pretty cold...

I will try a small fan on the end and see if it helps.

Thnx