The Difference Between Fireplace Blowers and Blower Kits

Although we try and make it very easy for our clients to determine exactly what they need for their fireplace, we still find that a number of folks purchase replacement blowers when in fact a full blower kit was required. 

So what's the difference you ask?

A blower kit is what you'll need if you're installing a blower for the first time.  Blower kits vary with regards to what is contained in the kit, but all kits contain the blower, a power cord, and the necessary means to properly mount the blower kit.  Some kits are mounted with actual hardware, while others are universally mounted with Velcro tape and magnets. A kit may also contain a rheostat variable speed control and/or a thermostatic on/off switch that automatically turns your blower on and off at set temperatures. 

Replacement blowers are exactly as they sound.  They replace existing blowers that have either gone bad or need to be upgraded.  Replacement fireplace blowers do not include a power cord and should only be purchased if you're replacing a worn out or defective blower. 

Lower Your Home Heating Costs with a Fireplace Blower

From DoItYourself.com:

If you are looking to lower your home heating costs, consider the installation of a fireplace blower. Rather than lose an excessive amount of heat from a wood-burning fireplace out the chimney, a fireplace blower collects the heat and pushes it out into the house. The warmth generated by the fire is then put to good use. When fully utilized, heat from a fireplace can reduce the need for the central heating system in a home, thereby lowering monthly heating costs during the cold months.

How a Fireplace Blower Works

When a fire burns in a fireplace, the majority of the heat goes up and out the chimney. Consequently, fireplaces in their underutilized form are mostly for aesthetics. With a fireplace blower, the heat that is typically lost, is instead used. Fireplace blowers are most easily installed when they are fitted with the firebox and fireplace itself. Aftermarket fireplace blowers can be installed as well, but are not as common. The blower is essentially a high-powered fan that takes in the heat from a fire and distributes it into the room. The most common type of blower doubles as a fireplace grate. Made of heat-resistant metal tubing, the burning logs sit directly atop the blower. An intake valve sucks in the air from the room and heats it with the burning fire. At this point it is pushed back out into the room. The result is hot air that does not cost money to heat.

 

Temperature gauges come with some fireplace blowers. This enables the blower to automatically shut off once a certain degree has been reached inside, guaranteeing that the room does not get too hot. All that is typically visible on the outside of the fireplace is the cold air intake fan. It is usually a small, nondescript box that sits off to one side of the fireplace. The vents may be installed underneath the firebox (for pre-installed units) or directly in the firebox itself.

Advantage of Pre-Installed Fireplace Blowers

A pre-installed fireplace blower is advantageous because the entire system is basically one unit. The cold air intake channels air directly into the firebox where it is heated. After that, the blower pushes it into the room. Aftermarket fireplace blowers work as well, although they may require the glass fireplace doors to remain open which makes them a bit less efficient.

How a Fireplace Blower Can Save You Money
By pulling in cold air from the room, heating it and sending it back out into the room, a fireplace blower reduces the need for central heating whenever a fire is burning. The blower requires electric power to run the fan and blower, but uses less energy overall. The net effect is monthly energy savings. If you are in the habit of burning wood in your home fireplace during the colder months, consider installing a fireplace blower. This will, in effect, transform your fireplace from a mostly aesthetic fixture into an efficient heater that will warm a certain part of your home. It will save you money on energy that you would otherwise spend on continuous heater use

Read more: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/lower-your-home-heating-costs-with-a-fireplace-blower#ixzz15f8zTuRk

Fireplaceblowersonline.com is now a proud member of the Better Business Bureau

Fireplaceblowersonline.com is now a proud member of the Better Business Bureau.  We are 100% dedicated to providing quality products and services to our customers at unbeatable prices! 

Check us out at http://www.bbb.org/wisconsin/business-reviews/fireplace-equipment-retail/crossflo-llc-in-racine-wi-1000005591/

Hearth.com - Fireplaces, Stoves and Inserts Online Forums and Resources

Check out hearth.com for the latest news and information on fireplaces, stoves and inserts.  Of particular interest to you may be the forums section, where owners and professionals can post questions and information on the site's public forum.  Fireplaceblowersonline.com is now a paid sponsor on hearth.com.

How Do I Know Which Fireplace Blower Kit is Right For Me?

Determining which fireplace blower kit is compatible with your fireplace can be complicated for owners who are unfamiliar with fireplaces. Fear not!  Much of installing a blower kit is merely a matter of fitment.  If your fireplace has the room, there's a good change a number of available blower kits will work.  Taking some simple measurements will help us determine which kits will work in your unit.  This approach is especially important with older fireplaces where installation manuals and other documentation is limited.

Most owner's manuals will identify which blower kit is recommended for your model, so if you're unsure of which blower kit to purchase, look at your owner's manual first. If all else fails, call us at 262-989-4882 and we'll help you identify which blower kit best matches your home setup, your budget, and personal preferences.

Quantity Discounts Now Available On All Items!!

You heard right!  Purchase 2 or more items and receive an automatic 10% discount on your purchase. We're already the lowest price on the Internet, but no one says we can't be even cheaper!! All Lennox, Superior, Majestic, Continental, Napolean, Vermont Castings, Heatilator, and Northern Flame fireplace replacement blowers and blower kits qualify.

Excuse Our Virtual Dust - Website Interuption

If you're having troubles getting to fireplaceblowersonline.com, we apologize!!!  Our web host is having technical problems with their data center in Los Angeles.  Please be patient while we clean up our virtual mess and work through this temporary outage.

Please call us at 262-989-4882 if you need immediate assistance or have questions pertaining to orders.

Thanks again,

Webmaster
Fireplaceblowersonline.com

Fireplace Blower Maintenance 101

If you want to keep your fireplace blower operating efficiently, we recommend period cleaning of the blower and motor assembly.  Here's a very nice tutorial published by Napoleon Fireplaces that should help answer any questions you have. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ma9c_ho1Yg

Following these simple instructions will ensure your blower continues to operate normally and efficiently!!  It's also important to note that most fireplace blowers are self-lubricated, so there's no need to add additional lubrication to the blower.  Adding oil or other lubricants may actually decrease the life of the blower, so when in doubt, give us a call at 262-989-4882.

How Does a Fireplace Blower Increase Efficiency?

To understand just how a fireplace blower increases the efficiency of your fireplace, we must first understand how the convection process of a conventional gas fireplace works. Convection is a process in which heat is transferred through the circulation of a liquid or gas.  Easy enough - right?  Therefore, if we increase circulation, we increase the heat transfer process.

This is where the fireplace blower comes in.  A fireplace blower simply increases the circulation variable in our convection equation. As you can see from the diagram, your fireplace draws in cool air from your room.  This air is heated as it travels up and around the venting until it reaches the upper vent or louver. A blower forces the circulation of this air much faster, so rather than heated air trickling out of your fireplace, you get forced heated air instead.

Used in conjunction with an efficient home furnace and a couple of ceiling fans, you'll distribute warm air so efficiently in your home that savings hundreds of dollars a year in home heating costs will become common practice.

Cheapest Prices on Fireplace Blowers and Kits

We pride ourselves on the having the lowest prices on fireplace blowers, blower kits and blower accessories.  If you find it cheaper some place else, call us!!  We don't sacrifice quality either.  All of our blowers and kits are factory assembled and tested at our facility in Racine, WI, and include a 1 year warranty!

New Website Features Available September 27th, 2010

Check out some of the new website features we're unveiling on September 27th, 2010.

• Improved site layout and navigation
• Performance improvements
• Video content
• Owner's manuals available for download
• New fireplace brands, models have been added
• Authorize.NET integration. Paypal and Google Checkout also available.
• Bug fixes for multiple browser compatibility
• And more!

Fireplace Blower Kit and Installation Videos Now Available on Youtube

Fireplaceblowersonline.com has been working very hard this year to provide our customers with some incredible resources.  First, videos are now available on Youtube that describe what's included in each of our blower kits. Second, we have a few blower kit installation videos that should help the average do-it-yourself home owner successfully install their first fireplace blower kit.  Trust me folks, it's not as difficult as it may seem!

Videos will be updated often.  If you have suggestions for video content, please send them to support@fireplaceblowersonline.com or call us at 262-989-4882.

Our Youtube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/fireplaceblowers 

BK and BKT Blower Kits Coming Soon for Desa, Vanguard, Empire, Comfort Glow and More!!

As if the upcoming arrival of our GFK-160 blower kit wasn't enough, we're happy to announce that fireplaceblowersonline.com will also be offering BK and BKT blower kits in the fall of 2010. These kits are a must for brands like Desa, Vanguard, Empire, Comfort Glow and many more!

The BK blower kit will feature a powerful blower and motor, power cord, and variable speed control. In addition, installation instructions and all mounting hardware will be included.

The BKT will feature everything included in the BK kit, but will also include a thermostatic on/off switch, otherwise known as a thermodisc. A thermodisc is a required feature if you don't currently have a wall switch installed for your blower.

Email us at support@fireplaceblowersonline.com or call us at 262-989-4882 for additional details.

GFK-160 Blower Kit for Heatilator and More Coming Soon!

We're proud to announce that fireplaceblowersonline.com will be offering the GFK-160 blower kit this season. This should be a welcome arrival to many Heatilator owners. Tooling is being completed now and samples should be on their way in 3-4 weeks.  Although the exact release date is still unknown, we promise this blower kit won't fall short of expectations. Variable speed control and thermostatic on/off (thermodisc) should be standard components. The GFK-160 should be capable of producing 160-200 CFM of airflow.

Email us at support@fireplaceblowersonline.com or call us at 262-988-4882 for further details. 

So many options - which blower kit is right for me?

How do I find which blower kit my fireplace takes?

There are scores of fireplaces brands and models to choose from these days - Continental, Heat N Glo, Heatilator, Vermont Castings, Lennox, Superior, Monessen Hearth Systems, Comfort Glow, Travis, Security,  and Napoleon to name only a few . Which fireplace brand and model you choose is often a selection made with budget, design, features, and appeal in mind.  What can be even more complicated is how to choose the correct fireplace blower or fan kit for your fireplace.

Most owner's manuals indicate the proper blower kit or fan kit to use, so check your owner's manual before beginning your search. If you're still unsure which blower kit to choose, your local dealer can be a wonderful resource. Fireplaceblowersonline.com is also a great source. We try and publish the fireplace owners' manual for each product / kit variation we sell.  In addition, we make it very easy to locate the correct fireplace blower by make and model of fireplace on our home page.

You also have the option of sending us a "Find My Blower" request. Fill out a simple form by telling us the make and model of your fireplace.  We'll send you an email with an answer and a link!!


There are multiple choices.  Which is right for me?
Often times, certain fireplace models will accept multiple variations of fireplace blower kits. The model or part number of the fireplace blower kit isn't nearly as important as what the kit contains.  All blower kits will contain a blower and a way to integrate the blower into a power source, such as a standard 3-prong power cord. Some blowers integrate into a control module, which your owner's manual should clearly indicate. Most blower kits have the option of a variable speed control and/or a thermostatic on/off switch that we call a thermodisc. The variable speed control allows you to dial in the desired fan speed to accommodate for air flow and fan noise, while a thermodisc is a switch that turns your blower on and off automatically.  This feature is especially useful for fireplaces that do not have a wall switch pre-wired for a blower.

Choose the options which fit your budget and personal needs. Various customizations can also be made to accommodate custom installations.

Why Using a Fireplace Blower Kit Makes Sense!

Winter is around the corner, and if you're like me, the thought of another seemingly never ending season of cold weather, snow drifts, and iced locks seems unbearable. This doesn't mean however, that your time spent indoors must be spent in the cold as well.

Fireplaces are becoming an increasingly popular appliance installed in just about every new home and condo. Chances are you already have a fireplace installed, but rarely use it for fear of its operating expense. But when compared to running a standard home furnace, fireplaces can be a wonderful alternative source of heat. I say "can" be a wonderful source of heat, since most fireplaces are by nature wasteful appliances if not used correctly.  A fireplace blower kit helps dramatically increase the circulation of heat created by your fireplace.  Used in conjunction with your home's primary source of heat, a fireplace equipped with a blower or fan kit can help save you hundreds of dollars a year in wasted energy.

And that's why using a fireplace blower kit makes sense!