A gas fireplace is one of the most reliable sources of supplemental heat in homes and offices. However, you may need to add a blower to your gas fireplace to enhance its heating performance.
This post answers the most critical questions about adding a blower to your gas fireplace. We discuss the procedure you can use and the entire project’s cost of adding a blower to your gas fireplace. We also explain how a blower works and why you may have to add it to your gas fireplace.
Can I Add a Blower to My Gas Fireplace?
You can add a blower to your gas fireplace as a way of increasing its overall level of efficiency. Although gas fireplaces are designed to produce additional heat in homes and other places where they are installed, they are hardly 100% efficient.
Much of the heat that these devices produce is lost to the atmosphere. A considerable percentage of the heat loss occurs through venting. A small percentage of the heat escapes to the air in the house.
Adding a blower to your gas fireplace can successfully solve this problem. The blower will dramatically increase the efficiency level of your gas fireplace by even 70%. This will help maintain a comfortable indoor environment.
For you to add a blower successfully to your gas fireplace, you will have to get a certified technician to handle the process for you. The technician will ensure that you get a blower that is the right size based on your gas fireplace.
In addition, if you plan to add a blower to your gas fireplace, it may be a good idea to choose a gas fireplace that allows this additional installation.
How Much does it Cost to Add a Blower to a Gas Fireplace?
It costs about $100 to add a blower to a gas fireplace. This amount of money is in addition to the expected costs of installation. The typical costs of installation vary from one technician to another.
Generally, technicians charge on an hourly basis. The hourly rate ranges from $80 to $100. Therefore, the total cost will be the sum of the product of the length of hours and hourly rate and the additional $100.
How does a fireplace blower function?
The fireplace warms a fireplace blower by repeatedly drawing in cool air, letting it, before pushing it upwards to circulate the room. A fireplace blower combines convective heating with the radiant heating mode of a gas fireplace to enhance the overall heating performance of the device.
When left alone, fireplaces use the radiant heating method. The heat waves directly warm all the objects that they get into contact with. The heat from the warmed objects then radiates to the air around the room to create a cozy feeling. However, this method of heating is less efficient.
When you install a blower, you reduce the amount of heat energy that is usually lost. The blower creates an endless cycle of convective heating. It draws in cool air and then pushes it upwards.
As the now warmed air is released into the house, it floats and settles around the roof. This allows fresh waves of cool air to enter the fireplace, thanks to the work of the blower.
Can I Run a Gas Fireplace without a Blower?
Yes, you can run a gas fireplace without a blower because a blower is not part of the components of a gas fireplace. A blower is a mere appendage that you can install on your gas or even wood fireplace to enhance the heating process.
If you wish to add a blower to your gas fireplace, you may have to purchase it later. You will have to ensure that you get a blower that is compatible with your gas fireplace.
Your gas fireplace is designed to operate without a blower necessarily. The gas fireplace converts electric energy into heat energy. The heat energy that is generated then warms the house through radiation.
It directly heats all the objects in the house that it meets. The heat then bounces off the objects and, in turn, warms the air in the house. This process gradually leads to an increase in the ambient temperature of your house.
If you want to speed up the process, you may consider installing a blower in your gas fireplace. The blower is usually inserted at the back of the compartment of your gas fireplace. This device creates a continuous convective flow of air in the house.
As the warm air is forced to rise, cool and heavy air takes its place and gets heated by the gas fireplace. Thus, the current that arises enhances the heating performance of the gas fireplace and rapidly creates a comfortable environment in your house.
What are the Benefits of Adding a Blower to your Gas Fireplace?
There are many benefits of adding a blower to your gas fireplace. Here are some of the most common ones.
- It helps when one needs to heat large rooms: Gas fireplaces may take a long time to warm the air successfully in huge spaces. However, adding a blower may be the right thing to do to enable your gas fireplace to heat such large spaces. The blower creates currents that speed up the entire heating process.
- Easy installation: Although you may need a technician to help you install your blower to the gas fireplace, the installation process is more straightforward than the gas fireplace itself. Furthermore, the cost of purchasing and installing a blower to your gas fireplace is lower than that of buying and installing the gas fireplace itself.
- Very little maintenance: Once correctly installed, a blower does not need heavy maintenance procedures. The devices remain helpful for a long time because they do not have highly fragile components that can easily be damaged.
- A blower does not interfere with the aesthetics of your gas fireplace: The tubes and fan of the blower are usually hidden either at the bottom or back of your gas fireplace. Thus, your visitors will hardly realize that you have added a blower to your gas fireplace.
- Convenience: Having a blower on your gas fireplace gives you the convenience of choosing when you need to use it. If you need additional heat, you can switch it on. Otherwise, you can conveniently run your gas fireplace alone and keep the blower off.
How do I Install a Blower in a Gas Fireplace?
The process of installing a blower to a gas fireplace is slightly complicated because it involves carefully positioning the blower at the back of the gas fireplace and then attaching the unique components of the fireplace to the blower.
In addition, you will have to attach the heat sensor to the underneath of the blower carefully. You will also have to leave a few inches’ spaces to reduce noise and vibration.
Here is an easy-to-follow procedure that you can use to install a blower to your gas fireplace.
- Opening the fireplace insert: Use your screwdriver to remove the covering at the bottom of your gas fireplace. This is the location where you will install the blower. If the screws prove challenging to remove, use your lubricant to loosen them up.
- Cleaning up the space: Dirt may have accumulated in the compartment where you would like to install the blower. Use a wire brush to clean all the walls of the space. You may also vacuum the compartment to ensure that it is entirely dirt-free.
- Placing the blower in the compartment: Push back the entire unit the blower is in place. Use the brackets to guide you on how far you should push the blower inside the space. Once the blower is in the correct position, fasten it tightly using the screws.
- Install the speed control box at the back and ensure that the speed control knob is positioned correctly in the front of the space: Remember to attach the heat sensor to the underside of the combustion area of your gas fireplace. Heat sensors are usually magnetic. This means that you do not need to screw them.
- Close up the space and test the blower: Once everything is neatly in place, turn on the power and adjust the speed of the blower to test if it is working correctly.
How to Tell if my Fireplace is Compatible with a Blower Kit
The best way of telling if your fireplace is compatible with a blower kit is to refer to the manual by the manufacturer. The recommendations of the manufacturer change over time.
It is appropriate to get the blower kit compatible with your gas fireplace by referring to the manual. Additionally, you can refer to some third-party websites to tell if your blower’s motor number and capacity are compatible with your gas fireplace.
This is important because if you attempt to install a blower kit that is not compatible with the gas fireplace, you will not get all the benefits of installing the blower in the first place.
What Types of Blower Kits are Available for My Gas Fireplace?
There are many types of blower kits available for your gas fireplace based on accessories. All blower kits have the essential components, including the mounting hardware, wiring harness, and the blower itself.
However, variations occur in terms of the kind of controllers and other accessories included in the kit. The additional accessories enhance the way the blower functions and how you can access and control it.
Some accessories include rheostats and variable speed controllers, remote controls, timers, thermostats, home automation, and high-temperature wiring.
Conclusion
You can add a blower to your gas fireplace. Doing this helps to increase the heating efficiency and capacity of the gas fireplace. The blower speeds up the process of distribution of the heat by creating convective currents.
The convective currents supplement the radiant heating that your gas fireplace uses to increase the ambient temperature in your home. Your local fireplace technician can help you select the correct blower for your fireplace.
They can also install it for you. The overall cost of adding a blower to a fireplace is the sum of the cost of the blower and the labor. If you are skilled enough, you can complete the procedure of installing the blower on your fireplace.