How Do Wood Burning Stove Fans Work?
Wood burning stoves have become increasingly popular in UK homes over the last few years. Not only do they provide cosy radiant heat, but they can also significantly reduce your heating bills if you burn logs you source for free.
One key component that helps wood stoves work more efficiently and evenly distribute heat is the stove fan. But how exactly does a wood stove fan work?
The Purpose of Wood Stove Fans
Wood stove fans serve two main purposes:
- Improve convection heat circulation
- Increase combustion efficiency
Without a fan, heat from a wood stove naturally rises and often gets trapped near the ceiling. This leaves the lower parts of the room cooler. A fan helps push the warm air at the top of the room back down, circulating it around so more of the room feels the warmth.
Fans also improve combustion efficiency when using your wood burning stove. The automatic circulation created by the fan brings more oxygen to the fire, helping it burn hotter and more completely. More complete combustion means you get more heat energy from the same amount of fuel.
Fans for wood burning stoves are self-powered. They work when the appliance is in use. Unlike a plug-in fan you might have in your home during hot weather, a wood burning stove fan is very quiet when it is working. They sit quietly on top of the stove, spinning discreetly while circulating hot air. You can sit and watch TV without noticing the fan is running.
How Wood Stove Fans Create Air Circulation
Automatic stove fans are designed to sit centred on the top of the stove, which gets hot when the stove is in operation. The heat from the stove travels up through the base of the fan. Stove fans have a device inside of them that generates thermoelectric energy, which then drives the fan’s motor. This spins the fan blades and pushes hot air around the room.
The fan pushes hot air horizontally off the top of the stove. This circulation forces the hot air at ceiling height to come back down to the floor level, heating the whole room evenly.
Stove fans are designed to run at relatively low temperatures so they start working even before the stove has reached the optimal working temperature.
The Benefits of Using a Wood Burning Stove Fan
Investing in a stove fan is money well spent. Your wood burning stove will soon pay for itself by ensuring hot air is circulated more efficiently around your home.
If hot air is pushed around the room, eliminating any cooler spots, children and pets are less likely to sit too close to a hot stove. This is safer for them.
Wood burning stove fans create convection currents that circulate warm air and improve combustion efficiency. This lets you get the most out of your wood fuel while creating an evenly heated space. When used correctly, they are an invaluable addition to any wood burning stove.