Wood burner and heat activated fan

[Jbcory74]

In my opinion, the current stove looks too large for the opening. It just doesn't 'sit right' in my eyes. I think the smaller one looks much better.

However, before deciding what route to take, I would compare the cost of replacing with the Allure 4 against the cost of any building work.
It may be that the supplier will give you a good part exchange deal against your current one.

For what it's worth, we have a multi-fuel burner which has approximately 8" either side and a good 12"-15" above. It comfortably heats our lounge which is approximately 14' wide x 28' long with a real wood floor. Dimensional size it seems slightly narrower and lower height than the last photo you posted.

That’s really good to know. I thought initially the lack of heat being brought into the room was due to the room size but as you can see the lounge isn’t that big really so should heat up, even though there’s an open plan dining room attached.

It MUST be because the stove is too big / opening isn’t big enough?

It’s my fault I asked for a bigger stove and also asked that the surround remain in place so they didn’t really have the option to make the space surrounding the burner any bigger I missed up!

I really hope it doesn’t cost to much to sort.

I have asked them to come back out to discuss the options in the new year! Thanksfullt the weather is picking up again now but would like the fireplace to be as efficient as possible during the next wave of cold weather! It’s horrible the thought of burning and wasting so much wood while only feeling some of the benefit!

 

[Jbcory74]

Final thing!

Based on my current set up do you guys have any photos of what would be a suitable set up in terms of space surrounding the wood burner?

I will send photos to the installer and say that’s what I want for efficiency and to avoid losing heat emitted from the stove up the chimney breast!

I am still waiting for them to get back to me at the moment I’ve just asked for someone to come out to look at the options!

 

[Jbcory74]

Oh no this is the final thing lol.

It’s really windy today. I can hear a lot of wind travelling down the flue - is that normal?

 

[Burnerman]

The ideal measurement from the top of the stove to the register plate is 11” or 280 mm to allow an eco fan to work.
Regarding wind noise, always expect some but it can be minimised by fitting a suitable cowl ( which must be approved for solid fuel appliances).
At the very least you need a rain cap with a grille to prevent bird access!
John

 

[robinbanks]

"Here’s the floor plan? Does that help lol."

It tells me that the world is on the other side of the wall, but it doesn't so much help explain why the chimney breast that sticks out into the room (on the plan) doesn't appear to stick out into the room (on the photo) which makes me believe the floor plan is not true to life

I'm looking for how it might be possible to bash a hole in the side or the rear of the chimney breast such that a powered fan of some appreciable force can be fitted to push air into the space behind the burner and have it push warm air out the front..
..but before that is possible it's necessary to understand the physical arrangement of the walls and the breast, and the photos and plan don't agree or fully explain

 

[robinbanks]

I can hear a lot of wind travelling down the flue - is that normal?

Based on the sound alone, how do you know it's travelling down and not just whistling across the top..

 

[robinbanks]

Also, those "heat powered fans" - have you actually experienced one and found it to be effective at moving an appreciable volume of air into the room? I haven't, but I've only seen 5 or so in my life.

It'd be a shame to go to the extent and expense of ripping out a surround or changing an entire burner only to find that the fan that now fits atop it is a novelty gimmick

 

[Jbcory74]

The ideal measurement from the top of the stove to the register plate is 11” or 280 mm to allow an eco fan to work.
Regarding wind noise, always expect some but it can be minimised by fitting a suitable cowl ( which must be approved for solid fuel appliances).
At the very least you need a rain cap with a grille to prevent bird access!
John

Thank you! 11” seems a decent amount. I’ll mentioned that to the fitter and see if it’s possible ti keep our current stove and make the gap big enough to have that space or alternatively increase space but also get a smaller stove installed instead! Thanks so much!

 

[Jbcory74]

Also, those "heat powered fans" - have you actually experienced one and found it to be effective at moving an appreciable volume of air into the room? I haven't. It'd be a shame to go to the extent and expense of ripping out a surround or changing an entire burner only to find that the fan atop it is a novelty gimmick

My father and sister in law have them, it’s not like WOW heat, but it does make the heat circulate a little better without it just rising.

So while the room doesn’t get hotter, it does get warmer quicker in the points of the room furthest away IMO!

 

[Jbcory74]

Based on the sound alone, how do you know it's travelling down and not just whistling across the top..

Good point not sure on that one! Could be either!

 

[Jbcory74]

"Here’s the floor plan? Does that help lol."

It tells me that the world is on the other side of the wall, but it doesn't so much help explain why the chimney breast that sticks out into the room (on the plan) doesn't appear to stick out into the room (on the photo) which makes me believe the floor plan is not true to life

I'm looking for how it might be possible to bash a hole in the side or the rear of the chimney breast such that a powered fan of some appreciable force can be fitted to push air into the space behind the burner and have it push warm air out the front..
..but before that is possible it's necessary to understand the physical arrangement of the walls and the breast, and the photos and plan don't agree or fully explain

Sorry! Your messsges are confusing me I probs should have had my partner start this forum.

I will ask him to read your messages.

The chimney breast is mostly within the wall cavity and sticking out of the house exterior. We don’t have a chimney breast visible in the room the wall is flat all the way across!

 

[robinbanks]

My father and sister in law have them, it’s not like WOW heat, but it does make the heat circulate a little better without it just rising.

It doesn't make sense to me, but if you perceive that it does, then it does

It also sounds like sticking a pedestal fan some distance away from the fire and using it to encourage air to circulate more (perhaps by blowing it across the front of the fire) would make the furthest reaches of the room feel warmer sooner- a quick and easy test of whether changing the burner or breast will be beneficial..

 

[robinbanks]

The chimney breast is mostly within the wall cavity and sticking out of the house exterior. We don’t have a chimney breast visible in the room the wall is flat all the way across!

That's the bit I was hoping to get to; the floor plan shows the breast as internal but your explanation that it is external makes the photos make sense. Also makes it a bit more difficult to arrange a ducted fan that pulls air from the room and blows it in behind the stove. Not impossible, but a bit awkward..

 

[Jbcory74]

It doesn't make sense to me, but if you perceive that it does, then it does

It also sounds like sticking a pedestal fan some distance away from the fire and using it to encourage air to circulate more (perhaps by blowing it across the front of the fire) would encourage air to circulate more and make the furthest reaches of the room feel warmer sooner- a quick and easy test of whether changing the burner or breast will be beneficial..

The main conclusion drawn from the feedback is not to increase the spacing around the stove JUST to get a fan.

It’s more about increasing the air space around the stove to allow the heat emitted to have somewhere else to go, I.e out into the room, instead of directly up and out of the chimney or stuck within the wall cavities.

A lot of the heat emitted from the burner is coming from the top, but above it is only a 2” space so it’s the consensus that the heat is actually getting trapped..

 

[robinbanks]

instead of directly up and up the chimney and outside.

The heat in the room air shouldn't be going up the chimney; the burner should be flued and the chimney sealed off so room air does not escape up it

The air inside the burner (which may or may not have come from the room) that contains the smoke from the fire, escapes up the flue taking pollutants and a large amount of generated heat with it, but that's not going to change if you change the burner