Fireplace Heat Exchangers
What is a fireplace heat exchanger, and is it something I need? A fireplace heat exchanger is a piece of equipment that you install into a masonry fireplace. Here’s a picture I found of one that is set into the fireplace with proper installation, so that you can see what it should like like when installed.
Now, as you can see, it basically looks like a rack that you then set your logs on to burn. So the next question you are asking is, why do I need a fireplace heat exchanger? To answer that question, you first need to understand the physics behind how a fire burns, and how a fireplace heats your home. For the fire to burn, it needs air. The fire draws this air in from the room that the fireplace is located in. That means the fire is pulling air out of your room in order to burn. The air in your room is replaced by outside air that leaks in through the spaces in your doors and windows. The fireplace is also designed to release exhaust through the flue and chimney. So to recap, air gets pulled FROM outside, INTO your house, UP the chimney, and OUT.
This isn’t very effective at doing much of anything other than heating the area just above your chimney. Of course, you don’t want to capture the air going out your chimney, because you would quickly die of smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning, but you do want to capture a higher percentage of the heat that is escaping. A fireplace heat exchanger is designed to do this by becoming a ventilation system that blows the heated air directly into your room. Here’s a better look at the fireplace heat exchanger unit.
So here you can see, it is a system of tubes that are combined with an electrical fan system. The idea is that the tubes heat, and the fans on the bottom draw air in the tubes, then force the air out through the top of the tubes. This is a classic model of a simple tube heat exchanger. As I have mentioned before there are many varieties of heat exchangers. The fireplace heat exchangers are a type of tube heat exchangers.
By using a fireplace heat exchanger, you should be able to increase the efficiency of your fireplace because more air gets forced back into your room, rather than up your chimney and out. Do they really work? Well, my feelings on the issue are that you would be much better off installing a fireplace stove insert in order to have a more efficient fireplace.
Inserts basically are a kit that converts a masonry fireplace into a wood burning stove. I’m sure you have seen the classic stand alone wood burning stove. Well, a fireplace insert gives your fireplace a face that is similar to the free standing variety, but of course, in the back it is still your masonry fireplace. I believe that these are significantly more effective and efficient than a fireplace heat exchanger, however, if you prefer the aesthetics of an open fireplace, then you are much better off using a fireplace heat exchanger over the alternative of nothing at all.
I don’t have a fireplace where we live right now, but my family had one of these stove inserts when I was growing up. It looked a lot like the one pictured here. As you can see, there is a vent system, so just like the fireplace heat exchanger, you have a forced air delivery system. Man, these things can really pump out the heat. So, I would really recommend one of these, but if you are insistent on having the look and feel of an open hearth, then I certainly would not want to forgo getting a fireplace heat exchanger.