Boosting the Effectiveness of Your Wood Stove with a Stirling Engine Stove Fan
If you’re like millions of homeowners in America, you prefer wood heat over heat pumps and furnaces. Wood stoves may not be considered quite as advanced as gas and electric central heating systems, but they certainly have their benefits. They can heat homes effectively while also bringing them a level of nostalgia you just can’t get from a roaring metal machine connected to a thermostat on the wall. They make your home warmer in more ways than one.
A Common Issue with Wood Stoves
Having said all that, no heating system is perfect, and wood stoves aren’t an exception to that rule. Though they don’t require electricity and won’t leave you in the cold if the power goes out, they’re notorious for not providing even heat. The heat they produce tends to float straight up to the ceiling rather than spreading consistently throughout a space.
An Effective Solution
To solve that issue, you need a stove fan. It’ll prevent your heat from immediately rising to the ceiling by circulating it through the spaces you want to keep warm. That, in turn, will boost the effectiveness and efficiency of your wood stove. There are different types of fans available, but one of the best is the Stirling engine stove fan.
Taking a Closer Look at the Stirling Stove Fan
Stirling stove fans sit on top of wood stoves and use the heat they produce for power. As your stove gets warm, the base of the fan also heats up. In contrast, the top of the fan stays cooler. That difference in temperature causes the air around the engine to expand and contract. In some cases, these fans have sealed chambers filled with air or another type of gas, but the principle is the same.
When the air expands and contracts, it causes a small piston inside the fan to move, which moves the fan’s blades. That circulates warm air throughout the space you’re heating. Since the fan distributes warm air effectively, you’re not essentially just heating the ceiling with your wood stove.
One of the wonderful things about Stirling stove fans is that they don’t require electricity or batteries to operate. They’re self-sustaining devices that power themselves as long as the stoves they sit on are producing heat. As is the case with your wood stove, they work even during power outages. They’re also quiet, and they require little maintenance other than occasional cleanings. Though they may take a bit longer to start running than electric fans, their simplicity and effectiveness more than make up for that brief delay.
Getting the Most Benefits from Your Wood Stove
Wood stoves are wonderful for heating homes. They don’t require electricity, and they bring a certain charm to a home that you can’t get from other heat sources. They’re lovely to look at, and their heat is warm, pleasant, and satisfying. When it floats straight up, though, you can’t fully enjoy it. Stove fans keep that from happening. While there are different types of stove fans to choose from, Stirling engine fans work with your wood stove to help you get the most benefits from it.