What Would Happen If I Put a Fan on My Wood Stove?

Goals

• In placing a fan on top of your wood stove, you want to increase the circulation of warm air throughout the home. This can be particularly effective if you have an open floor plan, as the air can more freely move throughout the room. When you putt the fan on top of your wood stove, you are getting as close to the source as possible, especially because heat rises.

Regular Fans

• A regular fan, such as an oscillating fan or a box fan, might seem like a cheap solution, but it's a dangerous one. These fans often feature plastic parts, which may melt from the heat of the stove. If the fan is made of metal, the heat could make it dangerously hot. Additionally, these types of fans have a cord that plugs into the wall; that close to the heat source, the protective covering could melt, creating a fire hazard from the exposed electrical wires.

Wood Stove Fan

• If you're going to use a fan on top of your wood stove, use a "wood stove fan," often called an "eco fan." These fans do not plug into the wall; rather, they are powered by the heat from the stove as you place it on top.

Alternatives

• Wood stove fans tend to be significantly more expensive than traditional fans. Fortunately, they are not your only option if you want to improve the air circulation in your room and heat a larger area with your wood stove. Instead, you can place other fans near the wood stove -- just not directly on top of it. This serves the same purpose. Alternatively, Wood Stove Wizard suggests placing a fan so that it blows the air from the colder room toward the heat source, which allows for better air circulation.