Gas Fireplace - Fan Runs - Very little comes out

[whatever]

Hello All

I have a customer thats experiencing fan problems on her gas fireplace.

The fan wall switch has two settings hi and low. I can see the fan spinning on different speeds and it's going in the right direction. However this translates to virtually no air flow out the top. Barely perceptable on hi and nothing on low.

What do you think is happening here? Could the vent be plugged??

BTW I do have some gas pro's scheduled to come. An electrician stated everything was fine just a couple days ago.

Thanks Dale

[DK]

Where there is masonry, there are often plugs.

But many of those early fans were not designed to be felt as they were underpowered. I've seen the same problem on many of the early firebox fan systems.

You have to use the candle test to determine if they are working. Watch the smoke when holding the candle in front of the exit vent.

[whatever]

Hi, I'm sorry I forgot to mention this is a brand new home with a new gas fireplace.

Regards Dale

[PaPaPeng]

Use an incense stick for smoke. You can even close the fireplace door to watch. . A fan will blow out the candle and the fireplace flame may melt the wax..

[Deke]

Remove the screws, and with a very strong light and one of those telescoping inspection mirrors, you should be able to see the obstruction if there is one.

[Deke]

I was going to suggest canned smoke, but incense is cheaper if you can see the smoke.

The key here is that fireplace fans are not like window fans and the OP should NOT expect them be too strong. Otherwise the room occupants will be colder with the fan on than with it off.

[whatever]

Is it that delicate of a flow? I can sense air movement from the hair on my hand while on the high setting.

Are not most gas fireplace fans tied into a thermostat? This one is. You can over ride it too. So if one uses the thermostat it will only blow warm air.

Regards Dale

[PaPaPeng]

(Gas) Fireplaces are not my area of knowledge. But as someone else said the fan shouldn't be so powerful that it sends out more heat out through the stack than it radiates into the room. My gut feeling says a gentle waft to direct burnt gasses up the stack and not seep into the room (through down draft from the stack -cold air hot air density differences or just outside wind) seems to be the correct condition. I'll be visiting a home with a gas fireplace tonight and report back.

[PaPaPeng]

As far as we can determine the hot gas fire fumes are just vented convectionally through the flue. This venting does not have a fan assist. The fan is to draw air from the room, pass it through its own ducting, be heated by the fire. This hot air is then vented back into the room. through the louvers on the top front side of the fireplace.