generator12
Senior Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2010
- Messages
- 666
I'm thinking about buying/building a heat exchanger to install in my fireplace. Tired of seeing 90% of the heat going up the chimney.
Years ago I had something called a "Heatilator", which was comprised of steel tubes that ran vertically from beneath the fire, to the rear of the firebox, and then over the flames to an outlet distribution header. These tubes connected at the bottom to an inlet header which had a forced draft blower to move the air. It really heated my family room well.
Now I'm in a different house with a slightly smaller fireplace and trying to find this device, or something like it, to fit. The key is that I want the air flow to go over the flames, as that's where the greatest benefit is to be had. The commercial ones I've found on-line are all mounted below or behind the heat source, and are badly overpriced.
Does this ring a bell with any of you fellows? Has anyone built or bought a configuration that meets my description?
(P.S...I would consider a vent-free gas log, but the lady has asthma and couldn't coexist very well with one of these.)
Years ago I had something called a "Heatilator", which was comprised of steel tubes that ran vertically from beneath the fire, to the rear of the firebox, and then over the flames to an outlet distribution header. These tubes connected at the bottom to an inlet header which had a forced draft blower to move the air. It really heated my family room well.
Now I'm in a different house with a slightly smaller fireplace and trying to find this device, or something like it, to fit. The key is that I want the air flow to go over the flames, as that's where the greatest benefit is to be had. The commercial ones I've found on-line are all mounted below or behind the heat source, and are badly overpriced.
Does this ring a bell with any of you fellows? Has anyone built or bought a configuration that meets my description?
(P.S...I would consider a vent-free gas log, but the lady has asthma and couldn't coexist very well with one of these.)
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