Ecofan

[tim_n]

Surely a computer fan would do much the same and use up very little electricity. I would image £70-100 would power it fairly indefinately?

[Uller]

Any updated reviews of the Ecofan? I think we may have had an offer of one as a gift but our concern is that it might create a draught - we have always avoided any sort of fan heating for that reason.

[Zech]

No, no noticeable draught.

I still haven't got round to investigating ours properly with a thermometer - I will if you're interested. We went to a new year's eve party in a large, high-ceilinged room. The wood burner in there didn't seem to be having much impact on the temperature until we moved an ecofan onto the top of it, then suddenly the room felt warm.

[Uller]

No need for full investigation thanks Rachel - I'm pretty convinced that it would make a difference to the overall feeling of warmth, just didn't want it to have to suffer a draught (or rather suffer OH suffering a draught) for it to work. I think it sounds like a good investment for us if the gift option doesn't come through.

[dave45]

FWIW I tried a large 12V computer fan powered by a battery to distribute woodburner heat... I consider the test a failure as it made no appreciable difference.. I concluded that you'd need a much more powerful office-style fan to shift enough air.

My WB is in a chimney alcove so I was concerned that much of the heat is going in the wrong direction.

[glyn.c]

we started using an eco fan just about 12 months ago now " our stove is set in a small inglenook and sited as far forward as possible and is purely for heat ie no hot water " we run the stove with the living room door open to allow the heat to disperse and with the fan the hallway is 2 deg warmer than without ,

[Uller]

We've just got back from the UK where my parents bought us an Ecofon - my dad had seen one in action in a pub and decided it was something we should have for our wood burner. No scientific analysis behind it, but we are noticing a significant difference.

We have a small, pretty much open plan house with the living room at one end, kitchen in the middle and bedroom/bathroom at the other, the only door being to the bathroom. The wood burner is our only source of heat and is in the living room. Within a short time of lighting the fire on our return on Thursday, with the house starting at 13°C, we noticed warm air when we walked into the bedroom, something we haven't had before. The increased air flow seems to be helping the fire burn more effectively too - we have a small oven above the firebox, the temperature of which has reached 300°C the last two evenings, again something which hasn't happened before. Now the trick will be working out how to keep the oven cool enough to use!

The warmth in the house is more even and it certainly warms up far more quickly. This could be the best investment we didn't have to make for ourselves - hurrah for gifts from parents :)