Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a Direct Vent Fireplace?

A Direct Vent Fireplace is a gas log fireplace (propane or natural gas) that has a flue at the top or back of the fireplace that vents directly out side. Fresh air is brought in through a pipe surrounding the exhaust flue so that no air is required from inside the home to sustain the fire. Unlike Vent-less Fireplaces, all the combustion gases are vented outside. The Direct Vent Fireplace has a glass plate that seals off the firebox from the room. Below and above the firebox are vents that allow cool air to enter at the bottom and exit as hot air at the top. The Quiet Fireplace Fan gently improves the flow of air around the firebox and launches warm air out into the room and prevents heating the mantle. For owners of older Direct Vent Fireplaces please read this.

Animation of Quiet Fireplace Fan in Direct Vent Fireplace
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2. In what kind of Direct Vent Fireplace will the fan operate?

The fireplace must have at least 3 3/8" space between the bottom of the firebox and the lower edge of the frame, and must have a 115 VAC electrical receptacle under the firebox to plug the power adapter into to create the 12 volt DC power for the fans. The picture below shows how to measure the space and illustrates the 115 VAC receptacle. If there is no receptacle under the firebox, we can supply a Thermostat Cable or Switch Cable to allow operation with the Adapter plugged into a receptacle near the fireplace. Do not operate the adapter with a dimmer switch or rheostat controlled outlet. The adapter will be damaged and the fan will not run.

Measuring the space under the firebox

Picture of AC receptacle under firebox

3. How do I know which fan size to buy?

Two Fan Design - 1802-X Series

Small room (100 - 200 sq ft), lower 8-9 foot ceilings, small 24 - 28" wide or corner installation Direct Vent Fireplace (side walls of the firebox become narrow towards the back).

Three Fan Design - 2803-X Series

Large family or great room ( 200+ sq ft) , cathedral ceilings greater than 10', larger 30 - 36 inch wide Direct Vent Fireplace

Fixed Speed (-F) or Variable Speed (-V)

Variable Speed allows you to adjust the speed to achieve the minimum sound level and still keep the mantle from becoming hot. It can be adjusted to run slightly faster and and significantly slower than the fixed speed.

4. Does the fan system consume a lot of electricity?

The largest fan assembly consumes less than 6 watts of electrical power. This about the amount used by a child's night light. If you run the fan 5 hours a day every day of the year it will cost you a little under two dollars per year. Typical "Squirrel Cage Blowers" consume 60 to 100 watts of electrical power.

(6 watts x 5 hrs x 365 days)/1000=

11 kilowatt hours per year, which at $0.15 per kilowatt hour would cost $1.65 per year

5. Will the fans wear out quickly?

The fans used in the Quiet Fireplace Fan are the best technology developed to date for this application. They have an expected life of 50,000 hours of constant running. If you run the fan system for 5 hours a day, 365 days a year, they should last for 27 years!

50,000 hrs life / (5 hrs x 365 days) =

27.4 years

6. What does the fan system sound like when its installed in the fireplace and running?

It sounds like a computer fan running in the same room. The 1802 version uses two fans and the 2803 version has three fans which allows the sound from the individual fans to mix. Our measurement with a sound meter right at the grills on the Direct Vent Fireplace recorded less the 65 dBA which the typical level in a quiet room. With low ambient levels of sound in the room such as music, conversation, or TV the fan sound is scarcely noticeable.

7. Why do you offer a fan with variable speed?

Every fireplace and room combination has different heating and acoustical properties. We want to offer the owner the option to tune the fan speed to provide the best airflow and the most heat for their fireplace, at the lowest possible sound level. Lowering the speed also lowers the sound frequency from the fans which some people prefer. Do not try to control the speed of the fan by plugging the adapter into a dimmer switch or rheostat controlled outlet. The adapter will be damaged and the fan will not run.

Adjust the fan for lowest speed and sound level that maintains airflow sufficient to keep the mantle cool. The adjustment tool is included with each variable speed fan.

8. Is the fan difficult to install?

No, not at all. It can be installed in 2-3 minutes with no tools required. You just have to make sure your Direct Vent Fireplace is suitable. (See Question 2) The installation instructions are available by clicking on the Installation button and a copy is included with each fan.

Installation
Instructions

9. Will the fans run on 12 Volt battery power?

Yes. With the optional battery cables QFF-8-AP or QFF-8-BC the fans can be powered from an emergency starting pack or from any 12 Volt battery with accessible terminals. The fixed speed fans (QFF-1802-F and QFF-2803-F) will run slightly slower on battery power due to the way the control circuits work.

10. What is the cubic feet per minute (CFM) rating of the fan system?

The individual fans are rated 40 CFM in open air with no restriction and at full operating voltage of 12 volts DC. When mounted in their metal support frame the two fan system(QFF-1802-X) has a open air rating of 55 CFM and the three fan system (QFF-2803-X) a rating of 85 CFM. We set the variable speed fans to a slightly lower voltage (11.9 volts) to further reduce the noise level while still maintaining a sufficient CFM flow rate. They can be adjusted up to full power by the owner if desired.

Depending on the individual fireplace, the operational flow rate will probably range from 20 to 50 CFM for the two fan system and 50 to 80 CFM for the three fan system. The variable speed models have a voltage adjustment feature to allow tuning the fan for minimum noise and sufficient flow to ensure the warm air exiting the top of the fireplace gently launches out into the room. This prevents the normally convective flow from sliding up the front of the fireplace and overheating the mantle and any objects above it (like an expensive flat panel TV).

High CFM fans mean high noise levels, which is why we designed our fans to produce the most air flow at the lowest possible noise level.

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