Electric fireplaces don’t have real fires and so must generate both the flame effects and the heat artificially. As a result many electric fireplaces need help in blowing the heat generated by the heater out into the room.
So do electric fireplaces have blowers?
If an electric fireplace uses a fan forced heater then it will have a blower already integrated into the unit. Electric fireplaces with infrared heaters do need blowers and so won’t have one installed.
Read on to find out more about why some electric fireplaces have blowers and why some don’t, by showing you why our own electric fireplace has a blower.
Do Electric Fireplaces Have Blowers?
Electric fireplaces don’t have real fires and so both the flames and the heat are generated artificially to imitate the look and feel of a real fire in your home.
The components that generate the flames on an electric fireplace don’t produce any heat and so electric fireplaces need have additional heating components in order to produce the heat needed to complete the fireplace experience.
The main ways in which you’ll find an electric fireplace generating it through:
- Fan forced heaters
- Infrared heaters
We’ve explained these main types of electric fireplace heaters below, including whether they come with blowers and whether an additional blower is required to help spread the heat.
Fan Forced Electric Fireplace Heating
Fan forced heaters blow cooler air from the back of the fireplace through a heating element. As the air is forced through the heating element it heats up and is blown back out of the front of the fireplace and into the room.
Fan forced heaters:
- Have a blower installed. The blower is used to bring in cooler air and force it over the heating element, as well as pushing the heated air out into the room.
- Do not need an additional blower. The blower that is integrated into electric fireplace fan heaters will be sufficient enough to move the hot air around the room.
We have an electric fireplace stove and it uses a fan forced heater to generate the heat.
The heater on our specific model of electric fireplace is located at the base of the unit.
Inside this compartment of our electric fireplace is a heating element located near the front of the unit.
Located at the back of the heating compartment is the blower.
The blower works just like any normal fan and sucks in air from the back of the fireplace and forces it back out through the front via the heating element, which in turn heats up the air as it makes its way out of the fireplace.
Below is a video showing the blower operating in our electric fireplace.
This blower is strong enough to push the hot air around our living room, and so we’ve not needed an additional blower to be able to spread the heat further.
This will be the same for all electric fireplaces that use fan forced heaters. The blower inside a fan forced heater of an electric fireplace will be sufficient enough that another blower won’t be required.
We tested our fan forced electric fireplace to see whether it could really heat our living room. Simply using the electric fireplace without using an additional blower showed a huge increase in room temperature over time.
See more information about our test and whether an electric fireplace can really heat a room in another one of our articles.
Electric fireplaces with fan forced heaters can typically heat areas up to 400sqft, and so if you’re looking to buy an electric fireplace ensure that the heater on an electric fireplace is adequate for the area you’re intending to heat.
See more information about heating areas within our electric fireplace buying guides.
For areas over 400sqft, look to buy an electric fireplace with an infrared heater, which we’ve discussed in more detail below.
Infrared Electric Fireplace Heating
Infrared heaters use a quartz bulb and infrared light to be able to generate heat.
Infrared heating works much like the heat from the sun works. Infrared light is given off by the heater and is absorbed by your body and clothes; making you feel the warmth. Turning off an infrared heater means you lose the warmth with immediate effect, much like moving into the shade on a sunny day.
Infrared heaters don’t have any moving parts and a blower isn’t required in order to transfer the heat from a fireplace to the room.
Therefore, infrared heaters:
- Don’t have an integrated blower. There are no significant moving parts and an integrated blower isn’t required inside an infrared electric fireplace in order for the heat to be dispersed into the room.
- Don’t need an additional blower to transfer the heat. An electric fireplace that uses infrared heating will be able to transfer the heat into the room without the need for another blower.
However, infrared heaters in an electric fireplace may have a small fan inside to provide ventilation for the heater and help to regulate the temperature to keep it from overheating.
This fan will not act as a blower as an infrared heater does not need assistance in helping to spread the heat. Infrared heaters are generally able to heat larger areas compared to fan forced heaters, and you’ll typically be able to find infrared electric fireplaces with a heating area of up 1000sqft.
The video below provides more information about infrared heaters.
Do All Electric Fireplaces Have Blowers?
Only electric fireplaces that use fan heaters have an integrated blower. Infrared electric fireplaces don’t require a blower and so don’t have one installed.
Does An Electric Fireplace Need A Blower?
Electric fireplaces do not need a blower.
An infrared electric fireplace won’t have a blower installed and an additional standalone blower won’t be effective in spreading the heat from an infrared heater.
Electric fireplaces that utilize fan forced heating will have a blower integrated them and will be sufficiently powerful enough to be able to spread the heat around a room. A fan forced electric fireplace will not need an additional blower in order to be able to heat a room effectively.
Electric Fireplace Buying Guides
See all of our buying guides for each category of electric fireplaces including built-in electric fireplaces. Inserts, TV stand, mantels, stoves and more.
Further Reading
Do Electric Fireplaces Have Bulbs?
Electric Fireplace Common Problems And Solutions
Is An Electric Fireplace A Space Heater?