Wood stoves produce large amounts of radiant heat.  This is where the heat radiates from the stove naturally heating the surrounding air.  Unfortunately, much of the heat goes up the chimney or ends up in the attic. Additional heat ends up trapped against the ceiling.  You may be able to push some of the air back down into the room with a ceiling fan but this approach is not very efficient and adds to your electric bill.

Solid metal wood stoves are more efficient and very little heat energy is lost up the chimney.  The challenge with a radiant heating system, though, is getting the heat distributed evenly throughout the area you are trying to heat.  It may feel warm or hot next to the stove itself, but there may be cold spots and drafts in other parts of the room or house. This is where a wood stove fan comes in. A wood stove fan distributes the heat radiating from the stove to the rest of the home.

Many wood stove fans are electric, but recently self-powered fans which work on heat alone have become available. This saves on electricity and improves safety since early electric stove fans would occasionally malfunction after constant exposure to high temperatures.  These new fans are designed to withstand high temperatures and use the heat from the stove to turn the blades of the fan.

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