What Is A Balanced Flue Fire?

Before you buy a fireplace you need to make sure that the fire is suitable for your property.
If you do not have a chimney at the property, but do have an exterior wall where the fire is to be situated then a balanced flue would more than likely be ideal for your needs.

The balanced flue gas fire system was invented in Holland during the 1930's by Drugasar engineers, and this system has since been adopted by numerous companies as it results in an energy efficient fireplace that is safer to and more reliable than traditionally flued fireplaces.

The balanced flue system is based around a fire that is sealed from the room itself, this means that unlike traditionally flued fires that use quite a large 'draw' of air from the room to fuel the fire, this hot air then rises up out of the chimney, reducing the amount of heat that enters the room and reducing the efficiency of the fire. Traditionally flued fires are typically around 40% efficient, which means a over half the heat generated from the fire and over half the gas burned is wasted up the chimney or flue.

Balanced flues operate by using two concentric flue pipes, the inner pipe is used to transport the exhaust gases out of the property while the outer pipe is used to draw in the fresh air, warming the fresh air as it travels through the pipe, allowing for much greater efficiency as the air is preheated and ready to burn. This flue system utilises natural air convection to draw the fresh air in , this typically gives an efficiency of at least 70%, meaning that at least 30% more gas is being converted into heat for the living room rather than being wasted up a chimney. This not only means that less heat is wasted but it also means that less money is wasted on gas that could merely be contributing to global warming.

These twin walled, concentric pipe system can allow a lot of flexibility regarding the location of the fire as bends and extentions can be added to the flue system, subject to requirements. This allows fires to be designed with large viewing windows as well as two or three sided fires such as the Drugasar Metro XTL Balanced Flue Gas Fire which allows the fire to be viewed from 3 sides and could serve as a dramatic room divider.

Balanced flue fires are available in a wide range of fires, they can be traditional inset fires such as the Flavel Raglan, this fire is designed to fit a standard opening in a fire surround, the traditional fret detailing at the front of the fire in either brass or silver would compliment a traditional wood surround and granite or marble hearth.

The Flavel Raglan develops 80% net efficiency, double that of a traditional open fire, this equates to a maximum heat output of 2.8kW, enough to nicely warm a standard sized living room. The fire also comes with a realistic coal fuel effect and a remote control as standard, this means that not only will this fire help warm the room during the cold winter months but will also harmonise with a more traditionally furnished house.

The Drugasar Metro 100 Slimline Balanced Flue Gas Fire is a very contemporary "Hole-In-The-Wall" style gas fire. As Drugasar engineers invented the balanced flue system in 1930's their balanced flue systems and fires are second-to-none with high-quality that is the signature of DRU fires, Only the best balanced flue gas fires are produced by Drugasar.

The Metro 100 is a masterpiece of simplistic design, the frameless design allows the fire itself to become the centre of attention in any room without overpowering surrounding decor, The popular letterbox format is designed to create the ultimate showcase for the flames within while The unique Vario Burner System produces tall, realistic flames for a stunning three-dimensional effect around the white pebble or twix fuel effect.

The stunning design of this fire doesnt detract from the basic use of a fire, to produce heat, this fire is 70% efficient and develops an impressive 6.5kW of heat, more than enough for most living spaces. The Metro 100 is also easy to operate and use thanks to the thermostatic remote control that allows you to adjust the flames and temperature of the room from the comfort of an armchair or sofa, this fire would look magnificent in a modern and contemporarily furnished living room.