When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney

When Santa got stuck up the Chimney

He began to shout

You girls and boys won’t get any toys until you get me out

My hair is black, there’s soot in my sack

Any my nose is tickly too

When Santa got stuck up the Chimney

Achoo, Achoo, Achoo!!

With today’s modern pre-fabricated chimney and flue systems, there is certainly plenty of scope for Santa getting stuck up the chimney,  With internal diameters ranging from 150mm – ideal for the typical woodburning stove, up to only 200 to 250mm for other more open appliances, Santa would not have to have eaten too many mince pies to get stuck!!

Why are modern flues so slim?  Well, they give the perfect diameter for the heating appliance to work.  They make use of modern materials and technology.  The modern pre-fabricated flue system allows the householder to have a versatile and flexible solution to created a wonderful and warming focal point within a room.

Traditional methods of building chimneys (and chimneys have been with us since Roman times!) are inefficient, require foundations and are very labour intensive.  Pre-fabricated flue systems are quick to install, the space required is minimal, allowing the building to maximise its living space.

Pre-fabricated chimney systems have been rigorously tested under European legislation gaining CE approvals along with HETAS approvals (the UK’s leading body in Solid Fuel awareness).

So what do you to say in answer to the question “how can Santa get down our chimney?”  You can of course pass it off as magic.  Just as reindeers fly through the sky, and Santa manages to deliver presents all around the world in a single night, the magic of Christmas asks us to suspend disbelief.

Or you could do what an enterprising six year old boy called Leo did.  When his family purchased a new house Leo was worried that the chimney would not be big enough to to accommodate both a large Father Christmas, and a large sack of toys.  Leo wrote a letter to the builder which said “I am worried that my mummy’s house doesn’t have a big enough chimney.  I think Santa will get stuck.  Please can you help.”

The builder responded by commissioning an architect and a mathematician to design the perfect Santa-friendly chimney, on the Lower Mill Estate near Cirencester in Gloucestershire.

A crane lifted a large Father Christmas up to the roof and lowered him into the Cotswold stone chimney which goes all the way down to the sitting room.  “A perfect fit” announced Santa. “I wish they were all like this!”

Gas, A Clean Fuel

There is a great deal of debate about fuels, ranging from Carbon pollution, cost of extraction and the effect on the environment. Gas is and always will be a very clean fuel. For example, when burning wood or similar solid fuel, small particles will be released (smoke). These are unburnt parts of fuel which are then wasted, you will also be left with waste by-products (ash).But when burning gas there are no particles released and your flue system stays, more or less, clean at all times.

Gas systems also allow you to easliy regulate the temperature in the house. With DRU gas fires this is all done via a Thermostatic remote control. All their systems are calibrated in the factory to ensure your fire runs as efficiently as possible. Wasting as little energy as possible and ensuring the maximum amount of heat is coming into the property rather than heating the outside world.

Gas is also, per kWh one of the cheapest sources of energy. It's no wonder really, why more and mroe consumers, both across the UK & Europe are choosing efficient, clean and attractive gas fires designed by Drugasar.

Adding to the appeal of DRU gas fires is that Europe is rich with gas, ourselves in the UK, as well as Norway, Holland and Russia all benefit from large reserves of gas, with expectations that further large reserves will be discovered in the future. Products such as gas fireplaces are becoming more and more efficienct, with up to 87% efficiency on the Metro 130. And with increasing advances in insulation, less and less heat is required to heat our homes. It is expected that for at least the next 100 years we will have sufficient gas reserves. However that does not mean we can take it for granted. This is also why Drugasar are always researching more and more techniques to extract more heat from the gas energy. One such addition is the MaxVent system popular with the Global range of gas fires. The complete Drugasar Range Of Gas Fires are available from Fireplace Megastore

Crystal Fires Montana High Efficiency Gas Fire

Wow Crystal Fires release a stunning HE (high efficiency) gas fire called the Montana, and is set to light up the showroom (and Internet) sales across the UK.
Here at Fires/Fireplaces/Stoves we love supporting the UK manufacturers and the great thing about Crystal Fires is they make it easy for us to do just that by producing high quality fires time and time again.
The Montana HE gas fire is an inset glass fronted gas fire, it has similar looks and design to the other Crystal fires on sale, however Crystal boast that their high efficiency Montana has the same high heat output as the extremely popular Crystal fires Gem (4.2kW) but consumes only half the gas input, which means the same heating for half the cost!......superb.
The Montana comes with a selection of finishes, the standard HE version allows a traditional trim with a choice finishing effects and trims, but you can opt for a modern styled fire by having a majestic or contemporary crystal fires fascia, which still provides the same stunning operational figures. The option for a remote with the Montana is available, but I fear the additional cost may put many people off, however if your going to have a really cool high efficiency, highly effective gas fire I'd get the remote if you can afford to just because it finishes off this classy fire perfectly.
Great job crystal fires, and we look forward to the next product update.

Europa Westerby, Simplicity in Limestone

Europa Fireplaces have recently unveiled a range of natural Limestone fireplaces, you can find the whole range here.

But for this article we've decided to focus on just one. The Europa Westerby.

The Europa Westerby, unlike many other limestone surrounds does not get caught up in trying to be ornate or adding unnessesary detail. It focuses on doing main purpose correctly, housing a fire. But this utilitarian approach does not mean you're stuck with an ugly fireplace, quite the contrary in my opinion. The clean vertical lines of the legs of the surround and strong line across the top of the fireplace adds horizontal definition and creates a very simple, yet very effective fireplace surround.

Subtle, functional detailing such as where the header meets the legs and the joins in the three-piece back panel mean that the fireplace is not strikingly modernist. Combined with the choice of material, natural limestone means the clean lines, broken up with the natural mineral deposits, inclusions and fossils that limestone fireplaces all include mean the Europa Westerby offers an incredible feeling of quality while also being functional.

The Europa Westerby is now available for all Europa Fireplace dealers.
Find your local dealer at http://www.europafireplaces.co.uk/

'More insulation and less heating', says think tank

The government needs to focus on insulating homes before funding new heating technologies, according to a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).
It says the government's Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) could cost taxpayers up to £860 million in the current spending review, but is unlikely to prove either "attractive" to or "cost-effective" for householders.
The Institute said the government is wrongly focusing on backing renewable heat technologies, which it says only "wealthier people" can currently afford to install.
The report 'Warmth in a changing climate: How should the government encourage households to use renewable heat?' asked a series of focus groups about renewable heat. Many people said they were put off by the "high upfront costs" of installing new technologies.
The groups also said they were "sceptical" the new technologies would deliver enough heat at an acceptable price.
Andrew Pendleton, IPPR associate director, said the government's current approach is wrong. "Providing a feed-in tariff style for heat production rather than offering a package of measures aimed at providing warmth risks undermining consumer confidence in heat technology.
"A tariff-based incentive will also fail to address the high capital costs, identified as the key barrier in IPPR's consumer workshops."
The report said that while cutting emissions from household heating is important, costs across the economy could be higher than anticipated and take-up may be low. It added that in some cases, technologies may simply not provide enough heat to meet consumers' expectations or to heat homes to a safe level.

While new gas fires are becoming more and more efficient with fires such as the Apex Capacious offer up to 89% fuel efficiency this would be useless if the house itself doesnt hold the heat. One of the quickest and cheapest ways to reduce heat loss is using by reducing drafts.A typical home loses 20% of its heat through draughty doors, windows and ventilation ducts. Fit draught proofing products to your doors, windows and keyholes. You can buy them from DIY stores but check that they comply with standard BS7386 for maximum efficiency and durability.

Insulating your loft is also one of the most cost effective ways to reduce your heating bills and you can do-it-yourself. By laying down loft insulation to the recommended thickness of 270mm you could knock up to £200 off your annual heating bill. Make sure you use protective gloves and goggles if you install the insulation yourself.

What Do You Need To Know Before Buying A Fire

It's always the way, you try and turn your gas or electric fire on or try and light your stove after not using it since March or early April and the worst happens, it breaks and you need a new one, or you finally decide to take the plunge and invest in a fire for your new house or upgrade old faithful that has been sat on the hearth for the last decade or more.
Most people (including myself before I started this down this career path) have very little idea of the technical complexities that are accociated with purchasing a new gas, electric or solid fuel fire or stove.

So what do you need to know before buying a new fire, stove or fireplace? We have a look at some of the major sticking points or complicated details.

Do I Want Gas, Solid Fuel, Electric Or Bio-Ethanol?
This is probably the most important decision as it effects everything from then onwards, electric fires and suites are becoming increasingly popular as they can be placed anywhere with a standard 13amp plug socket and the flame effects are getting increasinly realistic.
Also becoming increasing popular is people returning to solid fuel or wood burning stoves. This follows on from increasing pressure in the media to reduce carbon footprint, as burning wood from a sustainable source is carbon neutral.



What Type Of Flue or Chimney Do I Have?

As gas fires in particular are designed for varying types of flue or chimney and depending on what type you have can greatly reduce the options available. Flueless, Balanced Flue and Powered Flue appliances are suitable for most modern houses that are built without a chimney, where as some properties may come with a prefabricated or precast flue and most older properties tend ot have an open brick chimney.
More detailed is usually readily available on most Fireplace websites such as Fireplace Megastore, Fireplace Supermarket Or Fireworld.

Hole In The Wall Or In A Surround?

This is mainly down to personal preference as gas, solid fuel and electric fires are all available in these styles. Whether you want to purchase a hang on the wall balanced flue fire such as the Verine Marcello or a unique hang on the wall electric such as the Apex Inception. Likewise if a surround and fire is more appealing you could opt for a fire and surround such as the Drugasar Cara Suite or the Europa Sofia Gas Suite.

Who Do I Geed To Fit It?
Depending on what you've purchased obviously depends on who is needed to fit it. Gas Fires will need to be fitted by a Gas Safe Registered installer, and likewise a solid fuel or woodburning stove would need to be installed by a HETAS engineer. When it comes to surrounds and electric fires, most companies will recommend the surround is fitted by a qualified installer to ensure the perfect finish is achieved. But when it comes down to electric fires, a majority of them come with a standard 13amp plug as standard and simply require plugging in to work.

Warranties versus Cost……..FIGHT!

Many of the larger fire manufacturers will offer great, high quality fires that come with the all singing and dancing packaging and finishes. They also come with better manufacturers warranties too; a few examples of these are the Apex 5year warranty on selected gas fires, Crystal fires 5 year gas fire warranty,Pureglow 3 year warranty and the more recent Firebelly 4 year warranty on allproducts.
This is a great way to entice customers to buy these products as many of themare advertised as having their warranties included as free, so you should optfor them as they are giving you added protection for less cost. Well after alittle investigation, and to be honest it doesn’t take a lot, it becomes prevalent that many manufacturers make a product and allow it to be re-branded, these re-brands will often retail for a lesser price than the branded products but don’t come with the greater warranty.
I therefore wonder whether the extra cost of a branded product is actually fora better product or just for the warranty. The answer to me is obvious, but what you will need to ask yourself is “is the warranty worth the extra money?” .
Firstly you need to be aware of what the warranty actually covers, and decide on whether it is actually worth having a warranty on a product you expect tolast for at least 5-10 years. Another consideration is what conditions you will have to fulfill in order for the warranty to be valid, most fire manufacturers will not honor a warranty on a fire if it has not been serviced each year by aqualified engineer and that you can provide proof that such a service has takenplace.
With such consideration in mind in my humble opinion is it worth spending the extra money for a branded fire?…….Yes. I would recommend that you have all your gas products in your home whether it be a combination boiler, gas fire or stove,serviced every 12months without fail, and obviously retain proof of the service. Also, if a cheaper fire breaks down that has run out of warranty, it will probably end up costing you more to but another cheap fire then it would have cost to buy the branded version with a much longer warranty. The main reason though I would always go for the branded option with extended manufacturer’s warranty is for peace of mind, the last thing you or anyone needs is an unrepairable gas fire or stove in the living room in the middle of winter.

NPower joins the rise

npower has become the latest gas and electricity provider to increase its domestic prices with fixed rates for the next two years, blaming the decision on "world events [which] have pushed up prices".

From 1 October, the average dual fuel customer will see an increase of 37p per day. Single fuel customers will see a 15.7% rise in fees for gas and 7.2% for electricity.

Kevin Miles, chief commercial officer at RWE npower – which is part of the RWE group that owns npower – said: "I know it hurts everyone when we put up prices and I wish we didn’t have to.

“With reduced quantities of North Sea gas, we are now forced to buy energy on the volatile global wholesale market. World events have pushed up prices and we believe this trend will continue.

"In the UK we have also seen rising distribution and network charges, and further environmental costs but we have still managed to keep our increases lower than those announced by any other major supplier," referring to companies including British Gas, Eon and SSE.

Beautiful fires, designed to allure

Choose a Verine fire and all your expectations will be fulfilled. Elegant, sophisticated and designed to perfection. Verine fires are all this and more. Crafted to not only captivate and beguile, they are built to the highest standards, are energy efficient and perform brilliantly.

Verine fires are built to last in our state-of-the-art UK manufacturing facility where our quality standards meet the most stringent demands.
That’s why Verine are able to offer an impressive 5 Year Guarantee on all gas fires. Every fire in the range features a Flame Supervision Device (FSD) which detects the presence of a flame, and in the absence of thatflame, prevents uncontrolled release of gas to the burner. For maximum safety each conventional flue model also includes an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS) which shuts off the gas supply to the main burner in the unlikely event of a fault.

For over 45 years Verine have sold quality products and given quality service, elegance and innovation to the fireplace industry. Specially appointed retailers have been established nationally to display our products, install them and give expert advice to help you choose the correct appliance to suit your needs. We want you to get the maximum benefit from this expertise and therefore recommend you avoid purchasing any Verine product over the internet, especially from companies not located in your area who are unable to offer the highest levels of aftersales service.

From design stage to manufacture every effort is taken to produce an appliance that will
provide exceptional and continued standards of safety and performance. Every fire is assessed
and approved by leading independent organisations and rigorously checked by our Quality
Control department before leaving our state-of-the-art facility.

Fires such as the Da Vinci and Distinction offer a complete fireplace suite in stunning stone, while still offering an amazing 83% efficiency rating, while fires such as the Alpena, Midas and Quasar offer a stunning Verine fire for a standard size opening.
The range is topped off by the stunning Carmelo HE If you’re looking for extravagance combined with exceptional heatoutput then the Carmelo HE is the ideal gas fire for you. With a viewing area measuring 1145mm along with an enchanting flame picture this hole-in-the-wall fire is cer tainly a show-stopper, and with a heat output of 6.5kW and 75% net efficiency it provides exceptional performance too. What's more this fire can be installed almost anywhere in the home since it uses a balanced flue system with a choice of horizontal flue, ver tical flue or chimney conversion flue kits available to choose from. Both log and white stone fuel beds are supplied with every fire

Fireplaces Keep You Healthy In Winter!

Fires & Fireplaces can not only help boost the value of a home, but they can also keep occupants fit and healthy, a newly-published paper suggests.

According to research carried out by the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health on behalf of Friends of the Earth, cold housing is still a major problem, even in 21st-century Britain.

Indeed, the study found that illnesses caused by cold housing cost the NHS £145 million a year, mainly due to the need to treat people for respiratory illnesses and hypothermia.

Furthermore, the institute's head of policy David Kidney has noted that this figure is likely to be just "the tip of the iceberg", with a definitive cost to the health service hard to nail down due to the difficulty of linking cold homes with a wide range of illnesses.

Commenting, Friends of the Earth's warm home campaigner Dave Timms said that it is "shocking" that people still have to put up with homes with cold rooms, suggesting property owners invest in good-quality insulation in order to address the problem.

This comes in the same week that MyHammer's Jim Hustwit advised UK homeowners to invest in improvements such as a new fireplace so as to add value to their properties.

Homes Development Selects Energy-Efficient DRU Fires

Kendrick Homes is a builder of Luxury Houses based in Walsall, West Midlands. The company prides itself on its craftmanship and skill in creating both individual and desirable properties throughout the UK. DRU Fires is a leading European manufactuer of contemporary and traditional gas, electric and wood burning fires. Established in 1754, it is a pioneer of fireplace technology, having invented the balanced flue system in the 1930's. Kendrick Homes have selected DRU gas fires for "The Ridings", its latest development of nine individually deesigned executive properties in the much sought-after commuter village of Balsall Common, close to Birmingham and Coventry.
DRU Metro 100XT frameless gas fires are situtated in six of the properties with the other three having DRU Global 70XT models.

Plumber Jailed For Illegal Gas Work

The Health & Safety Executive has successfully prosecuted four plumbers in recent weeks that have been carrying out illegal gas work.
Andrew John Carslake was jailed at Chelmsford Court after he admitted breaching health and safety laws. He recieved six-month prison sentences for two separate offences relating to gas safety offences.
Andrew Carslake was originally given a Health and Safety Executive probation notice in 2008 after a complaint about gas work that he had undertaken, he was then exposed as not being GasSafe registered. By Law, All gas engineers must be on the GasSafe Register.
However, he ignored the prohibition order and continued to carry out further illegal gas work, until he was caught on camera by the BBC's Rogue Traders programme in July 2009. One HSE inspector said " It is illegal for an unregistered person to carry out work on any gas appliances. When unregistered tradesmen try and to bypass the law in this manner, they are not only putting themselves at risk of prosectution and a large fine, they are also endangering the lives of their customers."
"Working with gas appliances is difficult, specialised and potentiall very, very dangerous. The Health & Safety Executive will not hesitate to prosecute those who break the law."
"There is no doubt that Watchdog's Rogue Traders has struck a blow for gas safety with their undercover report. They played a big part in helping us get this case to court and securing justice."
"We applaud their efforts to expose illegal gas work and help the public understand the importance of getting qualified and registered professionals to do their gas work."

In another separate case, a pair of plumbers from Hertfordshire have also been sentenced for illegally working on domestic gas appliances.
Paul Fromet from Cheshunt and Michael Wright of Waltham Cross fitted a boiler in a house in Chevington, Suffolk. After an investigation was carried out by the HSE, Bury St Edmunds Magistrates Court heard that neither plumber was on the Gas Safe Register.
They had installed the boiler, but it had not been adjusted to run on the LPG gas supply in the house. As a result the boiler was producing more than 200 times the recommended level of Carbon Monoxide.
Both men admitted breaching Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998. They recieved a two-year conditional discharge and were ordered to pay court costs of £250 each.

Finally, Enfield-based Tony MacTaggart, who also trades as TJM Heating & Plumbing was found to have lied to homeowners about being on the Gas Safe register.
He had installed a boiler in a house in Cheshunt, but after the owners complained to Gas Safe, inspectors discovered that the boiler was in a very dangerous condition.
MacTaggart had been claiming to be Gas Safe Registered, carried out out and then tricked Registered Engineers into signing off his work by asking them to carry out annual gas safety inspections.
Tony MacTaggart was fined £2,500, ordered to pay full costs of £902 and a victim surcharge of £15.

What Is A Decorative Fire?

A question that i've frequently come across in the industry from consumers is:
What Does It Mean By A Decorative Fire? Aren't All Fires Decorative?

What Does It Mean By A Decorative Fire?

The term decorative fire is used to describe larger open fires such as baskets or the Verine Atina. These fires all have 1 thing in common, a large opening and a large area around the flames in the centre, although this finish does create stunning finish that really showcases the living flame effect inside, this large empty space is unfortunately the reason that these fires are decorative only.

Everyone knows that hot air rises, and as the hot air from the large open flames rises, it rises up the chimney, this natural convection draws air from the room into the fire to be heated and rise up the chimney, this natural air current draws all the warm air up and out the chimney, a normal chimney will draw all the air out of the room every 2 hours.

This natural draw means that all the hot air will rise up the chimney with only radiant heat warming the room, meaning that these fires are incredibly inefficient and shouldn't be relied upon as a source of heat, as it all goes up the chimney!

Aren't All Fires Decorative?

Strictly speaking...Yes! All fires are decorative, they are all part of the decor of the living space so are decorative. But when lit they aren't just decorative, they provide heat as well, which is the main difference between a decorative fire and other gas fires, when lit a decorative fire is just that...decorative! Where as another fire would give out heat as well as showcasing the living flame effect.

Manufacturer Focus: Drugasar

In May 1754, a sales contract was signed for the building of a new blast furnace between Johan Baptist van den Dergh and a few local entrepreneurs in Ulft, the Netherlands. The project was the beginning of the company that is the modern day Drugasar, some 250 years later!
The company is called De Koninklijke Diepenbrock en Reugers if Ulft, or in short Drugasar or DRU.
Drugasar started out as a blast furnace, producing a large range of products from cast iron, DRU pots and pans are still particularly well known. At the beginning of the 1960's when natural gas was discovered in the Netherlands DRU switched to producing gas fireplaces. DRU is now one of the oldest industrial companies in the Netherlands.

Now, Drugasar is a modern company that continues to specialise in producing high-quality and unique fireplaces. It is the largest producer of closed combustion fireplaces in Europe, and has operations in three countries and a dealership that spans most of Europe. This independent company with a well-established foundation is proud of its industrial heritage and has even been awarded the prestigious designation of Supplier to the Royal Dutch Court.


Drugasar Gas and Electric Fires have been designed to bring out the best in your living room – contemporary or traditional.
You will have no shortage of choice, with a large variety of gas and electric fires available, each with its own selection of trim, colour and fuel effect. So you are sure to find a combination that will harmonise with your lifestyle.


"DRU gas fires are not simply pleasing to the eye, they are among the most advanced heating appliances on the planet."

Combining contemporary styling with modern gas technology, DRU gas fires provide all-round warmth and comfort as well as aesthetic appeal.

From simple but stunning frameless fires such as the Metro range, to more traditional designs such as the Passeo (shown right), DRU gas fires provide a wealth of choice.

And with the incredible efficiency of gas fires, especially using the DRU balanced flue system, with up to 85% efficiency, heating your home need not cost a fortune.

Unfortunately even the most beautiful Drugasar gas fire would be worthless if the house did not have a gas connection, or if your preference is for an electric fire, DRU do also do a stunning range of electric fires.

DRU electric fires combine the beauty of contemporary fireplace design with a unique operating system that creates the best realistic fire available anywhere.

The flame pattern is the closest to a gas fire you will ever see. And yet, because of its unique LED technology, it combines a generous 2 kw heat output with remarkably low energy consumption.

Raises In Utility Prices!

Ofgem has launched an official investigation into recent price hikes.Are We Paying Too Much For Our Energy?

Half of the main gas and electricity suppliers in the UK :- British Gas, Scottish & Southern and ScottishPower – have increased their prices in recent weeks. It has also come to light that this price rise increases the profit margins of each of these companies quite considerably! An increase of of around £25 per household, raising profit margins by over 35%!

Last week, ScottishPower said its customers' electricity bills would rise by an average of 8.9% while prices for gas customers would increase by 2%, a considerable amount for even the most energy conscious household! Meanwhile, Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) has put up gas prices by 9.4% since the start of December. British Gas customers also face a 7% rise in utility bills this winter.

Jeremy Cryer from Gocompare.com welcomed the Ofgem investigation. “The £90 profit margin Ofgem refers to could be the difference between a comfortable winter and a miserable one for a lot of households as we move into the most expensive period for energy bills,” he said.

"This review shouldn't just be restricted to investigating recent price rises, however. The energy market is a classic example of one which has been allowed to remain deliberately complex.

“As a result many consumers do not have the confidence to take control of their own energy provision – more than 80% of households have not switched energy supplier in the past 12 months.”

At times like this efficiency becomes even more important, the difference between an open-fronted gas fire that is lucky to achieve 50% efficiency and a glass-fronted HE glas fire such as the Apex Capacious at up to 89% efficiency makes quite a considerable cost difference to run the fire, especially during the winter seasons when these appliances are most depended on.

BREAKING NEWS! New Interior for Drugasar Metro Range

Drugasar have just launched a brand new interior finish to thier Metro range of balanced flue gas fires. Breaking away from the black metal or natural interiors that have previously been available with the Metro range.
They are now available with the Ceraglass interior finish, this new reflective black glass interior lining adds a deeper and more contemporary finish to these already stunning fires, with the flames reflecting back off the glass back panel, projecting more of that wonderful warm glow back into the room.

This innovative new Ceraglass interior finish is so new we don't even have a picture of it yet!

This finish is available now from The Fireplace Megastore.

The Burley Perception

Burley have recently unveiled another high-quality flueless gas fire, adding to their existing range of popular flueless models such as the Ambience, Environ and Acumen.
The new flueless gas fire has been unveiled as the Burley Fires Perception Catalytic Flueless Gas Fire, this new model adds even more choice for the unlucky few without a chimney or flue.

The Perception features a solid cast iron front, giving a feel of quality that can sometimes be lacking on other inset fires using a slightly flimsy trim on the exterior. The Perception follows in the line of quality Burley products, with the company going from strength to strength since starting in 1975 and now sells it's products all over the world!

The contemporary design of this fire is available in Black, Brass and Silver to suite most interior design, the contemporary fret also breaks tradition from the very conventional frets found on many other fires and offers smooth curves that soften the appearance of the fire and help the fire fit in with its surroundings.

Available in both manual and remote control options this Burley fire boasts 100% efficiency and a 2.5kW heat output, making it an ideal compliment to existing heating systems. The fire also boasts the added flexibility of being able to be both inset and outset using the additional spacer, also available is the cavity wall box for when the fire is inset, this helps keep all the heat from the fire in the room instead of letting some of the heat rise up inside the brick cavity and possibly cause damage to the internal structures.

As this Burley flueless gas fire does not rely on a chimney, it provides an unsurpassed level of safety to which a conventionally flued fire could only dream of! Flues and chimneys can become blocked or badly affected affected by down-draughts. Burley flueless gas fires are designed to burn the gas extremely cleanly without a flue. The burnt gases are then passed through a catalytic converter, very similar to the one of the average car! Every Burley flueless gas fire has an oxygen depletion sensor which constantly monitors the air quality in the room. If the level of oxygen drops by just 1.5%, the fire automatically shuts down. Burley’s production method is unique. Every flueless gas fire ever made by Burley has been test run for 30 minutes, during which numerous combustion and safety tests.

Save Money Now!

As I write this post it is only 58 days, 14 hours and 22 minutes until the Sales tax is rising by 2.5 percentage points to 20% starting on 4 January, 2011, as part of the coalition government’s plans to reduce the UK budget deficit.

Although this may not sound much that 2.5% could have a very big impact on the price of the fireplace you are looking to purchase. For example the Drugasar Metro 100XT Balanced Flue Gas Fire, one of the most popular Hole-In-The-Wall style gas fires, producing 6.3kW of heat energy at up to 70% efficiency, this high quality and stunningly contemporary gas fire would go up in price by over £50! this quite sharp price increase could take away money that could take this amazing fire over your budget!

The Drugasar Metro 100XT would go in price by over £50!

Electric fires arent exempt from the VAT rise either with the Apex Intense Hang-On-The-Wall electric fire with a stunning flame effect and high-quality black granite fascia would go up in price by over £30. This raise is price is equal in cost to running the 2kW silent heater on high constantly for over 250 hours! That means that buying the fire before Christmas without the extra 2.5% VAT would save you enough money to have the fire on the low 1kW heat setting from the 22nd of December, all the way through the festive season until the 5th of January! Or, phrasing it another way, that £30 saving would run the flame effect constantly for 5 years!

Buy now and save enough money to run the heater on low for 3 weeks!

Purchasing a multi-fuel stove before the 2.5% increase would certainly make sense, with that extra 2.5% working out at being nearly nearly £30 on the Vermont Castings Intrepid III multi-fuel stove, that £30 would go a long was towards getting the stove installed, or pay for that first load of fuel to store for the festive season, there is nothing better than sitting in front of a cracking log stove when it is cold and dark outside!

So if you're thinking about purchasing a gas or electric fire or stove, it would certainly be worth while and purchase before Christmas to save that extra 2.5%, it's amazing how far that 2.5% can take you.

Guilty Of Wasting Energy!

A recently published report from the Office for National Statistics, 40% of people admit that they have not taken any action to reduce the use of energy in the home. The National EPC Company also claim that many are still turning the other cheek when it comes to doing their part in the effort to stop climate change. I myself can admit to being guilty of this, I leave lights on when i've left the room and leave my TV on standby almost constantly!

The National EPC Company was established in 2007 and currently supplies more that 85,000 Energy Performance Certificates (shown right) each year. The National EPC Company claim that 40% of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions result from choices people make as individuals, with the majority of carbon dioxide coming from the home.
It adds that the Office For National Statistics (ONS) report revealed that 56% of domestic energy is used for space. The Energy Saving Trust has estimated that the average property owner could save up to and over £300 annually on fuel bills by carrying out some of the basic recommendations outlined in the Energy Performance Certificate which shows how efficient a property is, as a building, it is then provided with an A to G rating depending on perfomance. An example of which can be found here.

Even simple measures such as wall insulation, draught excluders and double glazing can create huge reductions in the amount of energy used, the CO2 emissions and, more often than not the most important factor, Money.

As the colder seasons draw closer and more and more people turn on their central heating and crowd aruond the open gas fire for heat, there is another appliance that can be made more efficient and also provide more heat into the room.

By replacing an old, inefficient open gas fire with a high efficiency gas fire then you can prevent the loss of most of the heat up the chimney and also reduce some of the problems of drafts that an open fire can create.

Fires such as the Flavel Caress HE gas fire provide the perfect solution to replacing an aging and in-efficient gas fire, This fire is ideal for a more traditional setting with the cast trim and the traditionl polished and black fret, but don't be fooled by the traditional appearance, this fire uses high-quality and modern technology to provide a 4kW maximum heat output and a very impressive 89% efficiency rating, effectively doubling the efficiency of a normal open fronted gas fire, while retaining the traditional look and feel.

For a more modern approach then something like the Verine Meridian would certainly be the way to go, this modern and contemporary gas fire does away with the traditional trim and fret combination, affording a large viewing window and uniterrupted views of the realistic log fuel effect and dancing flame effect.

This modern fire boasts up to 87% efficiency with will pump out 4kW of heat energy and with the bronze & champagne or all champagne finishes create a very distinctive and european feel to this fire and features the choice of either black, brick or cream firebacks to suit with almost any interior styling.

These are just a couple of the High Efficiency gas fires that available from places such as Fireplace Megastore or Fireworld, they are available in almost any style or size from Hole In The Wall style to gas fire to highly efficient gas stoves.

Verine Midas HE Gas Fire

The Verine Midas HE is an incredibly efficient and versatile slimline inset fire. It is suitable for virtually any chimney or flue allowing people to experience the glow and aura of sitting in front of a living flame gas fire.

The Verine Midas HE is a glass-fronted, inset gas fire that boasts an incredible 89% efficiency rating and includes safety features such as an oxygen depletion sensor and a flame supervision device, both of which increase the safety of the fire considerably.

This Verine fire boasts a 3.2kW maximum heat output, this is both convected and radiated heat. The radiated heat comes directly from the fire, much like a radiator. While the convected heat is provided via an air channel around the back of the fire, this allows air to travel behind the fire and heated before exiting at the top, this natural air circulation helps move the warm air around the room.

This trim on this fire is available in five different styles, Profile, Slimline, Designer, Curved and Essence and these are available in brass, silver and black with the designer trim available in a variety of combinations. The trim is not the only part of this fire that comes with a choice of finishes, the front fret detail is also available in five different styles, Blenheim, Bauhaus, Edwardian, Media and Elegance. Again, much like the trim these can be ordered in Black, Polished Steel or Brass with the Blenheim trim available in an additional antique finish.

This wide range of finishes and trims provides the ultimate flexibility to allow the fire to order the fire to coordinate with the existing decor of the house, meaning this fire would work well in either a traditionally furnished or the most avante-garde and up-to-date of living rooms.

The fire illustrated above would look great in a more modern living room with lighter coloured walls and a marble or limestone surround, The Midas HE is fitted with the Designer Stainless Steel Black trim and the Polished Elegance Fret. The darkness of the black painted areas contrasts and highlights the polished stainless steel sections areas, this creates a very modernist finish, draw attention to the dancing flames and the realistic coal fuel effect. This helps the fire become the focal point of the living room and when lit allows the heat and warmth project out into the room and fill the living room with the warm glow so eagerly sought after during the cold winter months.