Some Myths about Fires & Fireplaces

As the heating season approaches incredibly quickly, with some suppliers and fitters reporting that business is already starting to pick up as the nights get longer and cooler, we thought we'd take a look into some of the common myths and misconceptions related to fires, fireplaces and stoves.

Glass Fronted Fires Give Out Less Heat and Do Not Look As Good Than Open Fronted Ones
One of the most common misconceptions I hear when visiting showrooms is the question "Will I still get heat from it with a glass front?" The answer is an overwhelming yes and going with a glass fronted fire over an open fronted model.
As heat rises it creates an area of low pressure and actually draws other air from the room into the fire, with an open fire this can cause a complete change of the air in the room up to 12 times an hour! meaning that a majority of the heat is being list up the chimney with an open fronted gas fire. While a glass fronted fire actually controls the airflow through the fire and up the chimeny, with fires such as the Apex Capacious HE, currently available from the Fireplace Megastore at just £529.
Most glass fronted gas fires also feature a convection box, this is a passage around the back of the fire for cool air to be drawn in and warmed as it passes around the fire and then circulate around the room, this helps boost the efficiency and also means you get convected heat as well as the warm radiant heat off the fire.
In terms of appearance most feedback I have heard is that the glass is only really visible when the fire is off and light is reflecting off it, but when lit the glass is almost invisible and does not detract from the overall appearance as many people assume it would.

Flueless Fires Cause Large Amounts Of Condensation
Another myth that has been blown out of proportion is that Catalytic Flueless gas fires cause heavy amounts of condensation on walls and other surfaces. It is true that flueless gas fires burn with a "wet" flame carrying water vapour into the air, however as they are designed as a complementary source of heat then the room itself should normally be of a temperature that would inhibit condensation forming. This water vapour will also quickly be dispersed around the house due to natural airflow. We found the Smeg gas fire (left) on Fireplace Supermarket

 I Don't Have A Chimney So I Can't Have A Gas Fire
One of the most common misconceptions is that because your house doesnt have a chimney (most newbuild houses don't as chimenys are actually very expensive to build) doesn't mean you can enjoy the luxury of a fireplace. If you do not have a gas supply present then places such as Fireworld have a great selection of electric suites that can be just stood up against a flat wall and plugged in to instantly give that feel of a fireplace. If you do have a gas supply you can still have a gas fire or stove in your living room, there is the option for balanced flue or powerflue gas fires, these either use natural air circulation or a high-pressure extractor fan on the outside wall to draw the exhaust gases out. When combined with a surround these can create a very realistic focal point and a great complement to existing heating. Fireplace Megastore currently have one balanced flue gas stove on special offer as well as the Apex Samson balanced flue gas fire on live display for you to experience.

Drugasar Update

A couple of week ago we paid a visit to our friends at Drugasar and their Innovations Roadshow, they had some very exciting news, they adding to their Metro range, with more details to follow as soon as it is launched!

They also shared with us the below image of one of thier Metro Fires with the Ceraglass interior! I think it really adds something that isn't quite matched by the standard black or natural interior. The flames reflecting the warm glow back into the room add that extra depth that makes the flames even more alluring! Although it is a little extra I think it would certainly add that extra wow factor! While the natural interior certainly gives the traditional log fire feel the relfexive black glass interior adds a very modern and cutting edge finish.

We also had a demostration of the Drugasar PowerVent® system that will allow your Drugasar balanced flue fire to be installed almost anywhere in your property, allowing even more flexibility to that already offered by the standard balanced flue system. But we will have more news about each product as they are officially launched. For now, we leave you with a video of the Metro 100XT Tunnel, what better way to make a design statement and separate two rooms than to use the Metrol 100XT Tunnel.

Apex Clarkdale Power Flue Gas Fire with Draft Barricade

The Apex Clarkdale is designed for use in house without a chimney or flue. The Clarkdale is a Power or Fan Flue type fire which unlike conventional fires uses a high pressure extractor fan situated on the exterior wall of the house to draw the products of combustion out of the room.

The Clarkdale is 60% efficient and gives out 4.2kW of heat which is more than adequate to heat a standard living room, but unlike other power flue type fires that will experience a slight draft from outside when the fire is not in opreation the Apex Clarkdale features a Unique Draft Barricade Poweflue system, which minimises the usual draft found in standard Fan Flue systems, by closing the external vent when the fire is not on, and stopping any heat within the room from escaping from the outside wall.

The fire is available in Black, Brass or Silver trim which allows the fire to be coordinated with the existing style of the room, this flexibility allows the Clarkdale to fit well in either traditional or contemporarily furnished living rooms, available with a realistic coal fuel effect and remote control as standard allowing control of the fire from around the room.

To create a modern and contemporary focal point in the living room the Apex Clarkdale could be utilised with the silver trim and the Apex Alabama silver trim to create an eye-catching and contemporary silver fireplace. The Clarkdale could then be unitied with a Katell Farnham Wooden Surround in natural oak and black granite back and hearth to really draw attention to the fire and help project the warm glow into the room.

Power Flue or Fan Flue Gas Fires

These fires essentially are the same as the conventional flue standard fires, with one major difference. Instead of an opening in the top of the fire to allow the fumes to vent through up to the chimney or flue, it has a high pressure extractor positioned on the exterior of the building. This means rather than the passive draw of heat movement up the flue you have a powerful fan sucking out the fumes as well as the majority of the heat.

Most Power Flue fire (otherwise known as Fan Flue Fires) are around 10% efficient, which is a phenomenal expense for a decorative flame. These fires have a higher input than standard fires as the efficiency is so low they require the extra input to provide a similar output to the room, because of this several UK manufacturers have now stopped producing these models. It is also advised that the Government will be forcing manufacturers to cease producing the items for reasons of efficiency and carbon foot printing. The last thing to take into consideration is that all Poweflue systems require an electricity source which means not only are you using gas but also electricity to power a fan, this figure is never included in efficiency ratings. It also means that should you have no electricity for a power shortage then the fire will not turn on.

There is one product on the market which has a very unique feature, not only is it 60% efficient it has a draft barricade appliance on the exterior, contained within the fan flue. TheApex Clarkdale Draft Barricade Power Flue Gas Fire, actually shuts the opening through the wall when the fire turns off, this reduces drafts, increasing the efficiency of your home, so for those whos only option is a Powerflue this is the fire to look at.

Kinder Fires

Kinder Fireplaces are now available from Fireplace Megastore, they have all the Oasis Fires, including the Oasis HE, Oasis Conventional Fire, and the Oasis Camber Frame Fire. Call them on 0845 301 5552

• Kinder Fires Black Magic Powerflue Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Black Magic Powerflue Gas Fire is a modern gas fire for homes without a chimney with coal fuel effect, contemporary textured black fascia, natural gas

• Kinder Fires Camber Inset Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Camber Inset Gas Fire is a modern gas fire with open front, manual or remote control, pebble fuel effect, suitable for class 1, 2 prefabricated & precast flues with a max heat output of 3.3Kw

• Kinder Fires Camber Powerflue Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Camber Powerflue Gas Fire is a modern gas fire for homes without a chimney with pebble fuel effect, choice of brass, chrome or black, natural gas

• Kinder Fires Concept Hole in the Wall Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Concept is a Contemporary hole in the wall gas fire designed for homes with a class 1 chimney or class 2 prefabricated flue, dancing flame effect with log fuelbed , remote control, open fronted available in natural gas

• Kinder Fires Dakota Balanced Flue Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Dakota Gas Fire is a modern balanced flue gas fire designed for homes without a chimney or flue with coal fuel effect, manual control, choice of black, silver or brass finish, natural gas with a maximum heat output of 2.8Kw

• Kinder Fires Genoa Portuguese Limestone Fireplace Surround
  Kinder Fires Genoa Fireplace Surround is a Solid Real Portuguese Limestone fireplace available in 1 size only, Suitable for use with most gas & electric fires with a 75mm rebate.

• Kinder Fires Kalahari Inset Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Kalahari Inset Gas Fire is a modern gas fire with open front, manual, slide or remote control, suitable for class 1, 2 prefabricated & precast flues with a maximum heat output of 3.3Kw

• Kinder Fires Kalahari Powerflue Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Kalahari Powerflue Gas Fire is a modern gas fire for homes without a chimney with coal fuel effect, optional slide control, choice of brass, chrome or black, natural gas or liquid propane

• Kinder Fires Kamina Hang on the Wall Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Kamina Hang on the Wall Gas Fire is a modern glass fronted gas fire with unique flame effect, remote control, available in black glass, suitable for class 1 chimneys or prefab & precast flues, maximum heat output of 4Kw

• Kinder Fires Nevada Inset Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Nevada Inset Gas Fire is a modern gas fire with open front, manual, slide or remote control, coal or pebble fuel effect, suitable for class 1, 2 prefabricated & precast flues with a max heat output of 3.3Kw

• Kinder Fires Nevada Powerflue Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Nevada Powerflue Gas Fire is a modern gas fire for homes without a chimney with coal or pebble fuel effect, choice of brass, chrome or black, natural gas

• Kinder Fires Oasis 16 inch Inset Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Oasis Inset Gas Fire is a modern gas fire with open front, manual, slide or remote control, suitable for class 1, 2 prefabricated flues with a maximum heat output of 4Kw

• Kinder Fires Oasis HE High Efficiency Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Oasis HE High Efficiency Gas Fire is a modern gas fire with glass front, manual, slide or remote control, suitable for class 1, 2 prefabricated flues with a maximum heat output of 4Kw and efficiency rating of 89%

• Kinder Fires Verona Portuguese Limestone Fireplace Surround
  Kinder Fires Verona Fireplace Surround is a Solid Real Portuguese Limestone fireplace available in 1 size only, Suitable for use with most gas & electric fires with a 75mm rebate.

• Kinder Proclaim HE Hole in the Wall Gas Fire
  Kinder Fires Proclaim HE Gas Fire is a high efficiency Contemporary hole in the wall, dancing flame effect with Log of fuelbed, remote control, glass fronted available in natural gas only

• Kinder Cameo Hole in the Wall Gas fire
  The petite dimensions of the Cameo HE make it perfect for modern living areas where space can be at a premium. This stunning high efficiency hole-in-the-wall fire comes with a highly realistic log fuel bed and is available in a choice of black or cream ribbed back panels and a variety of stylish, dual colour designer fascias in bronze and champagne, black and silver or black and black.
• Kinder Cameo Hole in the Wall Balanced Flue Gas fire
  The petite dimensions of the Cameo HE make it perfect for modern living areas where space can be at a premium. This stunning high efficiency hole-in-the-wall fire comes with a highly realistic log fuel bed and is available in a choice of black or cream ribbed back panels and a variety of stylish, dual colour designer fascias in bronze and champagne, black and silver or black and black.
• Kinder Da Vinci High Efficiency Gas Fire Suite
  "This stunning fireplace is sure to be the centre of attention in any home. Its highly realistic log fuel bed is complemented by a beautiful and mesmerising lazy flame. The classically designed surround will suit any decor and with a choice of brick effect or black ribbed back panels and Limestone or Travertine surround you can create either a traditional and contemporary look. This balanced flue fire features an incredible 83% efficiency and is operated by a fully automatic thermostatic remote control with programmable timer . A chimney conversion kit is available for installation into a standard brick chimney."
• Kinder Eden HE High Efficiency Hole-in-the-wall Fire
  "This glass fronted landscape hole-in-the-wall fire has an incredible 83% net efficiency and up to 5.2kW heat output. It features an enchanting flame picture and comes with a choice of log or white stone fuel bed. The Eden HE has been designed as a trimless fire for a very minimalist appearance, or team with an optional designer a trim for a more prominent centerpiece."
me picture and comes with a choice of log or white stone fuel bed. The Eden HE has been designed as a trimless fire for a very minimalist appearance, or team with an optional designer a trim for a more prominent centerpiece."
• Kinder Fires Kalahari High Efficiency Gas Fire
  The Kalahari high efficiency natural gas fire has taken all of the positives from the standard Kalahari gas fire and Kalahari power flue gas fire and created a high efficiency fire, which differs from the previous offering 78% efficiency with radiant and convected heat supplying an output of 3.2kW and most notably the Kinder Kalahari HE fire is glass fronted. The high efficiency Kalahari is available with a number of different trims, and can therefore be paired up with an existing fret or one from the extensive Kinder range. The fuel effects available on this exceptional natural gas fire are traditional coal fuel effect or realistic pebble fuel bed effect, and the Kalahari comes with the flame supervision devise (FSD) that stops the flow of gas should the flame become unstable or go out. This feature has been added for additional safety and additional piece of mind.
• Kinder Fires Proclaim Balanced Flue Gas Fire
  Kinder have taken the popular, stylish, and high efficient hole in the wall gas fire, the Kinder Proclaim, and made a balanced flue, (BF) version. This Proclaim has a fantastic efficiency of 87% and improved maximum heat output of 5.5kW. The balanced flue version has been created for people who don’t have access to a conventional chimney or flue. The Kinder Proclaim balanced flue takes the flue directly through an immediate external wall, drawing oxygen from the outside and releasing fumes to the outside too. The balanced flue version like the conventional flue version offers three stylish finishes and realistic log fuel bed effect and comes with a battery operated remote control as standard.