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.

Drugasar Diablo

The Drugasar Diablo Balance Flue Gas Fire would be a great addition to any modern living room without a chimney or flue as long as there is an exterior wall. The balanced flue nature of this fire allows the exhaust gases to vent either up and out through the outside wall or vertically through the roof and The unique fully outset design requires no hole for the fire to be fitted into, it is simply mounted on the wall with the flue pipe coming out of the top of the fire. As a fully outset gas fire the Drugasar Diablo 90 projects 375mm into the room from the wall and requires no surround, hearth or back panel which traditional fires require and this helps add to the “hanging” effect and creates the modernist finish but this outset projection may dominate and overpower a smaller room.

The Diablo is available in either LPG or natural gas and can be finished in Anthracite, Alu-Metallic, Sand-Metallic and Stainless Steel and would look good in almost any modern living room and with a heat output of 4Kw and up to 74% efficiency is more than capable of heating the standard living room. The Diablo includes a discreet access panel to light pilot light and control the fire manually but also comes complete with a remote control so that once the pilot light is lit you can sit back, relax and control your fire from the comfort of your seat.

The bold strong lines and square edges of the Diablo fire give a very Bauhaus and modernist feel to draw attention to the log fuel effect and real dancing flames while the completely self-contained “hanging” design of this fire uniquely features glass on three sides which further adds to the modernist look and feel.
When finished in Alu-Metallic, Sand-Metallic or Stainless Steel the dark anthracite of the optional flue pipe cover above the fire and the base beneath contrast with the frame to further highlight and draw attention to the Drugasar Diablo. This helps make the Drugasar Diablo the focal point of the room and the unique three-sided viewing window would fill the room with warmth and glow to really allow you to experience the log fire effect.

Apex Prophecy Electric Fire

The Apex Prophecy Gas Inset Fire breaks from the traditional inset fire featuring a fret and frame, this 4 sided inset gas fire is inset into a fireplace surround and is available in five different frame finishes and six different back lining and is available to run on either natural gas or LPG via a class one or two chimney or flue with an inset depth of 338mm.
This contemporary frame design would fit with most modern interiors and would provide ample heat output at 4.75Kw and 76% efficiency to heat the average living room and with the inclusive remote control would allow you to adjust the fire without leaving the comfort of the sofa.
The Apex Prophecy can be finished in Gold, Burgundy, Colorado Silver, Holographic Black and Satin Black with the fireback in Reeded, Plain or Brick effect in either black or beige so it can be customised to fit in with most home modern or contemporary decor style.
A more traditional yet contemporary look could be created using this fire with the gold effect frame and beige back inside a neutral coloured surround to showcase the strong modern lines of the frame while utilising harmonious colours to create a more traditional feel.
This modern inset fire looks great with the Black Satin frame and black brick lining in a neutral coloured surround really attracts the eye with the strong lines of the frame and bold colour that draws attention to the log fuel effect and realistic dancing flames, contrasting with the neutral colours in the room to create a focal point and make the fire the centre of attention.

Brilliant Newdawn Electric Fire

The Brilliant Newdawn is a brand new and unique electric fire from Brilliant Fires.
This revolutionary new electric fire can be ordered in 100 different colours so it can be ordered to match or contrast almost any wall colour in any room in the house as it is designed to be hung on the wall and does not need to be inset in any way.
Design B features mock four-piece trim with right angled corners to give the illusion of the trim being made up of four separate pieces of Corian, this adds a more post-modern and classic effect to the fire, especially when finished in a darker colour such as Cocoa Brown or Black Quartz. While design A has rounded corners and no mock four-piece detailing and is a very modern and contemporary design.
The revolutionary Newdawn Electric, only projecting 75mm from the wall features either pebble or traditional driftwood fuel effect combined with LED’s to create a deceptively deep and realistic looking fire while being extremely energy efficient when used as flame effect only. The fireback comes in either traditional brick fireback to add to the illusion that the fire is set into the wall or in the modern slatted fireback to give a more modern and contemporary feel.
This fire would be perfect, with its thermostatically controlled electric fan heater generating up to 2Kw in heat for almost any room in the house and can be used purely to add to the ambience with the flame effect only setting.
Design A or B would both fit perfectly in any modern or contemporarily furnished home in a colour that would either compare or contrast to the primary colour of the room.