Hole In The Wall Fires - A Simple Guide

Just over a decade ago a hole-in-the-wall gas fire was almost impossible to find, with most fires stilll following a traditional period design, while looking brilliant and doing a great job at replicating the look of a real fire, will give out very little heat into the room and uses a very large amount of gas.
Oh how the world has changed, we're less than a month into 2012, the Olympic year, and there 99 products on Fireplace Megastore alone under Hole In The Wall Gas Fires, Class 1 and 2. That doesn't include any Balanced flue or Catalytic Flueless fires that further add to the available options.
An incredible number of UK manufacturer's have created designs, as well as European manufacturers such as Drugasar, have introduced or imported an amazing array of gas fires. You can still get the traditional basket style, some of which have been improved to offer a better heat output..

The most basic open-fronted hole-in-the-wall design is open-fronted, much like the Verine Atina, look realistic but at least 90% of all heat disappears up the chimney and research actually indicates that some designs actually remove heat from the room. Realism tends to change proportionally to efficiency. In terms of looks, inset convector fires, are realistic with contemporary surrounding metalwork and open front. Efficiency is far better than an hole-in-the-wall design and typically around 35 – 40%. Most efficient, but not realistic in some people’s view, is the glass-fronted, gas-inset, hole-in-the-wall fire, such as the Drugasar Global 90 or Apex Influence. Its glass front gives efficiencies of 70% plus, particularly when the design utilises a balanced flue (which requires no chimney– Drugasar are one of the principle manufacturers of balanced flue fires). Not all glass fronted designs are balanced flue – chimney flues and fanned flues are also common. Hole-in-the-wall fires are available with all the popular fuel effects.Although coals remain the most popular choice (and the most realistic), logs come a good second with new fuel effects like dancing flames, pebbles, driftwood and twigs also popular. Traditional hole-in-the-wall designs need coal or log effects – the more modern options simply look out of place.

Electrical Designs
There are a growing number of electric hole in the wall design. These have a number of advantages in that they do not need chimneys or other flues, are often quite shallow in depth and may simply hang on the wall. Like most electric fires, a maximum of 2 kW of heat is available from a built-in, fanned convector.Some, such as the Drugasar Metro 80e, are available as the highly contemporary frameless finish, but most offer that simple hang on the wall installation.

Bio-Ethanol

A recent addition to the hole in the wall range of fires available, and besides electric fires amoung the easiest to install. Unlike gas fires they do not require a chimney, flue or vent in the room and provide 100% efficiency. Another advantage of such fires means that unlike gas fires that require a Gas Installer to service the appliance every 12 months, most bioethanol fires feature only 1 moving part so are incredibly reliable.

Surrounds
A hole-in-the-wall fire is not complete without a surround. Although some people like a design that is just a rectangular alcove in the wall, most want the fire to be surrounded with some sort of fireplace. Marble and stone are the favoured materials for the surround and will probably have to be cut to size for your installation. If you use stone, make sure that it does not have a direct flame playing on the stone as some types can degrade dramatically in these conditions. Marble fireplaces can be made out of natural or conglomerate marble. However, conglomerate marble will start to disintegrate at high temperatures and is more suitable for gas fires. Also consider a brick surround. This will have to be tailor made for your fireplace but bricks are a robust hole-in-the-wall material that will stand high levels of thermal shock.

Installation
Hole-in-the-wall installation can be expensive. If you have an existing chimney, your installer will have to
‘break into’ it above the normal fireplace opening. This probably means inserting a lintel above the new opening to support the chimney brickwork. Below the new opening, the brickwork will have to be built up to the level required for your particular design. It is possible to build a false chimney breast for your proposed hole-in-the-wall fire. This would allow a flue to rise vertically from a conventionally-flued gas or solid fuel design and would accommodate the depth of the unit itself. Check with the instructions of the fire you choose as it will stipulate minimum distances that the fire can be sited from combustible materials.Some hole-in-the-wall fires do not require hearths while other do. For gas fires this depends on what was agreed when the fire was tested for conformity to European standards. Check on the requirements for the fire you want to purchase. If a hearth is required, for a open gas fire, it must be at least 50mm thick, overlap the burning area of the fire by at least 150 mm and project at least 300 mm in front of the foremost flames of burning fuel. It can be either mounted directly below the floor or a ground level – the former option is normally unacceptable on aesthetic grounds. Balanced flue hole-in-the-wall fires are growing in popularity, particularly manufacturers such as Drugasar, Site them on an outside wall and you can forget all the problems of moving lintels, etc.

What Is LPG?

Liquefied petroleum gas (also called LPG, GPL, LP Gas, or liquid propane gas) is a flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel in heating appliances and vehicles.
 LPG is composed primarily of propane and butane, while natural gas is composed of the lighter methane and ethane. LPG, vaporised and at atmospheric pressure, has a higher calorific value (94 MJ/m³ equivalent to 26.1kWh/m³) than natural gas (methane) (38 MJ/m³ equivalent to 10.6 kWh/m³), which means that LPG cannot simply be substituted for natural gas.

Predominantly in rural parts of the UK, LPG can provide an alternative to electricity and heating oil. LPG is most often used where there is no access to piped natural gas.LPG can be stored in a variety of ways. LPG, as with other fossil fuels, can be combined with renewable power sources to provide greater reliability while still achieving some reduction in CO₂ emissions. But just because you are restricted to LPG does not mean you cannot have an attractive an efficienct heating appliance. One website has over 200 different fires, fire baskets, stoves and wall heaters capable of running on LPG. Everything from the versatile yet stylish Drugasar Style range of balanced flue wall heaters, ideal for community buildings, warehouses or even office spaces to the incredibly stylish and affordable Verine Atina XL with cream stone fascia for designer living.
More traditional items are also available in LPG such as the Esse 500 Flueless gas stove, combining a traditionally cast iron body with the latest in Catalytic Flueless gas fire technology to create a stove that requires no flue while giving up an impressive 3.3kW of heat.
So while using LPG may restrict your options slightly it doesnt mean you can't have the fire of your dreams and spent many a cold wintery night in front of it and enjoying the ambience only a living flame can bring.

Manufacturer Focus: BFM Europe

In this edition of manufacturer focus we look at probably one of the largest manufacturer's in the industry, BFM Europe. Producers of Verine, Flavel, Kinder, Portway and Celsi fires, producing everything from the Portway Steel and Cast Iron Stoves and the traditional Flavel Outset Gas Fires, to more contemporary gas and electric fires such as the Verine Carmelo HE, Kinder Limours and not forgetting the incredibly popular Celsi electric fires.
With both manufacture and design facilities at thier Stoke-On-Trent location BFM Europe has grown into one of the fastest growing manufacturer's in the country, with an increasing reputation for quality and service. With all the brands offering a minimum of 12 months warranty, with Flavel offering 3 years, Verine 5 years and Kinder offering 7 years warranty. Showing just how much faith they have in their products. 

The company is based in Stoke-on-Trent with a 51,000 sq ft purpose built plant, housing the most up-to-date manufacturing, sales and training facilities in the industry, including:

• The latest CNC sheet metal technology that guarantees precision engineering.
• An experienced R&D department, constantly developing innovative products and pushing the boundaries of technology and aesthetics.
• A purpose built laboratory for testing prototypes and pre-production models.

"At BFM Europe we know how important it is to create a stylish and relaxing living environment. That's why we have developed this collection of fires and stoves to suit all tastes and purposes. I believe our success stems from a combination of innovative design, investment in technology and the highest quality manufacturing standards. This website has been designed to make the purchase of your new fire as simple as possible. I hope you find it both informative and inspiring." Michael Miller, Managing Director

High-Efficiency Fires Help Gas Bills Fall By 2 Percent

According to British Gas, average gas bills fell 2% in the first three months of 2010, despite the coldest winter for a generation. The average gas bill – between January and March of this year – for the 8m homes supplied by the company fell to £373, compared to £381 in the same period of 2009.

A large part of the reason for this is that consumers are increasingly seeing the benefits of installing more efficient central heating boilers and gas fires. For example, if you have an open fronted gas fire that is over 5 years old, it could be as little as 25% efficient, using as much as 9.45kW of energy to generate only 2.4kW of heat, with the rest of the heat going straight up your chimney.Fireplace Supermarket's latest gas fires, such as the innovative Apex Capacious and Verine Orbis models are contributing towards this gas efficiency trend. They are incredibly energy efficient of up to 89% so under 5kW of gas being used to put 4kW of heat into your living room. This means that by upgrading your old open fronted gas fire to a high efficiency glass fronted fire, you can save 57% on your gas fuel costs and have 46% more heat.

Buy British: Fires & Stoves

These are troubling times for Britain's manufacturing sector, once a relative bright spot in the country's lacklustre recovery, which contracted at its fastest pace in more than two years in October, as new orders plummeted.

But at a time when the weather is closing in and people are looking to replace their fire or stove, many will simply head down to their local DIY or home-improvement store and buy an off-the-shelf stove or fire. However there is quite a high likelihood that these stoves and fires were built overseas, while there may be nothing wrong with stoves and fires, they may serve and satisfy all your heating needs. 

However it is always nice to know exactly where your stove or fire has been built. In this article we have a look at some of the most popular British products on the market and have a look into where they are created.

The Portway 2 Multi fuel stove is a contemporary steel stove which features a large viewing window and is exceptionally easy to operate.

With a choice of 2 stove colours; charcoal or black, and 3 leg heights this is a highly versatile stove.

Features: 

• Exemption from the Clean Air Act 1993 and suitable for smokeless zones as recommended by DEFRA
• Top or rear 125mm (5”) flue connection
• Simple operating controls
• Airwash to keep the glass window clean and clear
• Easy access, easy carry ashpan
• Tough, 5mm thick steel stove body
• Cast iron door and grates 

You can also choose to customise your stove with our range of decorative window inserts or vitreous enamel doors in Ruby Red or Arctic Grey.

The Portway Range of stoves are built by BFM Europe, the company is based in Stoke-on-Trent with a 51,000 sq ft purpose built plant, housing the most up-to-date manufacturing, sales and training facilities in the industry, including the latest sheet metal technology, R&D department and purpose built laboratories.
The Portway range are showroom exclusive, meaning you CANNOT purchase them online, however you can view and purchase the stove from Fireplace Megastore

Paragon & Matchless are both part of Charlton & Jenrick, startedby two friends in 1986 and based in Telford they produce a wide range of gas and electric fires, ranging from the stunning Chorus hole in the wall gas fire to the Quartet balanced flue fire and a stunning range of electric fires. Twenty four years later the Charlton & Jenrick Group moved into new premises, although just a stones throw from the original premises, are very substantially larger at 42,000sqft. It will be home to the group's gas fire manufacturing and product development operations, which employs 43 people.
The group is now a major player in the fireplace market employing over 120 staff across 3 sites in the UK and sales in excess of £12m. With it's 4 main brands, Katell, Paragon, Fireline & Matchless they are involved in almost all product groups including gas and electric fires, timber, marble & stone fireplaces and suites plus wood burning stoves.  

This high efficiency balanced flue fire is the Verine Marcello balanced flue gas fire, perfect for modern homes without a chimney or flue and features a natural stone fuel bed. The Marcello can be wall hung or inset into most external walls with stainless steel trim.

This stunning gas fire is almost unique in that it can be hung on the wall or inset so not to protrude into the room. While boasting a massive 87% efficiency meaning you wont be wasting energy while heating your living room, boasting 4.2kW of heat output, enough for even some of the larger living spaces

Much like The Portway Range of stoves, The Verine Marcello is built by BFM Europe, the company is based in Stoke-on-Trent with a 51,000 sq ft purpose built plant, housing the most up-to-date manufacturing, sales and training facilities in the industry, including the latest sheet metal technology, R&D department and purpose built laboratories.

The cheapest we found it was at Fireworld HERE

Verine Orbis Plus - High Efficiency Full Depth Gas Fire

The Verine Orbis Plus full depth open-fronted high efficiency gas fire provides an incredible 74% net efficiency and the appearance of a real coal fire.

The Verine Orbis Plus is our first full depth open-fronted high efficiency gas fire. You can now achieve the look of a real open coal fire at an incredible 73% net efficiency. It features a mesmerizing and highly realistic coal fuel bed making this product one of the closest things you can get to a real coal fire and comes with the almost standard Flame Supervision Device (FSD) and Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS) for safety.
Suitable for installation into standard brick chimneys the Orbis Plus comes in a choice of manual, slide, easy flame or remote control and can be styled to suit your home with our wide range of trims and frets ensuring you'll get the product that is just right for you.

Keep your eyes peeled, this Higher Efficiency gas fire wil soon be available from retailers such as Fireworld, Fireplace Supermarket and Fireplace Megastore

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

Verine Marcello

The Verine Marcello is a wall mounted high efficiency gas fire. The Marcello doesn’t require a chimney, just an outside wall through which the hot exhaust gases are vented away and the fresh air drawn in. This stunning contemporary Verine fire produces both radiant and convected heat and comes with a battery operated remote as standard, allowing maximum control of the fire from the comfort of the sofa or armchair.

The Verine Marcello features a lava rock and loose ceramic stove fuel bed and dancing flame effect. The fire is then framed in a frame in graphic grey with optional stainless trim that really frames the fire and brings the flames out from the trim.

The fire is special in the way it can either be semi-recessed into the wall or completely hung on the wall for minimal building work. This powerful balanced flue gas fire gives out 4.2kW of heat energy and is 87% efficient and would make a stunning feature on any exterior wall.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year from all of us at Fires | Fireplaces | Stoves, hope the festive period was warm and full of joy.
We thought we'd start off the new year by giving a brief summary of a number of products that have caught our eye recently and are looking like must-haves for 2011.

The first fire our this list comes courtesy of The Fireplace Megastore, The Verine Carmelo HE balanced flue gas fire takes the already very popular Verine Carmelo and makes it available to households and properties that do not have a chimney. The balanced flue vastly increases the efficiency of the Carmelo HE over the normal Carmelo, taking the efficiency up from around 40-50% up to 75%, this also means the heat output has upped from minimal heat output decorative fire to one that has a high output of 6.5kW.
The contemporary frameless finish and plain black lining create a very simple yet effective finish, this can be combined either white stones for a very minimalist finish or with the realistic log fuel effect for a slightly more traditional feel, both of these fuel effects are supplied with the fire for extra flexibility. The stunning finish and quality feel of this fire coupled with the success of the open-fronted Carmelo mean this fire is likely to become hot property when it is released in February-March.

Our next product that has just been released is the Ceraglass back panel for the Drugasar Metro range of balanced flue gas fires. This reflexive black glass back panel adds a more contemporary finish to the fire, with the warm glow of the flames reflected back into the room for even more ambience. Drugasar haven't even released a photo of this new back panel yet but we're sure that it is going to make these high-quality and supremely luxurious fires even more desirable.




Another range to look out for this year is the Celsi range of inset electric fires, with people looking for a more realistic flame effect to the traditional ribbon flame effect and some alternate flame effects either lacking in realism or requiring a large amount of maintenance the Celsi range of inset electric fires with their unique 3D flame effect offering the choice of Smouldering or blazing logs or glowing coal as well as real sounds to further add to the illusion that this fire is real. Other features include adjustable flame speed and brightness for ambience as well as a sleep timer and adjustable temperature controls, all possible via a handheld remote control. Available in a range of styles both contemporary and traditional this ultra-realistic range of electric fires is sure to be very popular in 2011.

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.