A UK gas fire fireplaces Company

We know that buying a new fire or stove can be a daunting task, so at gas-fire.gb.com’ we have put together an easy guide to help you in choosing your new appliance. We recommend you read the advice and information below before you try to choose your new fire or stove. We have taken the jargon out of buying a fire and give you an unbiased guide to choosing your ideal fire.

A simple guide to buying a new stove

1. What type of fuel do you wish to use ?
2. Do you have / need a suitable chimney ?
3. Want do you want your stove to do ?
4. What space do you have for the stove ?
5. What size room do you want to heat ?

Today it is no longer essential to have a chimney if you would like to install a new fire. A chimney is used to guide smoke and fumes safely away from the fire, however it is now possible to install a gas or oil fire with an outside flue or alternatively an electric fire which does not require a flue.

A chimney suitable for all flue fires is usually made from stone or brick and runs up through your house or up along an outside wall. DIAGRAM. However, if not, a chimney can be built from an insulated stainless steel rigid fuel liner, which again, can be built up through your house or up along an outside wall. Older or damaged stone or brick chimneys, can still be used , but will need lining inside with an insulated flexible stainless steel liner from top to bottom.

If you don't have a chimney and don't wish to install one, you can install a flue to enable a gas or oil fire to be used in your home. This involves making a small flue hole in an outside wall and installing a powered/balanced flue. These are discreet, quiet and weatherproof, being acoustically dampened to minimise noise from the fan. To install a powered/balanced flue you will need to:

• Position your fire backing onto an outside cavity wall.
• Ensure to wall is between 300 and 500mm thick.
• Ensure there are electricity supplies nearby (for powered flue).

Heat your room only - If you are looking for a stove just to heat your room then most of the stoves we sell will be suitable.

Heat your room and Domestic Hot Water (DHW) - To heat domestic hot water you will also require a boiler. At present we have a limited range which include boilers. This will increase in the near future.

Heat your room, Domestic hot water and Central Heating (CH) - To use a stove to power you central heating in addition to your room and domestic hot water, you will again need a stove with a boiler, however you will need a lot greater output than that to just heat your room.

Generally there is little problem with available space when choosing a stove, however it is better to be safe than sorry. We have given each of the stoves 3 measurements, all of which are in millimetres:

Width - The distance across the front of the stove as you look at it face on. Ensure the stove will fit in the narrowest width of your fireplace if you are using one. PICTURE.

Height - The distance from the top to bottom of the stove. Most stoves are quite short, but care should be taken if you purchase a canopy as these sit on top of the stove adding height.

Depth - The distance from the front to the back of the stove. There is little problem with depth unless the stove is situated on a hearth, in which case you should ensure the stove is not as deep as you hearth otherwise the front legs will rest on the floor rather than the hearth, making the stove unstable. If you choose a stove with a rear flue this will add extra depth onto the stove, usually around 160mm.

The heat output of a stove is measured in Kilowatts. can heat varying sizes of room. For those people looking to buy a stove for aesthetic reasons, heat output may be irrelevant, however for those wishing to use the stove to fully heat the room, it is worthwhile taking a moment to calculate the output needed. The output you require is dependant on the size of the room to be heated. To identify the output you require either use the simple calculation which follows.

1. Multiply Room Length x Room Width x Room Height (measure in metres if possible).
2. If your measurements are in feet and inches multiply the figure by 0.028368 to convert to metres.
3. Divide the figure you have (the space of your room in cubic metres) by 14 (on average 1Kw will heat 14 cubic metres of space).
4. Your final figure is the output you will need from a stove to heat your room.

This is not an exact classification, but can be used as a good 'rule of thumb'. The ability of a stove to heat your room will be affected by such aspects as a larger than usual number of doors or windows (including patio) in the room, or other draft sources. In these cases you may need to look at a stove with a greater output.