FAQs

What is a Gas Fire?

A gas fire is, as the name suggests, a fire system that uses gas as its fuel.

There are two types of gas available, the first being natural gas which is generally found in pockets under the sea bed and transported to land via a network of pipes. The second type of gas is liquefied propane gas, or LPG as it is often referred to. This is basically a gas supplied in large pressurised containers and is generally used where properties are not on the network supplying natural gas. A lot of the properties that don't have natural gas are found in rural areas, small villages or farms.

There are different types of gas fire, which fall into the categories below:

Decorative: Decorative gas fires are primarily designed to provide a focal point in a room, giving the beauty of a living flame and is designed to compliment a centrally heated room.
Convector: As its name implies, a convector gas fire provides additional heat in the form of convected air, and in some instances the fire may be used as the only source of heat within a room.

Radiant: This type of gas fire uses the fireback to increase the radiant heat output to the room. Some models of gas fire achieve a significant heat output using this method.
There are two basic type of gas fire. These are inset, which as the name implies sits within an opening with its trim flush with the back panel and outset, which sit in front of the back panel protruding into the room.

What is a Stove?

A stove is a type of fire that uses the traditional method to provide heat to a room and is basically a cast iron or steel box on legs that harbours a fuel source within. As a general rule a stove can provide more heat because of its design.

There are four different materials used for constructing a modern stove. These are:

Cast Iron: This is the original material used to construct a stove. It is made up of different panels of cast iron that are bolted together and use a sealant to make it airtight, which in turn allows airflow to be precisely controlled. This allows both the heat output and refuelling frequency to be varied and helps maximise burning efficiency. Cast iron also is also better at diffusing heat and can be cast more thickly in areas allowing for greater strength. The casting of the panels also allows more ornate and sculptural panels to be made.

Steel: Steel stoves bodies are generally made from one piece, which does away which additional seams to provide a more airtight seal than cast stoves. This allows for easy and precise fuelling and is generally used to make more modern and contemporary looking stoves controls. The steel construction of stoves reduces weight over traditional cast iron stoves.

Aluminium: These stoves are used purely for electric and flue less gas stoves that don't produce as much heat as multifuel and wood burning stoves. They are easier and cheaper to construct and also much lighter.

Composite: Stoves made from composite materials are only used on electric stoves, where the heat output is much lower than any other stove. This allows for greater manoeuvrability as the stoves are much lighter for easier transportation

What fuels do stoves use?
There are four types of fuel available for stoves, these are:

Wood Burners: This type of stove burns logs or wood as the name suggests. Logs burn best on a bed of ash with no draught from below and create a fabulous flame pattern which is both cosy and hot. In general most wood burners have a kit available to upgrade the product to multifuel.

Multifuel: Multi fuel stoves are designed from the outset to burn either wood and logs or any other source of solid fuel such as types of coal and pure heat. Mulitfuel stoves have a raised grate that allows for air to be drawn in and burned from underneath. Some multifuel stoves create a much greater heat than wood burners.

Gas: These types of stove are designed to run on natural gas or LPG (liquefied propane gas). They don't produce as much heat as a wood or multifuel stove, but require very little maintenance in the form of cleaning out. Gas stoves are available as class 1, 2 or flueless.

Electric: The main advantage of an electric stove over any of the above is the weight savings, and transportability. The other great thing with an electric stove is the availability of having a flame effect without any form of heat, or flame effect with heat. These are ideal where houses are well insulated but require a focal point.

What is Cleanburn technology?
Most modern wood burning or multifuel stoves have a clean burn system. This is also sometimes referred to as 'after burn' or 'air wash'.

Cleanburn stoves burn wood or solid fuel with outstanding efficiency resulting in more heat delivery into a room and less going up the chimney. It works by using three separate airfiows; primary air to burn solid fuel in the conventional way, plus airwash air to help to keep the window or glass clean and pre-heated secondary or cleanburn air to burn excess soot or hydrocarbons in the smoke.
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• Q. Are they safe?
• For complete safety and piece of mind all of our fires incorporate an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS), which detect when the oxygen levels in the room fall below a specified level and cause the pilot flame to lift away from the sensing probe. This activates the Flame
  Supervision Device (FSD), which cuts off the gas supply to the fire and renders the appliance safe. For additional safety,
  all of our flueless fires are fitted with a catalytic converter system to ensure excellent levels of air quality.
• Q. Can I have a 100% efficient gas fire?
• Firecraft flueless fires are the perfect flat wall, no chimney solution to instant warmth that simply hangs on the wall. Our innovative technology provides a flexible design for your house or apartment, allowing you to install a fire not only in the living room, but also dining room, office, study, and kitchen.* If you have a natural gas supply** and can run a standard 8mm gas pipe to the fire installation point, while ensuring you have the minimum room size and adequate ventilation you can benefit from this technology.
  
  *Flueless fires are not permitted in the bathroom, and currently not yet allowed in the bedroom.
  
  **Designed for natural gas only. However, we are currently developing our range of fires to work on LPG. How does this work? Flueless fires incorporate the latest in gas fire technology and do not need a chimney or flue to operate. Instead, the combustion gases pass through a catalytic converter system, positioned at the top of the appliance, which converts carbon monoxide into harmless carbon dioxide and water vapour, levels of which are so low they are typically present in fresh air. In fact, the catalytic converter works so effectively that it can actually help to clean the air by neutralising airborne particles and odours, therefore helping to reduce household allergies.
• Q. Eco friendly – reducing the Greenhouse Effect
• We all have our part to play in making our homes more environmentally friendly and flueless technology has been awarded five stars for eco value for money, by leading eco-consultant Donnachadh McCarthy. Article from the Sunday Times, 2006.
  
  If the 15 million flued gas fires in the UK were replaced by flueless fires, we would save 40,260,000,000 kW of gas every year which would in turn reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 7,649,400 tonnes every year.*
  
  *Calculation is based on the assumption of 4 hours a day for 5 months of the year.
  
  A flueless gas fire converts 100% of the gas to heat unlike open coal effect fires which convert as little as 10%. Typically running costs are less than 5 pence per hour on high, which is approximately a third of the running cost of a conventional gas fire. By choosing a flueless gas fire it is possible to make a real contribution towards reducing global warming and lower gas bills at the same time.
• Q. How does this work?
• Flueless fires incorporate the latest in gas fire technology and do not need a chimney or flue to operate. Instead, the combustion gases pass through a catalytic converter system, positioned at the top of the appliance, which converts carbon monoxide into harmless carbon dioxide and water vapour, levels of which are so low they are typically present in fresh air. In fact, the catalytic converter works so effectively that it can actually help to clean the air by neutralising airborne particles and odours, therefore helping to reduce household allergies.
• Q. How long does the catalytic converter last?
• Independent tests commissioned to establish the life expectancy of the catalytic converter have proved that even after 16,957 hours (approximately equivalent to 27 years and eight months of normal use)* the catalytic converter is as effective as when it is new.
  
  *Calculation is based on the assumption of 4 hours a day for 5 months of the year.
• Q. What about condensation?
• All of our flueless fires are designed to supplement central heating and should be used as a secondary heat source only. Therefore, the background ambient temperature of the room will prevent any moisture from condensing on colder surfaces such as single glazed windows.
• Q. What about installation and servicing?
• All gas fires must be installed by a CORGI Registered Engineer. Flueless fires are very popular with fitters as they are relatively simple to install and can be fitted in literally a fraction of the cost and time it takes to fit a conventional gas fire. We also provide a fitting template with every flueless fire that is used to help with installation and because flueless fires do not require the use of a chimney or flue for operation the servicing costs are considerably cheaper than conventional gas fires.
• Q. What ventilation is required?
• Most heating appliances need ventilation to maintain the correct level of oxygen in the room. All of our flueless appliances installed in the UK require only 100cm2 of additional purpose provided ventilation.*
  
  *For installation in the Republic of Ireland, two fixed openings are required with a minimum effective opening each of 60cm. Both ventilators should be fitted on the same wall, one at high level and one low level with a minimum vertical separation of 160cm.