gas fire - cold house

wishface

Not sure what can be done about this, but I just wanted to air my confusion at the nonsense of it - esepcially as its three hundred degrees below zero right now.

A couple of years ago our gas fire was replaced and a new one installed. Along with it, a sizable vent in the corner of the room. Now in summer. spring and autumn it's not such a big deal. But when it's the worst winter for several decades it's a different story. The irony is that it just wastes all the heat generated from the fire and causes the house to be colder than it need be - necessitating further use of the fire if the room is to be used (which currently it isn't consequently).

Apparently, and i have no reason to doubt this, it's a safety requirement. But it just seems a rather bizarre situation. Am i alone in this?

spiro

It is to do with safety. The problem may be the wind direction or the vent being frozen open if its the type with flaps. If you still have details of the installer contact them and ask if there is anything they can suggest.

wishface

The problem is that it's a vent which means the room is uninsulated. That's the issue and will remain thus as long as the fire remains.

It's a stupid set up really; we'd have been better off isntalling a radiator into the room and not opening the wall up in this way. I could never recommend anything like this to anyone as it's compeltely self defeating.

fiscalfreckles

Agree, these vents are very draughty - and ugly! My lounge is quite a big room and has 3 vents. And a tiny little "living flame" gas fire which throws out virtually no heat. Fortunately there are two radiators, so I have blocked up the vents and don't use the fire at all. We really noticed cold air coming in, especially if it was even slightly windy.

Is the gas fire the only source of heat in the room?

wishface

yes, although the dining room, separated by sliding doors, has a radiator. The house isnt very well insulated at the best of times, but the vent is ridiculous. Sitting and watching tv you can feel the cold air!

moonrakerz

fiscalfreckles wrote: »

And a tiny little "living flame" gas fire which throws out virtually no heat.

A lot of so-called "gas fires" are far from from being that. Many are designed purely as a focal point and are either grossly inefficient with 90% of the heat going up the flue or have a tiny fire that generates about 200W of heat.

Andy_WSM

wishface wrote: »

yes, although the dining room, separated by sliding doors, has a radiator. The house isnt very well insulated at the best of times, but the vent is ridiculous. Sitting and watching tv you can feel the cold air!

I put a large book case in front of mine. It doesn't block the vent, but it stops the cold air blowing through the room, diffusing it around the book case instead.

Thing is, if you block the vent & use the fire you risk death - simple as that.

dannymccann

My parents have a gas fire in their front room but no vent thing, or is it ok because its in the fireplace? Their chimney isnt blocked up because they used to get pigeons getting in it before they had something done?

jrrowleyws

Possibly change it for a Black Hole vent?
http://www.castironfires.com/black-hole-vents.html

Stops so much wind coming in and I guess is ok with gas regs considering my gas engineer installed one!