Real Flame Gas Fires

gcthompson

Hi,

We've moved into a end-terrace house built in the 1870s and have been living here a month. I got my gas bill today and it's 190 odd quid!! (taken from readings today + when we first moved in). The original owners were with Scottish Power (which I take to be not the cheapest of providers) and so until the transfer to EON comes through I'm stuck with them.

We have a Combi-boiler which powers our central heating and 2 living flame gas fires which we've been using in the evenings to warm the place up (the lounge is above a cellar which badly needs insulating). We bath our daughter every night but don't use much hot water apart from that. The gas fires are built into the original chimneys and it seems to me that most of the heat goes up the chimney instead of into the rooms.

I don't entirely know how efficient these gas fires are, I'm wondering whether it would be cheaper to replace at least one of them with a real fire (we can get cheap wood from the parent's farm). I'm well aware of the mess that these things create and am fine with it. We have an existing fireplace from an old house which we can fit into the existing fire-surround, we'd just need the gas tapped and the chimney sorted.

Having just moved in I want to spend as little money as possible on this :-)

Does anybody have any suggestions on way to save cash?

jcb208

Most flame gas fires are only about 50% efficient so half the cost of the gas is going out the flu,better off running the boiler

ormus

flame gas fires are very inefficient. costly to use.
either dont use them or change them.
we have one, its mostly for decoration. cant remember the last time we used it.

gcthompson

The OH wants a fire to look at so it's not just a matter of bricking up the fireplace unfortunately :-)

ormus

stick a photo of a real fire onto the chimney breast?

SailorSam

We swoped to living flame fires in both lounges, and have been sorry. Nice to look at but not as warm and efficient as the more traditional ones.

John_3:16

If you want a fire to look at. Better to get a gas fire behind glass. If you want to keep the one you have you will have to pay for it.

Or if it is a class 1 chimney get a log burner, if possible.

Another option is to get rid of the gas fire and put a electric look alike in there with flickering flame effect, the fire you have is for effect and that is what you pay for.

Jonesya

It's like anything, you've got to shop around to get a good product - you can get flame effect fires with decent efficiencies if you do your research:

http://www.bfm-europe.com/pages/high-efficiency-fires.html

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Hi gcthompson :hello:

I know your in the process of switching over to E.ON so thought I would try and give you a bit of energy efficiency advice to help reduce your bills further.

There is already good info regarding your fire :T
I'm not sure which tariff you have chosen with E.ON, but you can use the website to make sure you are on the best one for you.

There is also the interactive house, this shows some great energy saving ideas and is quite interesting

Also there is a document on the website called 100 ways to save energy, every little helps!

Reducing your consumption, however small the change, can really make a difference in your bills.

If I can help any further, just shout up.

Helena

Clive_Woody

We've got a glass fronted gas fire (Faber Misty) that is amazing, it gets lovely and warm nice and quickly, then when you turn it off it radiates heat for a long time afterwards. You have to be a bit careful with young kids as the glass get very hot, but it's great to look at and warms the room up in no time at all.