Balanced flue fire any good ?

kabayiri

Hi all

We are having a new single storey extension built. The new living room will have a false chimney breast to make it feel less large and empty, and give a focal point.

I was planning on a balance flue gas fire set flush into this, but DH has been told to consider flueless designs.

I wondered what others experiences here on the matter was

Many thanks.

Owain_Moneysaver

Definately no to flueless. You need a whopping big vent hole in the wall which lets the cold air in, they produce water vapour which will lead to condensation and mould, safety is dubious in my opinion, and they're very limited what heat they can produce.

A balance flue (room sealed) wall fire is what you need. Check efficiency ratings if you intend to use it for heat, as some of the flame effect ones are very inefficient (burn a lot of gas for pretty flicky flames and very little heat)

mrschaucer

I don't think I could rest easy with a flueless fire. All the exhaust gases have to come back into the room after being put through a catalytic type converter thing, and as the above post says, there is also a fair amount of water vapour released into the room too. The "hole in the wall" vent is for safety reasons, obv. If you are able to fit a fire on an outside wall, then balanced flue is the way to go. Room sealed, safe, you don't usually need an air vent unless the fire is huge, and they are usually more efficient than normal open fronted gas fires. You can get both trad and extremely modern-looking glass fronted BF fires. You can tell I'd love one but haven't got a suitable outside wall ... Stuck with a boring normal one that goes up the chimney!

keystone

Flueless fires are a deathtrap IMO. There are many RGIs out there that refuse the opportunity to fit them.

Cheers

kabayiri

Many thanks guys. I knew I'd get good advice here, and it's much appreciated.

The fire I have seen is not cheap, but quite large and rated at 84% which sounds fairly efficient to me.

(May I have permission to smile smugly at DH in that 'I told you I had the right idea' way?)

27col

Our balanced flue fire cost more than our first house. I built a false chimney breast to accommodate it. I wouldn't dream of having a flue-less fire.

Tonyoung

I'm afraid that most of your respondents are talking rubbish. It is true that flueless fires require a room vent (most gas fires do, or need adventitious ventilation).

It isn't true that these vents create draughts, with modern designs.

Flueless fires have been proven to be safer than those that work in a chimney, which can become blocked over time. Over 40m flueless fires have been sold around the world.

In Europe there is an EU safety standard for such products, which allows them to be sold throughout the EU. If they were unsafe they would not be allowed to be installed. Flueless fires are (1) the most efficient gas fires and (2) the least expensive to operate and (3) are easier and less expensive to install than most.

Having said all that, a carefully chosen balanced flue gas fire will provide good heat output with reasonable running costs. Such a fire will probably be more expensive to buy and install than a flueless fire. Get good advice from my Blog urbanfires.wordpress.com

nearlyrich

We have a balanced flue fire and it's very good, it even has a remote control LOL I saw it and I wanted it it kicks out some serious heat and it looks stunning.

keystone

Tonyoung wrote: »

I'm afraid that most of your respondents are talking rubbish.

I'm not - its a matter of fact that many RGIs will decline an opportunity to fit these things on the grounds that they consider them dangerous.

Get good advice from my Blog xxxxxx.wordpress.com

Which only goes to show that you have a vested interest in promoting the things.

Cheers

gas4you

keystone wrote: »

Flueless fires are a deathtrap IMO. There are many RGIs out there that refuse the opportunity to fit them.

Cheers

Yes I'm one of them.:)

Go for a balanced flue type. Safer, more heat from it and no air vent needed.

kabayiri

All your input is appreciated. As you can tell, I am just a novice consumer when it comes to these things.

I don't want to have a closed mind to either option, but I am glad I am asking the question now before the build work starts. It sounds like getting the design issues resolved up front is quite important.

It's all food for thought at the moment