Gas fire - chimney or balanced flue

mrschaucer

That Vantage seems to have very poor efficiency figures - look at the input and output figures quoted on your link. You ideally want a high efficiency fire with glass on the front, otherwise half your gas costs are going straight up the chimney. Do have a rethink about balanced flue - I know they are costlier to buy but after that the running costs are cheaper. And no draughts!

Hejo

Your right - put in wrong link! it is a glass fronted High Efficiency we're after

rustyboy21

mrschaucer wrote: »

That Vantage seems to have very poor efficiency figures - look at the input and output figures quoted on your link. You ideally want a high efficiency fire with glass on the front, otherwise half your gas costs are going straight up the chimney. Do have a rethink about balanced flue - I know they are costlier to buy but after that the running costs are cheaper. And no draughts!

The HE vantage should be fine. It will give a decent heat output and minimal draughts due to the restrictive nature of the glass front..

Whilst you are correct over a balanced flue fire being more draught free, yo would be hard pressed to find one that gives the heat output of an HE fire. You will find they are most likely approx 2.5kw-3.2kw output, wheras a HE will be 4kw +. The only way you would find heat outputs bigger than that with a balanced flue would be in the realms of Drugasar or Faber, but you would be looking at £1500 + fluing without installation. You would also need to possibly do structural work as they are deep fires and usually need a chimney breast boxing out even more than you have already. You would also have to put an airvent into the old chimney breast to ventilate it, as in effect you are sealing it up in the room and it would need some air passage to conform to building requirements. You would also knacker up any future plans of future home owners of using the flue without building work.

I think the OP is doing the best method with a HE fire with a liner. The price will be a lot better than an upgraded BF fire to suit a HIW setting and it allows you to change things in the future a lot cheaper.

OP, Question for you..... Are you buying it from Megastore? If so google for reviews first. Don't really want to go into why, but you would be better buying from your local fireplace stockist instead, you have a face to deal with and more knowledgable staff.

rustyboy21

Hejo wrote: »

Great, thanks for the info. Poor bloke in the showroom looked a bit crestfallen when I said I would get back to him as I'd never heard of Legend but Im shelling out a lot of cash here so want it to be right!

The model we are looking at is the Legend Vantage: http://www.fireplacemegastore.co.uk/gas-fires-for-chimneys-and-flues/legend-fires-vantage-inset-gas-fire

We really like this surround in a stone finish but it seems a bit steep considering its MDF and wondering if it would be suitable with gas - or is an MDF surround ok if the hearth and back panel are marble/granite?

http://www.fireplacemegastore.co.uk/solid-and-veneered-wood-surrounds/allwood-fireplaces-milano-4-step-fire-surround

Many thanks for your assistance and the tip about the rain -if I wasnt prepared for it it would have driven me mad!

Right, lets check them out for you.


Firstly the fire. It should be fine for you. By the looks of it they only do a manual control version anyway, so you haven't the problem of the slider control on the fire. If you wanted a slider control, Valor's HE range has them and it is a tried and tested slider control, been around 20 odd years and is the best, they patented it's design, thats why everyone else uses a cable design.

OK the freplace. Allwoods stuff is good, you shouldn't have any problems with the veneer, I know the guy who owns the company and has been around for years, he has the contract for a number of house builders, so the stuff is made well. You don't want to have to go back to a new house owner when there is a problem.

One thing I would recommend is that the back panel is split into 3 pieces ( A top and 2 legs). This is due to the fire being so efficient, that sometimes they have a tendency to crack back panels, if there is any weakness in the marble/granite. Most of the retailers I know do this. Marble and granite is not rated to any specific heat, so it is becoming more normal to split the back panel into 3 to allow for expansion, as you would do with any solid fuel appliance. It will look the same as a one piece will look, only will have an expansion joint to stop any cracking.

MDF is heat rated, so you wont have a problem. Don't buy any resin surrounds with an HE fire, they will warp, usually they are only rated to approx 85 deg, only really suitable for an electric fire, but can stand some of the less efficient gas fires, just.

BTW what part of the country are you in, PM me with the retailer you are dealing with, I might know them, see if they have a reputation or not. lol

Hejo

Thank you once again. will PM you

Ziggy_Stardust

Hejo can I ask how you got on with your fire, I'm looking at the Legend Evora and would love some feedback as I think its similar to yours
http://www.fireplacemegastore.co.uk/legend-fires/legend-fires-evora-3-sided-he-contemporary-gas-fire

1966football

Hi, new to the forum but could I ask if anyone out there has any experience of Kohlangaz Durlston balanced flue fires. Possibly looking to buy one but cannot find any reviews for the fire.

rustyboy21

All they are , are a remangled version of a Flavel fire. If you don't know about Flavel, they are not the best of companies to deal with.


It quotes 94% efficiency, which is cobblers TBH. It was worked out at that, with a misprinted regs, which have now been amended to be worked out correctly, but are not retrospective, so they can keep advertising them at 94%, more like 82% in reality.


If you are looking at a good brand of BF fire, look at Gazco, Paragon, Valor, been around much longer and are at least passed under the correct regulations.

ossie48

rustyboy21 wrote: »

All they are , are a remangled version of a Flavel fire. If you don't know about Flavel, they are not the best of companies to deal with.


It quotes 94% efficiency, which is cobblers TBH. It was worked out at that, with a misprinted regs, which have now been amended to be worked out correctly, but are not retrospective, so they can keep advertising them at 94%, more like 82% in reality.


If you are looking at a good brand of BF fire, look at Gazco, Paragon, Valor, been around much longer and are at least passed under the correct regulations.

Hi we've ordered a kohlangaz Durlston Balanced flue fire from our local stockist, plus surround etc and they are fitting. Do you have more details on the incorrect 94% rating as thats one of the reasons I ordered. If thats not correct I would like to change it. Also you mentioned correct regulations, can you clarify what you mean..many thanks