Bioethanol fireplace?

Southend1

Hi everyone. I know it's not exactly the right kind of weather to be thinking about this at the moment (!) but I've just come across the concept of bioethanol fireplaces. In my lounge I have an empty fireplace which is unusable because the chimney breast has been removed from the room above. So having discovered these I'm now thinking of getting one, possibly this one http://www.thenakedflame.co.uk/products/empty-fireplace/ember-bio-fuel-fire/prod_34.html. Does anyone have any experience of bioethanol fires? Are they any good? Are there any issues/problems/drawbacks that I should be aware of before buying? They seem too good to be true!

Southend1

Bump. Anyone?

sunshinetours

They are more decorative than a source of heat and i think hideaously expensive to run all the time

What about electric or if chimney is an external wall what about gas with balanced flue?

Southend1

Thanks for the reply. I'm not keen on electric as I would like a real flame. Can't have gas as I am mid-terrace so fireplace is on a party wall. This would be mainly for weekend and occasional evening use in winter so the cost would be ok although I agree more expensive than gas. Is the heat output very low? I'm only really interested in decorative effect and a little back up to the central heating in very cold weather.

Jaynne

Do you not get 100% efficient gas fires that don't require a flue but instead have a requirement for air bricks instead? They're all glass fronted but some looked quite nice.

Southend1

Jaynne wrote: »

Do you not get 100% efficient gas fires that don't require a flue but instead have a requirement for air bricks instead? They're all glass fronted but some looked quite nice.

I haven't seen these, but will look for them! Thanks

Jaynne

http://www.fireplacemegastore.co.uk/catalytic-flueless-gas-fires

Here some are, they're called catalytic flueless fires. They require a vent of a minimum size to the outside but it doesn't have to be on the same wall as the fire but in the same room.

Ionkontrol

I have a bio fire. I also have gas central heating. For me it is more decorative that main heat source. Expensive to run mind.

rustyboy21

Jaynne wrote: »

http://www.fireplacemegastore.co.uk/catalytic-flueless-gas-fires

Here some are, they're called catalytic flueless fires. They require a vent of a minimum size to the outside but it doesn't have to be on the same wall as the fire but in the same room.

OP

Before you , or anyone else jumps into buying a flueless gas fire, have a good read up first about their pitfalls and conditions of use.

A recent thread I was involved with is linked below.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3928995=

Bio ethanol fires, nice thought, really expensive to run and smell a bit. Would be better just lighting some candles in the place instead. Gimmicky product, not really designed for indoor use, designed initially for patio areas.

Ionkontrol

rustyboy21 wrote: »

Bio ethanol fires, nice thought, really expensive to run and smell a bit. Would be better just lighting some candles in the place instead. Gimmicky product, not really designed for indoor use, designed initially for patio areas.

Mine puts out 2kw and it doesnt smell unless you buy market stall quality fuel.

sunshinetours

rustyboy21 wrote: »

OP

Before you , or anyone else jumps into buying a flueless gas fire, have a good read up first about their pitfalls and conditions of use.

A recent thread I was involved with is linked below.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3928995=

Bio ethanol fires, nice thought, really expensive to run and smell a bit. Would be better just lighting some candles in the place instead. Gimmicky product, not really designed for indoor use, designed initially for patio areas.

Hmm there is also a lot of jumping on the bandwagon about these supposedly dangerous fires and this isn't helps when someone (supposedly) reputable klike BG decides on economic reasons not to sell or install them. BG also don't sell parts for older boilers and claim theyc can't be sourced so they can quote you for a new one, when you can go online or to a local Gas safe engineer and source tehse parts very easily - does that mean oll older boilers are unsafe then?

Flueless fires have been used widely for decades in USA , Japan and other European countries. i can't find too many statistics on deaths attributable to these, and certainly considerably less in this country than those attributed to poorly installed balanced flue, powered flue and unswept chimneys on real fires.

The only reason we ended up not getting a Burley flueless was because of condensation worries on colder days and the fact that as mentioned they are not 100% efficient due to air vents and primary heating requirement
Miisinformation about safety aspects helps no one however