Rules about gas fires and ventilation

aylesby

Any one know the rules about gas fires and ventilation.
I came home to find the installers had created a hole in an outside wall when fitting a gas fire into a fireplace with a chimney.
We hardly use the fire as the CH takes the stain. The hole in the wall creats a cold draft so we are colder.

Owain_Moneysaver

The size of the hole depends on the type and rating of gas fire, but you must have a gas safety vent (which cannot be closeable) ducted direct to the outside.

If you don't intend to use the gas fire then you would probably be better removing it, blocking the chimney, and using an electric fire.

Some types of 'decorative flame effect' gas fire are terribly inefficient as well, with as much as 80% of the heat going up the chimney (plus the heat losses from the ventilation).

Blocking the ventilation may result in carbon monoxide being produced and being drawn back into the room. A carbon monoxide alarm is a backup safety measure and is not a substitute for the appliance being correctly installed and used.

rustyboy21

You would have been told this at time of purchase, as no installer or retailer would do this work without charging for it, as it is a pain to do.

Take into account everything owen has said above, BUT don't take it that a carbon monoxide detector takes the place of a wall vent. It Doesn't.

What fire did you have fitted and where did you buy it from?

aylesby

Thanks for the responses. Here is more detail but I think electric is the only way to loose the hole in the wall.

We had a coal burning fireplace with an old gas fire. When we redecorated we chose a purpose made marble fireplace and concealed connection with an open gas fire. The name Magiglow appears on the manual igniter of the fire which is an open basket of mineral coals which glow when burnt in the gas jets.
As the job was supply and fit so the cost of the hole would have been minor to the total bill.

gas4you

You only need a vent to outside if the fire is 7kw input or greater, as long as there are no other open vent gas appliances in the room, or you do not have the manufacturers installation instructions, but as this is a new fire they must be there.

LEJC

We had a similar type of fire fitted some years back and thought that the ventilation was adequate...a few years ago when our central heating was installed we had a full safety check and it highlighted a similar problem...in our house too the fire was more for a focal point rather than for the heat it produced.

We decided not to opt for an outside brick vent as we like you felt it could prove too draughty....our fire is still a focal point but without the flames now!!

booty40uk

Sounds like you have had a dfe fire fitted which will need a minimum 100cm2 ventilation. Maybe more depending on the MI's. This should have been mentioned in your quote.

aylesby

There is pull out plate inside the fire that identifies it as a Magiglo Solitaire MS16T 16" Taper with a maximum Rated Heat Input 8.8kW on Natural Gas.
Are there fires rated at below 7Kw that could be used safely without the vent? As the current fire was fitted in 2002 so I could bring myself to replace it.

rustyboy21

aylesby wrote: »

There is pull out plate inside the fire that identifies it as a Magiglo Solitaire MS16T 16" Taper with a maximum Rated Heat Input 8.8kW on Natural Gas.
Are there fires rated at below 7Kw that could be used safely without the vent? As the current fire was fitted in 2002 so I could bring myself to replace it.

There are. Wonderfire make one called the airflame dgf 16'' picured here

http://www.wonderfire.co.uk/product_details/blenheim_afd_brs.htm?ref=/catalogue/find_a_fire__by_engine_type/airflame_decorative/index.htm

There are others, the inputs you need are shown there. Wonderfire and Magiglo are the best you can get. Others look very artificial.

You only need additional vents with a 16'' DGF if fitted into a whole which is bigger than a certain size, or the flue is slow at drawing. That is why you need a Gasafe reg installer to fit. They will know. Obviously it also goes on which country you live in too.

A std 16''DGF fitted into a STD 16'' x 22'' high opening with an input of less then 7 kw, should not normally reuire an airvent.

owitemisermusa

gas4you wrote: »

You only need a vent to outside if the fire is 7kw input or greater, as long as there are no other open vent gas appliances in the room, or you do not have the manufacturers installation instructions, but as this is a new fire they must be there.

Hi gas4you, sorry to trouble you but wanted to PM you with a question if you don't mind....

jrrowleyws

Look into "Black Hole" ventilators. They make the draught pretty much disappear and conform to ventilation regs.

http://www.stadiumbuildingproducts.com/ventilation/black-hole-ventilators-matrix.html