Flueless gas fires

C_Mababejive

I cannot recommend a flueless fire for the average uk domestic premise.

unclebulgaria

I fitted two flueless gas fires in the past and will not anymore.
Both were blooming useless at heating the room efficiently, both required holes core drilled through the wall to the outside air and both caused drafts that the customers hated. In fact one was deliberately blocking the vent when I'd gone and unblocking it when he knew I was coming, his 7 year old told me.
Imo they are not worth the money and are, as Keystone said, an accident waiting to happen!

southcoastrgi

not a chance i will fit one

sooty&sweep

Hi
I'm in a similar position in that I haven't got a chimney.

At the moment I''ve got a power flue gas fire that I need to replace and I was looking at a balanced flue.
So what would you recommend ?
I should also say that it would be fitted into our lounge dining room which is 35ft long and also our kitchen is open plan alongside our dining room so quite a large space in terms of ventilation. However we do have central heating so not the only source of heating.
Thanks
Jen

sansfaim

It looks like flueless gas fires aren't the answer.

The fault is in the ignition system. As much as possible has been replaced, but to no effect.

Currently it is on full time, as it will not light again if I switch it off. (without taking it all to bits and lighting it with a match)

Not very technical, but the same guy has been servicing the fire for the last 30 years and I'll take his word for it that it has joined the great gas fires in the sky.

He doesn't sell fires and has nothing to gain if I buy a new one.

So, any recommendations for a balanced flue fire that puts out about 4KW of heat?

Thanks to everybody who has contributed so far:)

ollski

Just go for a major name like valor, flavel, robinson wiley and check their websites for balanced flues.

The major problem with flueless gas fires is that they are, in the main, unproven as to what happens when the catalytic converter reaches the end of its life. They also tend to have a low heat output, probably just about matching what your new 100cm2 vent in the wall is losing.

sooty&sweep

Hi
My (limited) understanding is that there are three types of flueless gas fire 1 a power flue 2 a balanced flue 3 catalytic converter. Is that correct ? Are you concerned about all three types ?
Thanks
Jen

HappyMJ

sooty&sweep wrote: »

Hi
My (limited) understanding is that there are three types of flueless gas fire 1 a power flue 2 a balanced flue 3 catalytic converter. Is that correct ? Are you concerned about all three types ?
Thanks
Jen

A balanced flue is not a flueless fire. It takes air from the room and burns the fuel with that air and the waste gases go up the flue with the warm air from the room making them not very efficient. If the flue becomes blocked or has holes in it then it becomes dangerous as the waste gases could go back into the room.

A power flue is similar it requires an outside wall and the air is taken from outside burnt with the fuel and the waste gases emitted outside. There is no air taken from the room and much safer.

A catalytic converter is the one that we are all concerned about it takes air from the room burns it with the fuel and emits the waste gas through a cataltyic converter which converts any CO (carbon monoxide) into CO2 (carbon dioxide)....supposedly. It emits the CO2 back into the room. It requires plenty of oxygen to acheive this chemical reaction. If the room vents are blocked then the oxygen in the room will be depleted and the chemical reaction can't work.

C_Mababejive

For anyone with a house with no fireplace you might consider re-installing a fire flue kit using metal components for eg this system..

http://www.selkirkchimney.co.uk/products/twin-wall-chimney.html

or

http://specflue.com/catalogue/product/twin-wall-chimney-systems