Replacing Gas Fire

moonpenny

Didn't  know if this should be on the Energy board but here goes!

I am wanting to replace my Baxi Bermuda gas fire and am looking at options.
The fire has been brilliant and still is but it is years old and I don't  know how much longer it will last. I will be replacing Hearth, fireplace and Carpet etc and don't  want to have to redo these further down the line if my Baxi finally gives up the ghost.

I have been looking at modern Electric fires but can't  fathom out how to compare heat output with my Baxi.  I still have the spec for my Baxi but how do I compare with Electric output?
Would be grateful of help how to do this.

BarelySentientAI

Does your Baxi say anything about kW output?  Or maybe BTU/h?

twopenny

You should be able to find the Kw output on the fires. They used to put it front and top in the old days but it's a pfaff now.

One thing to remember with the electric fires is that they are fan heaters so there's a noise all the time.

It's a dilemna I'm finding as I'm in a quiet house and like to read so the noise is annoying.

Previously I had gas fires and that was quiet

daveyjp

An electric fire of similar output to a Baxi Bermuda will cost a fortune to run, so if you rely on it for regular heat don't go there unless you generate your own electricity.

When we replaced an old wall mounted fire for an inset real flame the local gas fire centre were brilliant at specifying what was suitable for our property and flue, fitting and testing it.

moonpenny

The heat output on my Baxi is (on high) kw 3.52 andBtu/h is 12,000

I love how efficient it is but as I am redoing my room its beginning to look old fashioned. Can't  find when I had it installed???
I would prefer Gas to Electric just trying to weigh things up

BarelySentientAI

moonpenny said:

The heat output on my Baxi is (on high) kw 3.52 andBtu/h is 12,000

I love how efficient it is but as I am redoing my room its beginning to look old fashioned. Can't  find when I had it installed???
I would prefer Gas to Electric just trying to weigh things up

So that's what you would need from an electric fire for the same amount of heat.  3.5kW or 3500W.

FreeBear

Had a gas front to my old Baxi Bermuda back boiler. The gas front was nasty and a potential death trap without a sizeable hole poked through the wall. That hole was responsible for a massive cold draught which the fire could never compensate for. But it was better than being killed by carbon monoxide.

My advice - Get rid of the darned thing and plug up the air vent in the wall. If you must have a gas fire, get a room sealed model. It will be a little more efficient, and you won't have a howling gale coming in through the wall.

moonpenny

I don't have any droughts at all.  Never had.

The fire is quite attractive (just looking a bit old fashioned with the new styles on the market now)  It is set on my chimney wall  (which was an open fire originally) with a fireplace surround.  My boiler is in the kitchen.

I have never had any problems with this fire hence my dithering.

jefaz07

If the fire is only just over 3kw then no ventilation is required in any event. Most gas fires now will be under 7kw for this reason. Unless you went with a DFE fire which generally requires 100cm2

moonpenny

BarelySentientAI said:

moonpenny said:

The heat output on my Baxi is (on high) kw 3.52 andBtu/h is 12,000

I love how efficient it is but as I am redoing my room its beginning to look old fashioned. Can't  find when I had it installed???
I would prefer Gas to Electric just trying to weigh things up

So that's what you would need from an electric fire for the same amount of heat.  3.5kW or 3500W.

Had a quick look in B&Q (though I won't be buying from there) and all the Electric Fires are only 2kw.
There is also the running costs of Electric Fires compared to gas.

I don't use my Baxi a lot but its nice to top up on the central heating a bit on a really cold day if needed.  In 5 mins its like toast.
My son has a modern set in the wall gas fire and when its on "high" you would get more heat from a candle!

Sorry, getting off topic but have a feeling the Electric Fires are similar heat output unless you turn it up to full blast.I 

BarelySentientAI

moonpenny said:

BarelySentientAI said:

moonpenny said:

The heat output on my Baxi is (on high) kw 3.52 andBtu/h is 12,000

I love how efficient it is but as I am redoing my room its beginning to look old fashioned. Can't  find when I had it installed???
I would prefer Gas to Electric just trying to weigh things up

So that's what you would need from an electric fire for the same amount of heat.  3.5kW or 3500W.

Had a quick look in B&Q (though I won't be buying from there) and all the Electric Fires are only 2kw.
There is also the running costs of Electric Fires compared to gas.

I don't use my Baxi a lot but its nice to top up on the central heating a bit on a really cold day if needed.  In 5 mins its like toast.
My son has a modern set in the wall gas fire and when its on "high" you would get more heat from a candle!

Sorry, getting off topic but have a feeling the Electric Fires are similar heat output unless you turn it up to full blast.I 

3500W electrics do exist, but they're much rarer (mostly because they usually sell fires capable of being plugged into a socket and 3.5kW is a lot for that).

And yes, electric heaters often cost more than gas for the same output - they're more efficient, but not by 3x where the price per unit is 3.5x higher.