Inset Electric fire into resin fire surround

Ponsienella2

We had a gas backboiler in our chimney which we have now had taken out an a combi boiler fitted elsewhere. The chimney is slabbed over at the top and has an aluminium flue through it with some sort of cowl/capping to prevent birds and rain from coming down it.

We have a resin fireplace which has a marble hearth and back plate. We previously had an inset gas fire attached to the Glowworm back boiler but are now thinking of having an inset electric fire I and have a few questions:

1. Is it safe to have an electric fire in the resin surround? 
2. Can the aluminium flue be left in situ?
3. What would be the best way to ventilate the chimney?
4. Can the electrical cable just be inside the chimney with a fused switch on the wall on the side of the chimney breast?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

FreeBear

Ponsienella2 said:

We had a gas backboiler in our chimney which we have now had taken out an a combi boiler fitted elsewhere. The chimney is slabbed over at the top and has an aluminium flue through it with some sort of cowl/capping to prevent birds and rain from coming down it.

We have a resin fireplace which has a marble hearth and back plate. We previously had an inset gas fire attached to the Glowworm back boiler but are now thinking of having an inset electric fire I and have a few questions:

1. Is it safe to have an electric fire in the resin surround? 
2. Can the aluminium flue be left in situ?
3. What would be the best way to ventilate the chimney?
4. Can the electrical cable just be inside the chimney with a fused switch on the wall on the side of the chimney breast?

Thanks in advance for any advise.

In answer to your questions...

1. Yes, you can use an electric fire in a resin surround. But do read the installation manual and observe minimum distances to combustible materials.
2. The aluminium liner can be left in place - I too have a redundant one. Removing it would be a major undertaking and costly. Just plug the open end of the liner with a generous helping of loft insulation or even an old pillow.
3. Just plug the liner and leave the bottom of the chimney open behind the new inset fire.
4. The isolation switch needs to be fairly close to the fire - On the side of the breast will be fine. The installer can drill through the back box in to the builders opening and pull the cable through to keep everything neat.

Ponsienella2

FreeBear said:

In answer to your questions...

1. Yes, you can use an electric fire in a resin surround. But do read the installation manual and observe minimum distances to combustible materials.
2. The aluminium liner can be left in place - I too have a redundant one. Removing it would be a major undertaking and costly. Just plug the open end of the liner with a generous helping of loft insulation or even an old pillow.
3. Just plug the liner and leave the bottom of the chimney open behind the new inset fire.
4. The isolation switch needs to be fairly close to the fire - On the side of the breast will be fine. The installer can drill through the back box in to the builders opening and pull the cable through to keep everything neat.

Thanks for the speedy response. I did email a couple of manufacturer's about the resin fireplace some months ago but they didn't bother to reply. I guess because they wanted me to buy the fireplace they recommend with their fire.

The only combustible materials will be the carpet, which I presume is fine as it was with the gas fire, whatever ventilation material is used and wallpaper above the mantelpiece which I assume is fine.