FAQ

Q1. I’ve been told that, to use a stove in my chimney, I really need it to be lined. Is there any way around this is it appears to be really expensive?
Q2. I’m currently having work done in my house by builder who has offered to modify my fireplace. Does he have the background knowledge to undertake this safely?
Q3. If I already have central heating why do I need a fire in my living room?
Q4. I’m really in a quandary about which sort of fire to use in my Edwardian-built house. Can you offer any advice?
Q5. I like the look of heating stoves which I constantly see in home interest magazines. Are they suitable for my 1930s semi?
Q6. The choice for independent living room heating appears to be between open fires and stoves. What are the pros and cons?
Q7. How do I know if my chimney is still in working order?
Q8 What are the essential questions to consider when buying a fire?

Q1. I’ve been told that, to use a stove in my chimney, I really need it to be lined. Is there any way around this as it appears to be really expensive?

A. Although some modern chimneys do not require lining it really is advisable in all period properties as the material used to line chimneys up to the middle of the Twentieth century, known as parging, tends to break down with age and if there has been a chimney fire. This can leak flue gases into upstairs rooms with possible disastrous consequences.

There a various ways to line a flue, some of them less expensive than others, and your local member of the National Association of Chimney Engineers can advise you. Phone them on 0800 0924019 or visit their web site at www.nace.org.uk.

Q2. I’m currently having work done in my house by builder who has offered to modify my fireplace. Does he have the background knowledge to undertake this safely?

A. The Building Regulations as they relate to fireplaces changed in April 2002 and the new version of Document J requires that work is either done by a ‘competent’ person or Building Regulations approval are sought from your local authority. The Document explains that competent means an expert certified by one of three bodies – CORGI for gas work, HETAS for solid fuel or OFTEC for oil. If your builder does not have a certificate from one of these bodies the National Fireplace Association can give you the name of a local approved engineer. Phone them on 0121 200 1310 or via their web site at www.nfa.org.uk. Remember it is your responsibility to comply with building regulations, not your builders.

Q3. If I already have central heating why do I need a fire in my living room?

A. Central Heating is a phenomenon of the last forty years. Of course, central heating has done away with the need to warm each room in this way but many owners of period properties are keen to recreate the ambiance that only a fire in fireplace can create. Coupled with this is the desire to create a centre point for a living room, a glowing fire that will look the part and warm on those chilly autumn nights.

Q4. I’m really in a quandary about which sort of fire to use in my Edwardian-built house. Can you offer any advice?

A. The fire or stove that you choose for your period property should reflect two factors. It needs to be in keeping with the period of the property and you need to like it! Nothing looks more out of place than a contemporary styled gas fire in an imposing Adam surround. Research in your local library and in Period design books to get an idea of what the fireplace should look like and make your choices based on this. For many properties, the original fuel would have been coal or wood as gas fires were only produced from c. 1880 and electric designs from around 1900. However, it is quite acceptable to use an alternative fuel if the aesthetics of the fire or stove itself are correct.

Solid fuel - coal, smokeless fuels and wood – will create the look of the original house. However, you must be aware that many of the UK’s towns and cities are in smoke control areas where it is permissible to burn smokeless fuels like Coalite but not wood or house coal. Your local environmental health department can advise on smoke control legislation. In towns it may be more practical to look for a gas alternative and many open fire designs, previously intended for solid fuel use, are available with gas burners.

Gas fires dominated the market in middle class suburban homes from 1920 onwards; so these fires are the ideal designs for houses built in this era. Unfortunately, nobody makes the type of gas fire used in the 1930/1940s and you may have to make do with a modern living flame alternative.

Q5. I like the look of heating stoves which I constantly see in home interest magazines. Are they suitable for my 1930s semi?
A. Remember that stoves were not typically used in UK properties until the Nineteen Seventies. The stove was popular in commercial buildings ranging from station waiting rooms through signal boxes to village schoolrooms. They might have been found ‘below stairs’ in large, ‘servented’ houses but no in the average domestic house. Of course, many owners do use them and they can be the ideal centrepiece for an inglenook fireplace. But it must be remembered that they were almost certainly not the original he\at source for that room.

Q6. The choice for independent living room heating appears to be between open fires and stoves. What are the pros and cons?

A. Open fires look the part with flames burning on fire basket or in traditional tapered fire opening. However, the open fire typically burns fuel inefficiently, pushes little heat out into the room and, for solid fuel, is relatively uncontrollable. The stove tends to overcome all the negatives of the open fire. The fuel is burnt much more efficiently with up to 80% of the fuel’s power being fed back into the room. And, with control of air for combustion, a stove burning solid fuel can slumber or blaze according to the setting of control wheel. On the downside, many stoves necessitate that the burning fuel is viewed through a window in the door. There is not that closeness to the fuel with all the sounds of burning wood and coal. Also note that, while the door of a solid fuel stove can be opened, this is not possible for stoves that burn gas or oil. Electric stoves typically do not have opening doors.

Q7. How do I know if my chimney is still in working order?

A. Popular folklore has it that up to ¼ of all chimneys in the UK housing stock are defective. So it is important to check that the flue in your listed property works properly and efficiently. Firstly it must have a good pull – smoke created in the fireplace must be drawn up the chimney. Factors which may cause problems are exterior chimneys on cold north walls, flues that do not clear the roof line of the house and situations where wind flow across the chimney pot is hampered by nearby trees, buildings, hillsides, etc. If the flue does not pull, it may be necessary to extend it, change is termination (pot or cowl) or even add a fan onto it.

It is also important that the flue does not leak burnt products of combustion into the rooms through which it runs. A smoke match (and a keen nose in each room) can test this. If you have any worry that a flue is leaking, get a professional to inspect it. The National Association of Chimney Engineers (NACE) are experienced in chimneys and in relining them. Tel: 0800 094019. To inspect the chimney the engineer can use a small camera, which looks at the condition of the parging (lining) and at the mid feathers or withes - the bricks that divide multiple flues in one chimneystack. Lining a leaky flue can be achieved using various methods – in situ concrete liner, flexible metal liner or flue blocks and the NACE engineer can advise on suitability.

Q8 What are the essential questions to consider when buying a fire?

A.
Have you got a chimney or flue?
a. If you have the choice is extremely wide and includes gas, solid fuel, wood, wood pellets and oil.
b. If there is no flue, the options are electric, gas balanced flue or gas fanned flue.

If you have a a chimney, is it intact and does it work properly?
c. Get it tested, but if it is inoperable …
d. … consider electric or gas balanced or fanned flue

Have you got a mains gas supply?
e. If you have there is a vast selection of products to suit virtually every situation.
f. If you haven’t you must consider bottled gas (LPG) with a narrower product selection or another fuel.

Do you really want heat or primarily good looks?
g. With 89% of houses centrally heated many customers now go for looks. Choose a design that suits your property’s age, style or your requirements
h. If you need heating, you should calculate heat requirement for the room or for the whole house. Otherwise you can end up getting a product which does not do the job you require.

What sort of styling suits your home?
i. Traditional – Safe but maybe boring. Choose this for houses over 90 years old
j. Contemporary but will age quickly.

Do you want an open fire or a stove?
k. Open fires powered by any fuel should fit in the fireplace opening.
l. Stoves have a country feel and are thought to be chic. But they may project into room or you may need to open up fireplace (building work).

Are some fires cheaper to operate?
m. Some designs of fire are more efficient and cheaper to operate. Gas is typically among the cheapest fuels but other fuels may equal it depending on time of year, international tension and local supply conditions (especially for wood).

What is your budget?
n. Fire and Fireplace combinations cost from around £149.00 to many thousands of pounds. The decision is yours.

Where to go for advice?
o. There are 2000 plus fireplace showrooms and many DIY ‘sheds’ stocking fireplace products. The National Fireplace Association has over 250 of the best fireplace showrooms in its membership. Contact them on 0121 200 1310.

I’ve heard about flueless products. What are they and are they safe?
p. Flueless gas fires use a catalytic converter to make the burnt gas safe.
q. Flueless gel fires use an alcohol based gel.

I haven’t got much space in my living room. What are the choices?
r. Fireplace suites for electric or gas fires typically have small dimensions and are ideal for apartments and studio flats.
s. Bespoke design to your specification are more expensive but you get exactly what you want.

Are there particular designs suitable for the elderly or disabled?
t. Remote controls including wall switches and cordless designs
u. High level controls on the fire
v. Automatic time clocks on some up market designs.
w.
How can I ensure that my fire doesn’t burn my children?
x. Fire guards should be used in situations where the household includes either young or old people
y. Hearths help to prevent vulnerable users getting burnt because they act as a tangible barrier to getting too near the fire. Beware of so called ‘no hearth required’ designs.

What’s new?
z. Stoves powered by wood pellets have low running costs and are environmentally friendly.
aa. Consider pebbles or driftwood fire beds as alternatives to the ubiquitous coal effect gas fire.