News

Gas Fireplace is to re-open 15th June

The Gas Fireplace shop is to re-open 15th June 2020. We are to re-open our Beckenham showroom following COVID lockdown restrictions from Monday 15th June 2020.

Visits will be limited to a maximum of 2 sets of clients at any time so as to ensure customers can reasonably follow 2 metre social distancing whilst in the showroom. To help us achieve this please call 020 8663 3223 for an appointment.

No one should visit the Gas Fireplace if they are running a temperature or suffering any associated symptoms of coronavirus disease .

To prevent infection and reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, the following measures will be in place:

All visitors must use our hand sanitiser station on arrival and departure.
Maintain at least a 2 metre distance between you and all members of staff and other customers especially if they are coughing or sneezing.
All visitors are encouraged to shop alone where possible unless specific assistance is required.
We ask all our visitors to avoid touching displays whilst browsing.
We regret that at this time we are unable to allow children to visit the shop.
Do not visit if you feel unwell.
All visitors are encouraged to use PPE face coverings where possible.
Please note, we are unable to carry out site surveys at the moment, our sales advisor will update you when you visit.

These operating procedures in our fireplace shop will be continually reviewed and updated when required. We will update this page when any changes are made and implemented. The procedures relate to guidance on various activities where persons will interact with our employees in the day to day running of business from our showroom. Our normal opening hours will be subject to change without notice during this period. To avoid disappointment please do not attend the showroom without an appointment.

Chimney sweeping is an essential part of owning and using a real fire or stove. A good chimney sweep is vital to keep your chimney and appliance clean and safe.

If you live locally to the shop, give us a call on 0208 663 3223 and we can arrange for a sweep to visit.

However, in times of cost cutting, the chimney sweep is often cut back on or forgotten about altogether. For years our houses were built without chimneys and the need for Chimney sweeping. However with more and more new properties being constructed with a class 1 chimney and more existing housing stock chimneys being brought back to use, the chimney sweep is once again in demand.

They are also now part of a very professionally regulated industry, so ensure yours has the necessary qualifications to carry out the work legally. If you are amongst the growing numbers who have a coal fire or wood burning stove in your home, it is in your interests to find yourself a local chimney sweep.

Fireplaces, openfires and stoves are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason: a fireplace will add character and a focal point to a room, and, if it is well-maintained, will be an excellent source of heat during the winter period. The benefits of having a real coal or wood fire in your house must be balanced by ensuring that your chimney functions both safely and efficiently.

Details of your local chimney sweep can be obtained from a number of different organisations;

HETAS

National Association of Chimney Sweeps

Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps

These websites list details of competent sweeps in your area., along with advice on chimneys and fires.

How does a chimney work ?

As a fire burns in a fireplace, the air from the room is drawn through and across the fuel enabling combustion. As the fire burns, it releases numerous gases which being lighter than the surrounding air rise. These gases then evacuate to atmosphere via the chimney. As these gasses pass through your chimney they cool, a substance commonly referred to as soot then begins to accumulate on the walls. This includes a flammable substance called creosote. Over time, these deposits can begin to obstruct – and eventually completely block – the chimney.

Such obstructions will lead to an unsafe, chimney, and potential chimney fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. Ensure you have a working carbon monoxide detector in the same room as your fire. A well-functioning chimney is necessary not only to allow potentially harmful gases to escape from the room, but also to ensure that a fire burns efficiently.

As hot air ascends in the chimney, the fire sucks in more air from the room through the grate, an open fire can change the air in a room as much as 12 times an hour. Without this continuous supply of air, the fire would either burn itself out, or draw its combustion air from the chimney, sucking in air via the chimney, instead of the room, this is known as down draught.

Can I clean my chimney myself?

It is possible to clean your chimney yourself, but we would not recommend it. Bear in mind, however, that this may well invalidate your house insurance in the event of a chimney fire.

How often should my chimney be cleaned?

At least once a year, depending upon the type fo fuel being burnt. Chimney sweeps will advise the frequency of cleaning required for your use, based on how much soot and deposits need removing. We would recommend having your chimney swept at the end of the heating season. This will enable to sweep to clean the despots before they have the down time of the summer months to harden.

If a chimney is used very often, it might be necessary to sweep it more often. A registered chimney sweep will be able to advise the optimum cleaning schedule for your chimney.

I have a gas fire do I need to have my chimney swept?

Yes, although less frequently. Blockages in chimneys connected to gas fires can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide and other harmful gases. A chimney sweep or your gas service engineer can advise how often your chimney ought to be swept.

Where to find a chimney sweep?

Word of mouth is how most people secure a tradesman, however with requirements for this type of work to be carried out by a registered competent person, the best means is to check with the registering bodies websites. Check that the sweep is registered to carry out the work, and will be able to provide you with the correct certificate after a Chimney sweeping has been done. Chimney sweeps can be found via HETAS, National Association of Chimney Sweeps, or Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps websites. All members of the registered bodies are fully qualified to carry out a sweep, have full public liability insurance and issue certificates on completion of their work. All of these professional bodies have trained, assessed members to ensure that you as a customer receive the best service available.

Is it Expensive to have a chimney swept ?

The cost of Chimney sweeping depends upon where you live and how much work there is to do. Prices will be based on each chimney requiring a sweep, difficult to access chimneys may incur additional costs. Your sweep will do a survey before providing an estimate/quote for the work. As a rough guide, you should expect to pay something in the region of £50 – £70 per chimney. If you live locally to the shop, give us a call on 0208 663 3223 and we can arrange for a sweep to visit.

Chimney Tips

Only burn hard woods DO NOT burn soft woods. Hard woods do not contain as much moisture so burn slower, they also make the fire burn hotter. Provided the wood is seasoned this reduces the amount of creosote deposited inside the chimney, helping to keep your chimney cleaner for longer. Reducing the amount of this flammable substance inside your chimney also has considerable safety benefits.
Do not use artificial logs containing paraffin or petroleum additives.
Ensure you stove is burning at maximum output for about 60% of the time in use.
Open all the stoves air controls before refuelling.
Purchase a good guard for your fireplace.
Ensure the air vents in the room are not blocked.
Make sure your Carbon Monoxide Detector is sited correctly and in date.

Staff from one of our stove suppliers ESSE haver just completed a cycle ride in aid of The Sanitation First charity.

Esse staff completed the charity KBB cycle from London to Paris. Riding onto the Champs-Elysees in a group of cyclists all in the same kit was the highlight.

The cycling was the fun bit but it is good when we can make a difference and raise some funds for a good cause. If you would like to donate please help ESSE sales director Mark reach his personal fundraising target of £500. A link to his total giving page is at the bottom of this post.

Sanitation First is a small but really good charity and through their efforts and the funds our cycle raises a small village of 493 people in a third world country will have sanitation facilities which we take for granted. The toilet block that will be built as a result of the charity effort will allow girls to go to school and receive an education.

https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/esse

Mark Blewitt, ESSE Engineering Ltd.

—–

The Demographics of Kattiyankuppam

Around 260 families live in surrounding areas of this school, and the majority of the livelihoods of these families come from the agricultural industry. Due to an increase in the mechanisation of agriculture, many people cannot get work throughout the year.

The vast majority of the children who attend this school belong to the lowest castes in Indian society, which means that they are in a particularly poor economic position.

Current Sanitation Facilities

The school’s current sanitation facilities are in an unusable condition. There is also no private washroom or incinerator for the girls, which means that the female students aren’t able to privately manage their menstruation. The headmaster has told us that girls do not attend school when they are menstruating, because of a lack in facilities.

What will Sanitation First do?

Firstly, Sanitation First will be constructing two separate sanitary blocks, one for boys and one for girls. In the girls’ facility, there will be a private washroom and incinerator.
The toilets that we build in schools are always cheerful and colourful, with painted murals on the walls that tell children all about the benefits of hand-washing and clean sanitation.

Mr Alleyn, of Village Way, Dulwich Village, Dulwich, has recently had the Edgehill Fireplace installed at his heritage home by The Gas Fireplace. Mr Alleyn was drawn to the way contemporary style elegantly blends with a historical feel, which enhances the feel of his home.

Mr Alleyn of Dulwich said ‘Our family are very pleased with the Edgehill Fireplace. It has now been fitted and looks absolutely stunning. It fits in with the new style look of our living room so well and is a real talking point for guests. The Gas Fireplace installation team worked seamlessly to ensure they were careful and attentive with our well-loved listed home, from beginning to end the transition from our rather outdated fireplace, to the much more modern Edgehill Fireplace enhances the overall ambience of our Dulwich Village residence’.

‘You have a fabulous range of high quality fireplaces to choose from and from initial enquiry to installation was fast and efficient. I would recommend The Gas Fireplace to anybody needing a fireplace in the Dulwich area and beyond, and recently have! They were thrilled with the result and all staff are always helpful and friendly.’

Mr Alleyn, Dulwich ‘Excellent installation from removal of old fireplace to fitting of new’!

We offer a comprehensive range of both contemporary and period styles of fire surround bespoke service. Sourcing the very best natural materials which are carved by skilled, experienced craftsmen. Advice on size, model and material incorporating years of experience to advise on technical possibilities. Project managing from initial enquiry, through the survey to successful installation.

Other Fireplace’s in the range

The Edgehill mantelpiece is a copy of an Edwardian corbel mantelpiece. Simplistic in design with graceful corbels at the tops of the legs to support the amply proportioned shelf, shown in White Marble. This fireplace is available in any material or size. Dimensions: 1600cm x 1156cm.

see more about the Edgehill Fireplace’s