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What should you consider when purchasing a gas fire?

What should you consider when purchasing a gas fire?

Don’t take any chances when purchasing a gas fire. Choosing the right gas fire needs a systematic approach that depends on your home. The size of the space to be heated and your personal taste. It is important to know in advance what are the options in your home. Also what exactly you expect from the fireplace. Is heat your priority or is the atmosphere created by the gas fire more important? Or are both of equal importance? Fortunately, you don’t have to decide all by yourself; we will list the options for you.

What type of gas fire should you choose and in which situation?

There are three main types of gas fires: Built-in, freestanding and suspended gas fires.

• A built-in gas fire can be installed in a wall or in a chimneybreast; this can be done with or without a frame depending on your interior design. A built-in gas fire is a good option if you want a streamlined finish, although it often needs considerable room, even if that is not your first impression.
• A freestanding gas fire offers greater flexibility and makes it easier to perhaps replace it with another model in the future.
• A suspended gas fire heats large and open spaces quickly and effectively, because it radiates heat to all sides. The great advantage of this type of gas fire is that the floor space remains free and therefore the room in which the fire is situated appears to have more space.

Gas fires offer more options than open wood fires. You have a choice of fire view: do you want to view the fire from two or three sides? Or even from two different rooms? Tunnel view is a good option in the case of a long wall between to areas; both areas enjoy the vista of a single fire. It makes good use of space and is very eye-catching.

Selecting a gas fire with open or closed combustion?

Oxygen is always necessary for combustion. Where the oxygen comes from will depend on the type of system.

Open and closed combustion: the differences

• In open combustion, the oxygen is drawn in from the space around the fire. In the case of closed combustion, the air is drawn from outside for combustion and the residual gasses are extracted using the same flue.
• Ventilation is a vital point in an open combustion system, because the residual gasses must be extracted by the natural draw in the flue. An open combustion system cannot be installed in a residence with mechanical ventilation. In the case of closed combustion, the air is drawn from outside for burning the fire and the residue gasses are extracted using the same flue. In this case, there are no special ventilation requirements.
• In open combustion, the fire can be glass-fronted or open-fronted. Open combustion is less efficient and mainly provides immediate radiated heat. In a closed combustion system, the fires are always glass-fronted. This ensure that the fire achieves a higher temperature and therefore a higher output.

A gas fire with open combustion is an option when it is installed in an existing fireplace. For example, when replacing an open fire, when there is little room for a suitable flue and when the fire is used only for creating a warm atmosphere. In a well insulated residence with mechanical ventilation, a gas fire with closed combustion is almost always a better option.

Other things to consider

In addition to choosing the type of gas fire and combustion system, there are other issues that should be considered:

• Capacity
  It is important to choose a gas fire with a capacity that matches the space that you want to heat. Examine how much capacity you need for your home.
• Technical options
  Do you have doubts about whether it is possible to install a gas fire in your home or do you have a particular place in mind for installing it? Consult our section on technical questions or what the PowerVent system can do.
• Environmentally-friendly and safe
  Is a gas fire environmentally-friendly and safe? Years of experience have made DRU gas fires very efficient and low on energy consumption. Check here to see what is the average consumption of the gas fire.