Fireplace Buying Guides
Find technical specifications, clearance measurements, styling ideas, and structural requirements for your home heating.
Gas Fires Buying Guide
Gas fires provide a highly efficient, realistic living flame effect with strong heat output at the touch of a button. Choosing the right gas fire depends heavily on your chimney type and ventilation constraints.
1. Flue and Chimney Types
Before selecting a gas fire, you must identify your home's flue configuration. Class 1 chimneys (traditional brick chimneys) accommodate deep, open-fronted or glass-fronted gas fires. Class 2 pre-cast flues (built into modern cavity walls) require shallow-depth gas fires. Balanced flue gas fires do not require a chimney; they vent through an outside wall via a concentric flue system.
2. Control Options
Standard gas fires offer Manual Control at the bottom. Slide Control uses a lever near the top of the fire to ignite and adjust the flame height without bending down. Remote Control systems allow you to control flame levels and thermostat configurations from your sofa.
3. Open-Fronted vs. Glass-Fronted
Open-fronted fires draw cold room air across the burner and vent up the flue, offering a classic fireplace look but with lower efficiency (typically 50-60%). Glass-fronted models create a sealed combustion chamber, trapping more heat in the room and offering higher efficiencies (up to 85%).
Key Buying Checklist
- •Check your chimney type (Class 1, Class 2, or no chimney).
- •Choose Slide Control if accessibility is important.
- •Opt for a glass-fronted model for maximum heat efficiency.
- •Verify that the gas burner is compatible with natural gas or LPG.