Read our full Fireplace Buyers Guide to help you choose the perfect fire for your home.

When buying a gas fire, there are several factors that can affect your choice that you should take into account before making your final purchase. As well as the obvious aesthetic quality of the fireplace, functionality and efficiency are key to the effect your fireplace has on your finances.

By replacing your current fire with a more modern, high-efficiency model, you can save up to 55% on your yearly gas bills. Older models can be highly wasteful in terms of energy, with fireplaces that are more than 5 years old reaching only 25% of their potential efficiency. A newer model could provide you with up to 45% more heat.

The latest gas fires have further improved the average rate of efficiency, with traditional outset gas fires and glass-fronted gas fireplaces reaching a peak of 86%. This equates to roughly 3.5kW of heat being generated for every 4.1kW of gas that is used. While these statistics may not mean much on paper, when put into practice you will soon start to notice a warmer house and a fuller wallet!

Once you have chosen your new fireplace, the next step is to learn how to run it in order to get the maximum efficiency out of it. Choosing the correct flue for your fire is very important to ensure that you are running it effectively, and deciding between a conventional and balanced flue can be difficult.

Balanced Flues

A balanced flue gas fire is recommended for fireplaces in rooms that require a large amount of heat. These flues are designed to stop air from escaping to or from the room containing the appliance; ensuring that the fire is not affected by any draughts or wind, which affect both the flue outlet and air inlet equally, cancelling each other out.

Fanned Flues

Fanned flues draw air from outside the building to power the appliance, and the combustion products are then expelled safely back outside. It is important that the room that will contain the fire has appropriate ventilation to allow for the outside air to be drawn in for combustion.

Open Flues

Also known as ‘conventional’ flues, open flues normally utilise an existing chimney, providing that chimney has been adequately lined. The flue requires on the air flow of the room that houses the appliance to power combustion products up the chimney and into the outside air.

At The Fireplace Studio, we are immensely proud of our vast range of gas fires and fireplaces. We stock inset, outset and balanced flue fires, all boasting excellent efficiency combined with beautiful design.

Our fully registered and accredited engineers can install and maintain your gas fire to the highest possible standard at the best possible price. For more information, browse our site today, check out our other buyer’s guides and give us a call or visit our Nottingham showroom to speak to one of our knowledgeable, friendly team.