Do you feel that your heating system doesn't quite cope during those chilly winter nights? Do you have different heating needs in the different rooms of the house? Do you wish you could use that lovely fireplace without all the hassle of traditional wood fire? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, than you should seriously consider a gas fire.
These systems run on natural gas (be it propane, butane or methane) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with minimal toxic by-products and quite high efficiency levels.
Let us assume that your house is one of those beautiful, old-fashioned ones that has a fireplace in nearly every room.
Most likely, it is currently there only for show and looking at it feels a little wrong because it is missing it's fire.
In this case, there is nothing better to do than to purchase an inset gas fire that uses the old chimney to vent that harmful carbon monoxide.
Depending on how much your house heating depends on it, you have a choice between a contemporary outset gas fire whose heat output is rather impressive and the much more stylish basket type, highly decorative but quite lower in the efficiency department.
If, like most people nowadays, you live in a modern home, it is most likely that a chimney is out of the question and only a "pre-cast flue", a rather limiting thinner duct for nauseous gases is installed, if at all.
Worry not, as there still are plenty of options for such cases.
The "power flue" uses an electric-powered fan to lead said gases to the outside of the house, and also includes a safety monitor that turns the fire off in the event of a failure.
Another clever system called "balanced flue", employed in glass fronted gas fires (requires electricity supply), uses one pipe to bring in combustion air from the outside and another pipe, within the first one, to carry out the exhaust gases.
Perhaps the most technologically advanced and certainly the most efficient (99%) gas fire currently offered by the specialized market is the "flueless" gas fire.
This device does not require any kind of vent at all, making it practical for any situation.
You can have it installed in any room, on any wall, there is no need for any building works, and its smart converter turns all the noxious carbon monoxide into water vapor and carbon dioxide - it's just like one more person breathing in the room! Choose the gas fire that best fits your home - casings and trims come in many styles (chrome, brushed steel and even wood or ceramics), but also pay heed to those safety measures.
Make sure the exhaust channels are air-tight, or, in the case of the flueless system, that the rooms are large enough and suitably ventilated.
Also, some gas fires have a high enough heat output that the "heater meter" rule should be applied, i.
e.
keeping any flammable items at least one meter away.