What is a balanced flue fire?
Balanced flue fires are actually entirely sealed off from your room with a glass panel, so the air in your room is not affected at all. The same pipe that takes in the air from outside also removes the waste air.
What is the difference between an open and balanced flue?
A balanced flue – or ‘closed’ system – has one significant difference to an open flue. Instead of drawing in clean air from your room, it takes it in from outside the house, via a pipe. Balanced flue fires are actually entirely sealed off from your room with a glass panel, so the air in your room is not affected at all.
Do I need a balanced or conventional flue?
If you run a wood burning, multi-fuel or pellet fire then then you will need a conventional flue in order for it to function. An alternative method to both conventional and balanced flues is to choose a completely flueless appliance.
What are the downsides of a balanced flue system?
The only possible downsides of these fires are that some heat is lost in the process of taking in the air – and, there is a small risk of carbon monoxide to leak back out into your home. A balanced flue – or ‘closed’ system – has one significant difference to an open flue.
What is a balanced flue?
How does a balanced flue work?
How high should a boiler flue be?
What is a conventional flue?
Why do boilers need a flue?
Do boiler flues have rounded heads?
Do you have to move the flue when installing a new boiler?
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What is the difference between a balanced flue and an open flue?
Unlike a conventional flue, a balanced flue allows air to enter from outside to supply the appliance with oxygen. In the case of a gas condensing boiler, the balanced flue contains two tubes: one tube lets oxygen in, the other tube lets waste gases out.
Is a balanced flue better?
Here are some of the best benefits of balanced flue gas fires: They are highly efficient – balanced flue gas fires are much more efficient than open gas fires or solid fuel fires. They can be over 90% efficient, as less heat is lost up the chimney and more is pushed into your room.
What is a balanced flue system?
Balanced flues are used with gas stoves and fires and consist of two pipes, with one resting inside the other. The inside pipe serves the purpose of removing any waste gases outside your property, and the outer pipe draws in vital air from outside that is required for the combustion process to take place.
Does a balanced flue need a chimney?
Balanced flue gas stoves are very popular with homes without chimneys. They are designed for use with gas only, not solid fuel, and require much less work. To install one, a twin wall pipe is fit horizontally through an external wall. This is different from the twin wall pipe you would use to fit a log burner.
Can a wood burner have a balanced flue?
Our Lundy stoves are a wood stove that can use a balanced flue (like a gas combi boiler) this offers so many advantages over conventional flues: Higher efficiency as the air is heated up which improves combustion efficiency and also reduces particle emissions.
Are all balanced flue gas fires glass fronted?
All balanced flue gas fires are room-sealed, glass-fronted appliances. As well as being attractive in appearance, they provide high levels of comfort due to the fact that the oxygen levels in the home are not being depleted.
Are balanced flue gas fires safe?
A flueless gas fireplace is completely safe to have in your home. However, you must have them fitted strictly to the manufacturer's instructions and meet all building requirements. It's also essential that, once fitted, you maintain and operate your flueless fireplace correctly.
Can a balanced flue gas fire be fitted in a chimney?
Yes. If you have a suitable external wall on which to install a fire, you can choose from a wide range of balanced flue gas fires. In some cases it is also possible to installed a balanced flue system vertically up through the property, terminating through the roof.
Do modern gas fires need a flue?
Standard gas stoves A regular gas stove does need a chimney or flue. As gas doesn't produce any heavy smoke, as a wood burning stove would, they don't require you to have a Class 1 brick chimney – though they usually can be installed into one of these without any issues.
What is the difference between a flue and a chimney?
A chimney is a passage way for combustion byproducts to travel up that runs from a fireplace or stove up to the top of a house. It is usually made of stone or brick. Inside the chimney is a flue. In most cases, a chimney flue is made up of a steel chimney liner or ceramic chimney tiles.
What is the maximum length of a balanced flue?
The balanced flue gas appliance must not be installed against a combustible surface. Combustible surfaces will require shielding in accordance with the relevant building regulations. > The maximum flue length is 370mm.
What flue do I need for a gas fire?
Pre-fabricated flues are suitable for most gas fires and gas stoves. Prefabricated flues offer a good depth so you can also choose from the majority of full depth fires and all slimline fires.
How does a balanced flue work?
How a balanced flue system works. A balanced flue – or ‘closed’ system – has one significant difference to an open flue. Instead of drawing in clean air from your room, it takes it in from outside the house, via a pipe. Balanced flue fires are actually entirely sealed off from your room with a glass panel, so the air in your room is not affected ...
What is a balanced flue gas fire?
A balanced flue gas fire is an incredibly versatile option for a fireplace. They can be fitted in almost any home where building through an external wall is possible and permitted. In fact, in most cases, only a little construction work is necessary to get one up and running. Balanced flue gas fires use a different process to a conventional gas ...
How efficient are balanced flues?
They are highly efficient – balanced flue gas fires are much more efficient than open gas fires or solid fuel fires. They can be over 90% efficient, as less heat is lost up the chimney and more is pushed into your room. Easy installation – a balanced flue can fit through almost any external wall without the need for an existing chimney.
What is an open flue system?
An open flue system is how a conventional gas fire or solid fuel burning fire works with a traditional class 1 or class 2 chimney. With an open flue system, the fire appliance is ‘open’ to the air supply of your room. This means that the oxygen it takes in to fuel the fire is drawn from inside your home – if your fire doesn’t have an open flame, ...
Why is ventilation necessary in a gas fire?
For this reason, adequate ventilation in your room is needed for a solid fuel or conventional gas fire to work properly – if you don’t, your oxygen supply will be depleted until the fire eventually can burn no longer.
Can you have a gas fire without a chimney?
A balanced flue eliminates the need for this. If you want a gas fire without a chimney, a balanced flue is a fantastic choice. Another option is a flueless gas fire – read our Guide to Flueless Gas Fires for more information on these. An electric fire is also a good alternative for houses without chimneys.
Is a balanced flue fire good?
Once you have got your head around exactly what a balanced flue fire is and how one works, you might be wondering whether they are any good. The good news is – yes! They are a very efficient and attractive way to heat your home. Here are some of the best benefits of balanced flue gas fires: They are highly efficient – balanced flue gas fires are ...
What is a balanced flue?
Balanced flues are used with gas stoves and fires and consist of two pipes, with one resting inside the other. The inside pipe serves the purpose of removing any waste gases outside your property, and the outer pipe draws in vital air from outside that is required for the combustion process to take place. The pipe may either run horizontally through an external wall or run vertically up through your roof depending on the appliance that you select.
How does a chimney flue work?
Conventional flues use natural circulation of heated air to take gases and combustibles away from the fire in a fireplace, boiler, or stove. Rather than being drawn from outside like a balanced flue, the air is drawn from around the appliance. Most homes with chimney’s in the UK will possess a conventional flue, which brings air up through the chimney and away. If you run a wood burning, multi-fuel or pellet fire then then you will need a conventional flue in order for it to function.
What is a balanced flue?
Unlike a conventional flue, a balanced flue allows air to enter from outside to supply the appliance with oxygen. In the case of a gas condensing boiler, the balanced flue contains two tubes: one tube lets oxygen in, the other tube lets waste gases out.
How does a balanced flue work?
In each case, a balanced flue works in the same way. A balanced flue normally exits a building horizontally, through a wall, or vertically, through your roof. Either setup is correct, but most heating engineers choose to have the flue exit through a wall as it’s usually easier to install this way.
How high should a boiler flue be?
Flues that open onto public spaces can be a danger to anyone passing by. In this case, they should be situated at least 2.1 m high if the flue is positioned on a wall. It’s likely that you already have a boiler flue somewhere in your home, so next time you go outside, take the time to look for it.
What is a conventional flue?
Instead, a conventional flue system will take air from the room where it’s positioned. The conventional flue can either be a chimney pot (usually found in older houses) or a prefabricated flue that is made out of metal. Share this article.
Why do boilers need a flue?
Boilers require a flue pipe to ensure that any dangerous byproducts of combustion, such as carbon monoxide, do not enter your home but are taken outside instead.
Do boiler flues have rounded heads?
In most cases, the flue may have a rounded head, unless your boiler is over 15 years old - in which case it may have a square head. The flue can sometimes have a cage covering it. This is usually present when a flue is located quite low down on a wall.
Do you have to move the flue when installing a new boiler?
When a boiler is installed for the first time, the flue will be installed too. Once it is in, it usually doesn’t need to be moved again, even if you have a new boiler installed. The position of the flue is important and needs to follow certain regulations to keep you and your family safe.
