Bellfires

Gas

Gas-burning fires and stoves with a closed combustion system obtain the oxygen needed for the gas to burn via a combined supply/outlet system. This means that the oxygen required is drawn from outside the house. One of the advantages of this combustion system is that it doesn't necessarily require an existing chimney. What's more, it is an ideal solution for houses with a mechanical ventilation system, because a gas fume ventilator is not required. Finally, fires with this system are always high output appliances.

All gas fires with a closed combustion system have a completely closed glass plate in front of the combustion area. This does not, however, mean that every fire with a completely closed glass plate front automatically has a closed combustion system.

Gas-fired fires with an open combustion system take the oxygen required to burn the gas from the room in which the appliance is situated or possibly from a separate air supply to the appliance. The gas combustion fumes are extracted via a separate flue.

You can easily determine the capacity of the fire or the stove you need to heat the chosen area. In the graph below, the capacity is expressed in kilowatt (kW). The area to be heated is expressed in cubic metres (m3). You calculate the number of cubic metres by multiplying length, height and width of the room together. You can then read the required capacity at the intersection on one of the three lines. Which of the three lines you should choose depends on the extent of insulation in your home.



Line A applies to a well-insulated house. It is fitted with double glazing, wall insulation and floor insulation.
Line B applies to a reasonably insulated house. The house has at least double glazing.
Line C applies to a badly insulated house. The house has none of the insulation mentioned above.

Important!
There are, however, certain factors which increase the heat loss in the house. Things like an open kitchen or an open staircase. These can allow a lot of heat to escape. This heat loss can be compensated by choosing a fire or stove with a higher capacity in such situations. That is why we would always advise you to consult your professional dealer before making a choice.

Leaving aside the technical differences, the choice between burning gas or wood is often personal. Burning gas is generally chosen on the basis of ease and comfort. People who choose wood do not consider that important; they actually enjoy placing a new log of wood and looking after the fire.

Wood

You can easily determine the capacity of the fire or the stove you need to heat the chosen area. In the graph below, the capacity is expressed in kilowatt (kW). The area to be heated is expressed in cubic metres (m3). You calculate the number of cubic metres by multiplying length, height and width of the room together. You can then read the required capacity at the intersection on one of the three lines. Which of the three lines you should choose depends on the extent of insulation in your home.



Line A applies to a well-insulated house. It is fitted with double glazing, wall insulation and floor insulation.
Line B applies to a reasonably insulated house. The house has at least double glazing.
Line C applies to a badly insulated house. The house has none of the insulation mentioned above.

Important!
There are, however, certain factors which increase the heat loss in the house. Things like an open kitchen or an open staircase. These can allow a lot of heat to escape. This heat loss can be compensated by choosing a fire or stove with a higher capacity in such situations. That is why we would always advise you to consult your professional dealer before making a choice.

The condition of the flue is crucial for the way your fire or stove functions. You can, in a manner of speaking, be better off with a weaker stove or fire than with a bad flue if you want to satisfy a certain heat need. In addition, with a good flue, a fire in the chimney is less likely, which contributes to the safety of you and the people in the house with you. Always ask your dealer's advice about the flue you need or whether the existing chimney is suitable.

Burning wood need not have any effect at all on the environment, but that does depend on a couple of things. First, the quality of your fire or stove. A stove or fire with a high output and a relatively clean exhaust (CO2) is not environmentally unfriendly. The CO2 that is released during burning is in turn used for trees to grow, in addition to other nutrients from the ground and sunlight, which allows them to produce oxygen.
Second, the capacity of your fire or stove is also of influence. An appliance with a capacity that is too large (for the room it has to heat) will not be able to burn at its full rate. This means that the supply of combustion air must be practically shut off, and the consequence is an incomplete combustion which has a detrimental effect on the environment.
And finally, it is important that new woods are planted. Sustainable forestry makes wood an inexhaustible source of energy.

Leaving aside the technical differences, the choice between burning gas or wood is often personal. Burning gas is generally chosen on the basis of ease and comfort. People who choose wood do not consider that important; they actually enjoy placing a new log of wood and looking after the fire.

If there is mist or no wind, the operation of the flue is minimal which means that combustion takes some time to get going. The consequence of this is low-hanging smoke and that is annoying for your neighbours. That is why it is advisable not to put out the fire but to let in burn; but not closing off the supply of air, you maintain complete combustion.

Legislation says that any room with an appliance must be ventilated. That is simply a question of safety. Ventilation is also advisable for a better operation of your fire or stove; it provides a permanent supply of air. This is necessary because burning wood requires oxygen which is obtained from the room being heated. If you have a fire or stove with a connection to an external air supply, ventilation is not necessary to ensure a better operation of your appliance.