SMOKE & FIRE PROTECTION 51 W
ith the popularity of woodburn- ing and solid fuel heating grow- ing in recent years, stoves and fires have become a common sight in town and country homes alike. Gas and electric fires have also benefited from the increased desirability of solid fuel appliances, with many homeowners seeking the fireplace aesthetic without the additional considera- tions of fuel storage and chimney sweeping. Offering visual appeal as well as a localised heat source which, unlike central heating, maintains its relevance outside of winter, the fireplace has become firmly established in the top five must-haves for buyers looking for their perfect home. With those in the property industry claiming a stove can in- crease a home’s value by up to five per cent, it’s worth considering including a fireplace in your builds.
FLUEING OPTIONS
Planning a fireplace into a build is much easier if you know the flueing options avail- able, which is by far one of the most impor- tant considerations. In addition to the obvi- ous chimney breast, there are other ways to install solid fuel and gas fires to be installed. The kind of fire specified will determine what kind of flue is needed, if any is needed. Stoves and fires that burn wood, solid fuel or gas will undoubtedly need some form of flue, such as a conventional brick or stone chimney, or a prefabricated system. Capable of drawing the combustion gases from the property, a conventional flue will need to rise above the roofline in order to circulate the combustion air and facili- tate the appliance burning properly. For solid fuel appliances, clay, pumice or con- crete liners can be used to form the flue or flues in the chimney stack, but also twin skin flexible stainless steel liners and single skin rigid liners can be added later, should an existing leaking chimney need attention. An alternative to constructed chimney
stacks, prefabricated solutions are available for solid fuel and gas appliances. Wood burning and solid fuel flue systems have the advantages of off-site production, uni- form insulation and easy, speedy installa- tion, and can even be added after the build has been completed.
Prefabricated flues are typically con- structed from a series of weather-proof, twin walled stainless steel pipe sections and fea- ture a mineral wool insulation which im- proves draw. Similar systems are also com- monly available for conventional flue gas fires, increasing building and product op- tions. Suitable for external or internal appli- cations, prefabricated flue systems can ei- ther run through the property or up the exterior, offering a versatile solution for most builds, whatever the development stage. Flues that run internally and termi- nate through the roof can be fitted with a pitch appropriate flashing as well as a storm
MAKING FIRES WORK
Despite being increasingly popular among homeowners, fireplaces are still seen as a challenge by many housebuilders in new builds. Tim Pockett of Stovax examines the practical options.
collar to ensure the roof is not compromised. While suitable for some areas, shiny stainless steel flues can sometimes be sub- ject to colour restrictions imposed by local planning departments. To get around this, some manufacturers offer durable powder coating in almost any colour, enabling the flue system to meet any such restrictions by allowing it to blend in visually with the sur- rounding structures and landscape. Some sealed gas appliances can be in- stalled without a conventional flue, should a chimney stack or prefabricated flue be unworkable. Balanced flue models are com- pletely sealed from the room they are in-
stalled in, minimising internal draughts and increasing heating efficiency. Designed to use a twin-wall flue pipe, which draws air from outside the property via the outer pipe and expels gases using the inner pipe, balanced flues can exit horizontally through an external wall or vertically through the roof, allowing for suitable fires to be fitted in almost any room. Taking advantage of this type of flue, specially designed slimline gas fires can be inset into a cavity wall by removing the internal leaf, allowing for cost-effective installation without a sur- round or faux chimney breast being con- structed to house the fire.
BALANCED FLUES CAN EXIT HORIZONTALLY THROUGH AN EXTERNAL WALL OR VERTICALLY THROUGH THE ROOF, ALLOWING FOR SUITABLE FIRES TO BE FITTED IN ALMOST ANY ROOM
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