When it comes to choosing fires to heat the home, designs today are superior in both appearance and in technology than those in the past. No longer is a chimney absolutely necessary for a clean burning gas fireplace, not with balanced flue fires available. Whether the homeowner prefers the traditional look of a closed glass fireplace or a in wall installation that is clean burning and highly efficient, the chances are that a glass fireplace with the efficient exhaust system of a balanced flue fires is the answer.
Traditionally, chimneys take room air and burn it and then exhaust the smoke up the flue. The system has not changed much from the time fireplaces were first invented. Taking warm room air and burning it then exhausting it up the flue is perhaps not the most efficient answer but it has worked.
The concept of balanced flue fires takes this a step further. A special liner that can work or without an existing chimney provides fresh air from outdoors for the gas or wood fire to burn. This is usually accomplished by using two air intake tubes on the sides. The smoke is released through the main section of the liner.
Normally to burn a gas fire or to have a fireplace a chimney or very special exhaust system is required. Balanced flue fires might be installed safely and efficiently where other types of exhaust systems would be inefficient or impractical or prohibitively expensive. Balanced flue fires can be installed in horizontal runs if necessary, unlike the traditional chimney.
Balanced flue fires can be gas or wood fueled and are an enclosed system. Balanced flue fires can be installed inside the walls or placed just as a regular enclosed glass fire might be. These fires do require the use of an enclosed fire in order to properly control the conditions.
The traditional fireplace used room air to feed the fire and that has not changed much no matter how technologically superior they seem to be. However the enclosed fire of balanced flue fires mean that the air to feed the fire is from the outside and the smoke is also exhausted outside. Taking air from outside the house to feed the fire makes a room less likely to become stuffy.
The strictly controlled air intake and exhaust system of balanced flues creates a more efficient and comfortable system without the draughty conditions many associate with a traditional chimney. No matter how well designed the traditional chimney has been at least some of the heat produced has gone up the flue. However balanced flue fires control the conditions completely and help avoid some of this inefficiency and lost heat and fuel.
Choosing balanced flue fires can help create a beautiful and warm interior space without the waste of fuel and heat associated with traditional fireplaces. Even homes that are not on the gas mains may be able to use this type of system. Fires that perform the function without the constraints of traditional chimneys are possible now with balanced flue fires.
