Balanced Flue Gas Fires

Efficiency can be measured in two different ways: combustion efficiency and heat transfer efficiency. Combustion efficiency is a measure of how efficiently a fuel’s heat content is transferred into usable heat. Whilst heat transfer efficiency is the amount of heat that is actually released into your home from the appliance. So, in terms of which is more efficient, it will depend on several factors within your home, including the size of the area that requires heating, natural draughts and the level of insulation. Gas stoves tend to have better combustion efficiency as they are more air-tight and tend to have more insulation compared to a solid fuel unit and the vast majority of fuel is used in the burning process. Solid fuel appliances tend to have better heat transfer efficiency through a more complete burning process of the fuel and the ability for the appliance to get significantly hotter compared to a gas appliance whilst also being able to retain the heat for longer due to slower radiation. Which one should you go for? That depends on several factors, including personal preference and the area in the home which requires heating. Gas stoves tend to be more effective in smaller homes where only one room requires heating, whilst solid fuel appliances can heat a larger area and are more suited for rooms with extensions or areas where heat dissipation would be an advantage. In short, both gas and solid fuel appliances are both highly efficient heating solutions, neither of which is significantly more effective that the other, it only depends on the user’s requirements and fuel availability.

Absolutely! Gas stoves have a slightly different flue system to solid fuel appliances in that they can have either a conventional flue (one that uses the existing chimney and draws air from the room for combustion), or a balanced flue that does not require a chimney but draws air in directly from outside by way of a sealed pipe exiting through the wall behind the appliance. A balanced flue system is more suited for new build or passive houses where insulation is good, and air cannot be used from inside the building due to the air-tight structure and lack of natural draughts. Whereas a conventional flue is commonly used in older houses where the chimney stack can be used and there are more natural draughts due to the age and construction of the house.