There are six main flue types and each can often be determined by simply looking at your roof or outside walls.
Brick Chimney
The traditional brick built chimney is suitable for all gas fires and stoves. As these chimneys are deep you can choose a full depth fire through to the shallow slim line products. These are also suitable for most solid fuel appliances. A brick chimney is recognised by a chimney stack, with either a pot or terminal on your roof. Also, you will have a chimney breast, either inside the room or on the outside wall for the fire to fit into. The diameter of the flue is a minimum of 7” (175mm) or greater. The brick built chimney or a 7” flue liner is also known as Class 1 flue.Pre-Fabricated Flue
Pre- fabricated flues are found either in older houses where the existing chimney has been lined by a steel flue, or in newer houses with a steel flue built in and is usually recognised by a metal flue and terminal on the roof. 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 slim line fires. The diameter of the flue is a minimum of 5” (125mm). In some older houses, where the brick chimney is unsafe, they could have been lined with a 5” (125mm) flue. A pre-fabricated flue with a minimum diameter of 5” (125mm) is also known as Class 2 flue.Pre-Cast Flue
Pre-cast flues are found in most modern homes and suitable for a wide range of slim line only gas fires. Pre-cast flues are recognised by a raised ridge vent or metal flue terminal on the roof. The flue is constructed from concrete or clay blocks which form a rectangular section flue and are very shallow in depth. Generally, the depth is between 3” and 6”.Balanced Flue
A balanced flue fire is a glass-fronted gas appliance, which is completely sealed from the room into which they are installed and vents directly to an outside wall. Air is drawn in from the outside for combustion purposes increasing its efficiency through an outer pipe whilst the inner pipe vents the combustion gases safely away to the outside of the property. There is no electric supply required; hence no sound or natural air circulation is experienced as with a power flue appliance. There is also a choice of either outset or inset versions available.Balanced Flue
A power flue is an open-fronted gas fire which can be used where there is no chimney or flue available. A powerful fan situated on an external wall expels the gases from the fire. Mains electricity is required for the fan to operate. Should the fan fail to operate, the fire will extinguish to ensure the safety of the household. It is also sometimes referred to as a fan-flue.Flueless
Flueless fires and appliances use a catalytic converter which converts all harmful gases (carbon monoxide) to carbon dioxide and water vapour. Flueless fires may be installed into most rooms providing there is a gas supply (excluding bedrooms and bathrooms) and the room needs to meet minimum size and ventilation requirements as stated by the individual manufacturer.Yes. All our fire surrounds are supplied to our customers direct from our manufacturing plant in Yorkshire. We do not supply our customers with seconds, ex-display or used goods nor do we supply imported surrounds.
Yes. You can visit our retail outlet in Pudsey, Yorkshire where you can view many of our products in different marbles and limestone or we could arrange for you to visit our manufacturing plant. (Bring your wellies!)
Due to our bespoke service we are normally able to deliver your order within 14 working days. Delivery times can vary if materials are out of stock from both our warehouse and the supplier. In this unlikely event we will contact you and advise you of the delay. Please note we recommend you not to organise installation of your goods based on any provisional delivery dates given to you, as goods on very rare occasions can be short delivered, arrive damaged or be delayed for reasons out of our control. We advise that you to wait until the correct goods have been delivered to you and checked to confirm correct.
We only use our own drivers to deliver your goods as they are trained in the transportation of marble and limestone and are aware of components for each surround.
Yes, delivery is dependent on distance from our plant, but we only charge to cover the mileage. Please contact our friendly staff for the price for delivery to your residence, or if you have any concerns.
The type of chimney or flue you have usually dictates your choice of gas fire (or stove). See the paragraph at the top of the page for details.
No problem! There are gas fires (or stoves) that can be easily adapted to run on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), a gas that is just as effective as natural gas. LPG is supplied in bottles or in a storage tank, which will be sited in your garden and filled from time to time by a local supplier.
Outset fires sit on the hearth outside the fireplace opening. Inset fires sit inside the fireplace opening behind the hearth.
Yes, you can choose from one of the options mentioned in the first paragraph, a flueless, balanced flue or powerflue (fan flue) appliance.
Generally, a gas fire or stove with a gas input of 6.9KW or less does not require additional ventilation. A gas fire or stove with an input of 7.0KW or more will require additional ventilation. We strongly recommend for specific details please consult the technical details of the appliance before purchasing.
Appliances suitable for a Class 1 flue (chimney) do not normally require the flue to be lined. However the flue should be swept, inspected and tested for leaks prior to installation. If the condition of flue is very poor then it will need to be lined. The regulations governing all Gas Safe engineers, (formerly CORGI), require all engineers to conduct a smoke test to ascertain the condition of the flue.
No! The law requires that your appliance be fitted by a “competent person”. We strongly recommend you employ the services of a fully qualified Gas Safe (formerly CORGI) registered gas installer when installing any gas products. Solid fuel installations should be carried out by a HETAS approved engineer. Please ensure that you ask to see their identification card which includes their photograph and their unique registration number. See the Gas Safe register here to find the nearest registered installers. Also, due to the nature of our products, i.e. porous materials, natural products, and the fact that they arrive in sections, it does take some fireplace knowledge to install the surrounds. Although not a requirement, you can purchase your fires through us as we deal with all the major manufacturers, whether gas or electric.
Our staff will lead you through the selection process, to ensure that you receive the surround you desire along with hints and tips to help you make your choice. Remember, although we are offering a complete bespoke service, we offer complete affordability!
Yes – our fireplaces are guaranteed free from defects except for the variations that occur naturally in marble and stone. All our fireplaces are inspected in our manufacturing unit. Obviously, we do not offer a warranty on the actual installation if not completed by our own engineers and this should be taken up with your engineer in the event of any problem occurring due to an improper installation.
Yes. We are more than happy to pass on tips we have received from our own engineers, plus we have over twenty years’ experience in the manufacturing process.
Marble, slate, stone and granite are increasing in popularity for enhancing the home and the buyer should understand their inherent qualities and variations. Because these materials are natural products, they often vary considerably from one piece to another in colour and the pattern of their veining. In addition, most natural stone materials contain coloured veins and vents which occur organically in the material as it is formed over millions of years. These range from hairline openings in some varieties, to extensive formed rock fragments in others and these qualities should not be regarded in any way as defects. This is particularly so in Limestone.
All marble or limestone products supplied by Factory Fireplace Outlet will have these inherent qualities which reflect both the natural beauty and uniqueness of each piece.
