Gas Fire Flue Types
Your property could have a flue box and a liner, a brick chimney and inglenook or maybe just a flat wall and no chimney at all. With all of these instances there are various options to install a gas fire. The main consideration when choosing a heating solution for your home is to decide if you will use an existing chimney or install a flue system. Using the existing chimney will give you the cheapest installation costs overall and will mean you spend most of your budget on the actual gas fire or fireplace. For each type of chimney or flue system there is a specific type of gas fire which can be installed. Whilst the pictures and information below may be of help to you, the only reliable way of establishing what chimney or flue type you have is to ask a gas safe engineer to visit and perform a survey. This should be done in all cases to check the compatibility of your chimney or flue with the type of gas fire you intend to purchase.
Why Use Gas? Gas is the cheapest fuel to use per Kw of heat generated. Natural Gas is over 70% cheaper as a fuel than using electric, wood or bio-ethanol. By selecting one of our modern gas fire designs with a high energy efficiency rating you can dramatically reduce your utility bills. Read about Energy Efficiency.
No Chimney in the Property?
Most modern properties are now being built without a chimney, mainly to save the cost of construction. If your home has no chimney there are 4 types of fire to consider installing.
These require no chimney or flue and are very easy to install and use. The benefits include low running costs, 100% Efficiency, 2.7Kw or 3.5Kw heat outputs, cheap to buy and install, CE approved and safe. Flueless gas fires can be installed on any wall within a room. Unlike all other flueless gas fires on the market our CVO flueless gas fire does not require catalytic filters or a glass screen. Flueless gas fires can be installed into most rooms (excluding bedrooms & bathrooms). There is a choice of wall mounted, traditional style or recessed into the wall fireplace versions in our range. VIEW FLUELESS GAS FIRES.
Glass Fronted, >80% Efficiency and many sizes and heat outputs available. These fires require a “balanced flue” pipe system installing. This draws in fresh air from outside and exhausts through the same pipe. These fires should be used where 5Kw or more of heat is required.VIEW BALANCED FLUE GAS FIRES.
Glass Fronted, >85% Efficient, these use a fan system to draw in fresh air and blow out the exhaust. The pipes are very small and can allow a fire to be installed almost anywhere as the pipes can even be run under the floor if required. The pipes are only 54mm or 80mm in diameter and can be routed up to 40m from the fire. These fires should be used where 5Kw or more of heat is required. VIEW POWER FLUE FIRES.
Flue Application Types





Appliance | Appliance Cost | Running Costs | Install Costs | Positives | Efficiency |
Flueless Gas Fires | Low | Low | Low | Easy to Fit | 100% |
Balanced Flue Fires | Mid to High | Mid | Mid to High | High Power | up to 85% |
Chimney Gas Fires | Low to High | Low to High | Low to High | Many Designs | up to 50% |
HE Inset Fires | Low | Low | Low | Easy to Fit | up to 85% |
Bio Ethanol Fires | Low | High | Low | Easy to Fit | 100% |
Power Flue Gas Fires | Mid to High | Mid | Mid to High | High Power | 90% |
Electric Fires | Low | Mid | Low | Easy to Fit | 100% |