Choosing a gas fire - please help Information, help and advice on many gas related subjects from gas fires to domestic appliances

[greenhedge]

We have a brick chimney and Favel Edwardian MK2 inset live fuel effect gas fire.

I am considering changing the fire to a more efficient fire but am TOTALLY confused by the ranges available; visiting showrooms around Exeter have just increased the confusion as salesmen push their own products and are very reluctant to give balanced advice based on fact.

It seems to me the options are to remain with the sort of fire I currently have and suffer efficiency of around 40% - thus pouring heat up the chimney. Input of around 6KW and an output less than 3 KW

OR

Have a glass fronted catalyst type fire with an efficiency approching 100% and an output just over 2KW.

The heat into the room is thus not greatly different but the running costs vastly different.

Or have I missed something :?

Any help/advise/threads or useful websites greatly appreciated

[htg engineer]

With gas fires it's all really a matter on individual choice, the inset live fuel effect fires look really nice and are great as a focal point or for decoration, but not great at heating a room as you say alot of the heat is lost. Radiant fires are brillaint for giving off heat but they don't look as good, which puts alot of people off.

You will probably find the running costs vary alot, as the LFE is probably on for a long time burning gas which the heat is then lost, if you get the catalyst type and the heat isn't being lost the room should heat up alot quicker which should save the l;ength of time you have the fire on and the amount of gas that is burnt.