Fireplace inserts: selection criteria

The fireplace deservedly takes a leading position in those cases when the owners want to create a romantic atmosphere in the room. After all, there is little that can compare in beauty with an open fireplace, in which wood is burning or embers are smoldering. Unfortunately, most of the heat in such a fireplace insert rises along with the combustion products through the chimney. If the fireplace is periodically used for contemplation, this fact is not a big problem. However, in the event that the owners want to use the fireplace for heating, they should carefully consider the criteria for choosing a firebox for it, with which you can keep heat in your home.

The fireplace was inherited by the modern person from previous generations, bringing comfort and warmth to the house. Its external structure is, at first glance, rather simple. When we talk about a stationary fireplace, it is based on a solid concrete foundation that can withstand the considerable weight of the structure.

Several rows of refractory bricks are laid out on the surface of the foundation, the so-called pedestal, on which a brick firebox is laid out or a factory-made model is installed. From above, the firebox passes into a chimney, which in classic fireplaces is formed inside an air duct called risolite. For aesthetic purposes, the firebox is lined with bricks or facing material, forming an effective portal. Rhizolite is most often plastered, since it should not stand out too much in the room.

The internal structure of a classic fireplace is much more complex and has a number of design features, on which the characteristics of this heating element directly depend.

Important elements are provided inside the firebox and chimney:

• "Smoke tooth", limiting the throughput of the chimney and allowing heat to spread through the masonry;
• the reflective wall of the firebox, which, in combination with the "smoke tooth", ensures the turn of the hot air, not allowing it to instantly "fly into the chimney";
• view (damper), which regulates traction.

A kind of "heart" of the fireplace is its furnace hole. It consists of the following elements:

• At the base is the so-called under, or lower layer of the firebox.
• Below the hearth is only the blower needed to light the fireplace.
• Sometimes a grate is built in underneath, which is a grate through which the coals from the burnt fuel fall into the ash pan (ash pan), from where they can be easily removed. Nowadays, the underneath is often made of stone, since flammable gels and liquids are used for kindling.
• The reflector, or reflective wall, is a transitional part from the firebox to the chimney, affecting both of these segments.

Modern fireplaces are often made with prefabricated fireboxes., in the design of which combustion processes are simulated and optimized on a computer. Such furnaces are made from cast iron, steel and such modern materials as composite compounds and special alloys. Therefore, if desired, the buyer can find both a traditional firebox and a lighter analog, for example, for embedding into a wall partition.The chimney of such a composite firebox is made of a thin-walled corrugated pipe, the door is made of heat-resistant glass, and the structure itself may even have a built-in water heating circuit.

For biofireplaces, furnaces are made, designed for burning biofuel, which is used as denatured alcohol in the form of gels or semi-dry substances. Such fireboxes are subject to mandatory certification, therefore, by purchasing it, a biofuel fireplace can be built in any house without having to agree with the fire services.

When choosing a fireplace insert, it is worth weighing the pros and cons, deciding which design is best for the home. It must be remembered that for the construction of a heating device with an open fire in an apartment or in a private house, it is imperative to order a redevelopment project and obtain permission from the fire and architectural supervision authorities. Therefore, before purchasing building materials or such expensive equipment as a fireplace insert, it is advisable to have a permit for its construction. Otherwise, it is worthwhile to confine ourselves to considering biofuel furnaces.

In those cases, when permission is received, a truly magical scope for choice opens up before the buyer, which can only be limited by the cost of some especially prestigious models.

The choice is made depending on the appearance and construction of the fireplace and is based on the following indicators.

• The main characteristic that is inherent in fireplace inserts is power. This point should be taken into account even when the fireplace is not provided for heating, since the heat transfer from the operation of such a device will be present in any case. For heating a room of 50 sq. m, the optimal power of the fireplace insert will be 7 kW. In the case when a fireplace is needed just for contemplation, it is worth choosing a firebox that has a minimum power or the ability to adjust the flame, otherwise it may be too hot in the room.
• The type of firebox is also one of the priorities when choosing. There are open and closed designs. Open versions are considered to be more aesthetically pleasing, since they allow "live" fire to be present in the immediate vicinity of the observer, but have a very low efficiency, which is approximately 20%. Closed-type furnaces, which are called hermetic, have a much higher efficiency, these are the so-called long-burning furnaces, since the room is heated due to the function of smoldering firewood inherent in the design. The advantage of closed fireboxes can also be called cleanliness in the room, since coals do not fly out of them and ash does not fall out.

• There are also universal models that have a door, but also allow open work. Usually these are structures with a vertical lifting mechanism.

Design options for installing a firebox largely depend on its type. Modern manufacturers offer the following types:

• Frontal inserts, which are traditional in terms of the method of embedding, have one door with glass. They can be trapezoidal or rectangular, they can be purchased ready-made or laid out of bricks.

• Corner options, designed for integration into fireplaces of the corresponding configuration, also have one door that either opens to the side or rises up.

• Double-sided tunnel or through-fire chambers, which are conveniently mounted in partitions, since such structures have two doors that can be opened either sideways or equipped with a lifting mechanism for opening upwards.
• Three-sided fireboxes with three glasses, the shape of which is similar to the letter "P", therefore they are also called U-shaped fireboxes. These designs make it possible to view the volume of the flame from three sides at once, which creates pictures of stunning beauty. At the same time, they have a very high level of heat transfer.Recently, four-sided furnaces have also appeared.
• Bay window inserts offered by leading manufacturers have a curved glass door surface. Usually they have side opening and mandatory automatic fixing of the door in the closed position.

Many furnace designs are equipped with additional functions, including:

• Double afterburning system, in which not only wood is burned, but also flue gases.
• The system "continuous burning", thanks to which one bookmark of firewood lasts for 14-18 hours.
• Additional possibility of thermoregulation and convection, built-in smoke deflector.
• Combustion air intake from an additional source, which is carried out by various regulators.
• Self-cleaning function of the fireproof glass of the door by means of a jet of air, called "clean glass system".

The dimensions of the fireboxes vary depending on the material from which they are made. The greatest variety is distinguished by steel structures, which can be of a wide variety of dimensions. The minimum wall thickness is 8 mm, the maximum is 18 mm, excluding the lining.

Traditional materials for making the body of fireplace inserts are brick, cast iron and various types of boiler steel. Each variety has its own advantages.

Brick fireboxes are made of fireclay bricks and are the usual choice for classic fireplaces in English or rustic style, as well as in Provence style. Such furnaces can have a built-in water heating circuit and a door. They are usually equipped with a blower and ash pan. They have all the qualities inherent in a classic fireplace: good heat transfer, average burning time and an attractive appearance.

Cast iron models are distinguished by maximum heat transfer. They heat up quickly, retain heat for a long time and withstand temperature changes without deformation. Such structures are made by casting.

Steel furnaces usually have double walls, the outer wall of which is made of heat-resistant steel alloy. The manufacturer can finish the inner wall with a lining of fireclay bricks, cast iron, refractory (fireclay) ceramics, ceramic concrete or Reallit black ™ composite material. These constructions may have additional properties, which are indicated in the instructions. For example, continuous burning function.

In the models of some manufacturers, several methods of heat control are simultaneously used, for example, alloyed boiler steel with cast iron lining is additionally reinforced with fireclay bricks. Such constructions have received the name of hermetic furnaces with a triple shell of protection and are the safest.

Cladding can be carried out in the form of portals using traditional finishing bricks, various types of marble, shell rock, travertine, glass or metal. Decoration is not provided for all designs. It can be serial, but it can also be developed according to the individual order of the buyer.

Design solutions using a fireplace are used both to create the appearance of the interiors of private houses and apartments, and for various commercial objects: stylish business spaces, offices, salons, restaurants and bars.

Certified steel and cast iron inserts of various configurations can be built into either a front or corner wall mounted fireplace. At the same time, the appearance of the heater depends solely on the wishes of the owners. It can be decorated in the style of a classic English fireplace, decorated with thin stone tiles or terracotta tiles with intricate patterns.

A fireplace equipped in a partition looks especially impressive. In this case, the installation of a double-sided tunnel firebox is carried out in a wall niche, and facing with a finishing material is performed on both outer sides.After installing such a structure, the owners can watch the luxurious play of flames from two rooms at the same time.

Three-sided fireboxes provide a stunning visual effect of a living, luxurious flame. They are mounted in design options for portals, which have a wall-to-wall arrangement and are a magnificent decoration of a living room in a modern style. It is advisable to decorate the space near such a fireplace without frills and additional decorative elements.

A bay window fireplace insert will look great in retro or country decor, while the rounded door will become a beautiful and original interior detail.

Do not think that purchasing a fireplace always requires exorbitant expenses. There are quite a few manufacturers on the market that produce models of the middle price segment. These can be found in Slovak companies Thorma and Kobok, from a German company Spartherm, Swiss Ruegg, a Polish company Nordflamas well as companies KimrPech, Astov, Meta, Ekokamin (Russia).

Interesting and inexpensive products are presented by a French company Termovison... Cast iron furnaces of this brand can be purchased starting from 33,500 rubles.

An example is the model Vision 701, which has a sealed glass door and is equipped with the most necessary functionality. The design provides for a gate, wood limiters, an additional air intake, a removable grate, an ash chamber and a smoke collector, thanks to which the furnace can operate in the "open fire" mode. The dimensions of this model are not too large: width is 690 mm, depth - 400 mm, height - 637, weight - 96 kg.

Along with budget products, you can purchase premium-class fireplaces from this manufacturer, for example, an antique-type fireplace stove. Koenigsburg, which will cost the buyer 221,000 rubles.

Italian brand Piazzetta offers exquisite wood, gas and pellet stoves, which are self-sufficient elements of the interior and do not require additional decoration. Most of the models are made of a combination of two types of metal: steel and cast iron and are equipped with numerous functional additions, such as a remote control.

Own products brand Piazzetta positioned as stoves, they have a forced ventilation function, thanks to which warm air is directed to all rooms of the apartment, evenly distributed from floor to ceiling. An example is the model Piazzetta E929 Dhaving a system Multifuoco and capable of heating a room with a volume of 213 sq. m. Products of the latest collections have an exquisite round or semicircular shape, chic majolica lining and are designed for wall or corner installation.

The cost of fireplaces of this Italian brand starts from 73,000 rubles and can reach 919,000 rubles for a model in the form of a fireplace-chalet.

By purchasing a fireplace insert, most buyers already have permission to install a fireplace and design drawings, from which it is clear where it will be installed and what dimensions the built-in combustion chamber should be. It is worth taking these documents with you to the fireplace salon in order to make the best choice in terms of price and size with the help of a consultant.

If you plan to buy from an online store, you can also use the services of consultantswho are in touch during working hours. When choosing a fireplace insert yourself, you should carefully set the required dimensions in the search query that is present on the websites of the salons, and choose the desired one from the proposed models. When buying, you should pay attention to the warranty period. Some companies offer a one-year warranty, but there are companies that can confidently give a 7-year warranty for their products.

To sell such a high-tech product, the seller must have a certificate of compliance with safety standards. It is very good if the certification is specified in accordance with EU standards, however, a certificate of conformity with the norms of the Customs Union is sufficient for implementation on the Russian market.

Usually, the installation of a firebox is not included in its cost, but when buying "live" it is worth asking this question, in many salons a good master or an installer will be recommended to the buyer. When buying, it is worth asking about the size of the fireplace neck, to which the corresponding diameter of the chimney corrugated pipe and fixtures is selected.

When purchasing a firebox in the salon, the buyer can also choose the option of its lining. In this case, it is advisable to get advice from an interior designer in advance, since a fireplace, especially a large one, is the dominant architectural element in the living room and should look harmonious.

See the following video for an overview of the Termovison "Vision 701" fireplace insert.