about fires
Fires or wall heaters are units fitted into chimney places or onto walls, and are used to heat up the rooms they are in. They can be room sealed fires, open vented fires or coal effect living flame fires.
Opened flue fires
If your fire is connected to a chimney, then it is an opened flue fire. From our many years of professional experience, rbGas engineers strongly recommend servicing this type of fire every 12 months, as there is always a risk of a chimney blockage, particularly due to birds nesting in the spring and summer.
Important safety warning! If your chimney becomes blocked, there is a serious risk that highly toxic products of combustion can become trapped and can escape from your fire into your home. Please call a professional rbGas engineer to service your fire right away.
Power flue fires
If your house has an outside wall but no chimney, your fire is probably connected to a power flue (fan flue). This type of fire needs to have the fan started before the fire can light, making it safe to use.
Balanced flue fires
Balanced flue fires can be fitted on outside walls, so they do not need a fan. They are usually found with wall heaters fitted in bedrooms or in halls, and are safe because they are room sealed.
Our highly experienced rbGas engineers strongly recommend servicing balanced flue fires regularly, so that seals can be checked for leakage of products of combustion (see servicing).
