Enjoy the natural wonder of a wood fire

There's almost nothing better than settling down at night with the family in front of a warm, relaxing fireplace. The flickering light, the smell of fresh wood, and the pleasant heat create an amazing atmosphere in the home and it's no wonder that wood fires are so popular. We've got a great range of fireplaces available which can suit almost any lifestyle and home decor. Give us a call today on 07 378 2547 and we'll talk about whether a wood fireplace is right for you and your home.Kent_Ochre_Freestanding_Gas_fire.jpg

Pellets and Wood Fires

Pellets are made of compressed sawdust and are very environmentally friendly because they burn efficiently, leaving behind very little ash. They can give the same ambience of a normal wood log fire but a cheaper and much better for our environment.

Wood fires are recognised as one of the worst polluters though modern wood burners are far more cleaner burning than older models. Whenever you use a wood log fire it's important that you use good wood which has an extremely low moisture content. Some types of wood may need to be stored for up to 12 months to allow it to dry out properly. This allows you wood burner to get better heat output and also burn more cleanly and leave behind less ash. Which, when it comes to cleaning your fireplace, is an absolute blessing!
Heating > Spot Heating

Spot Heating

A cheaper alternative to a heating system

Spot heating involves placing a heating unit in each area to be heated. Options include gas, wood, or electric heating appliances, or a heat pump. These options can be cheaper but will not heat every area in your home unless you have multiple units.

GEO_Convek_Electric_Heater_Photograph_2.jpgWe are all familiar with the traditional concept of gathering around the kiwi wood fire in the lounge and this is a great example of a spot heating system. The lounge (or whatever area the heating system is in) will be toasty warm and comfortable while other areas of the home like the bedrooms and bathrooms will generally remain cold. If this is the case in your home, and you enjoy cutting firewood, then the best option for you might be to place other spot heaters around your home to make sure you don't have too many cold spots.

This is where careful planning regarding the choice of appliance as well as the fuel that powers the appliance is required. If you need any advice on the best way to heat your home using spot heating appliances please don't hesitate to contact us by phoning 07 378 2547. We'd love to help out and give you some advice if we can.

 

Is gas heating the best option for you?

Modern gas appliances come in many designs and configurations so if they if they are chosen carefully they may be the most suitable choice for heating particular areas of your house.

KENT_Cassel_Inbuilt_Fire_Photograph.jpgFlued gas appliances are always the best choice as far as gas appliances go. Natural by-products of gas appliances are water vapour and carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is extremely toxic to humans and can cause serious health complications. Water vapour isn't toxic but over a long period of time can result in a damp and mouldy home which can also cause or aggravate respiratory illnesses or other health problems. Unflued gas appliances release these by-products inside your home - NOT GOOD! Flued gas appliances release these by-products into the air outside your home, leaving the inside dryer and cleaner.

Some flues are hidden and expel the by-products out of your home straight through your wall while others have a flue that goes straight up through the roof. Many modern gas appliances are thermostatically controlled so you can get exactly the temperature you want and others can be programmed to come on and off at different times of the day. This makes them very economical and you'll never have to worry about leaving the house and thinking "did I turn the heater off?"

Unflued heaters are generally not a good choice due to the water vapour and carbon monoxide creating a damp and potentially poisonous environment so if you absolutely have to use them we strongly recommend that you keep them away from small areas like bedrooms and bathrooms and restrict their use to larger areas with good ventilation.

It pays to get good advice regarding appliance choice and how you position them so feel free to give us a call on 07 378 2547.

Heat pumps may also be an excellent option for you

Heat pumps are very efficient when compared to other electricity powered heating systems however only when the right heat pump is applied to the right situation.

When choosing a heat pump for your home you will need to make sure that you get one that is a size appropriate for the area that needs to be heated and you will often find that investing in a a better quality, more expensive brand and and model will, in the long run, produce better performance and Kent_Heat_Pump_Indoor_Unit___Angled_View.jpgbetter energy savings for you and your family. You can tell which are the best by checking out their Energy Star rating. Energy savings from these top end models can be up to $150 per year better than cheaper models!

When getting heat pumps installed you need to take a lot of care about where you place the heat pump unit. If they aren't placed in a suitable position the noise from the fan can drive you nuts and if your furniture is placed in certain locations the heat pumps can produce a cold draught at your feet. Cold feet and a hot head is not an overly comfortable combination! Don't forget to make sure you put the outside unit in a place where it won't annoy your neighbours. If you put it directly outside their bedroom window it won't be long before the whirring of the unit earns you an invite onto the "Neighbours at War" television program.
 

How do heat pumps work?

Kent_Heat_Pump_Outdoor_Unit.jpgA heat pump is effectively the reverse of a refrigerator. A refrigerator pumps the hot air inside the refrigerator out into the room so that only cold air is left behind. A heat pump takes the hot air outside the room and pumps it into the room using a fan similar to the picture on the left. No matter how cold the air is outside the house there is still some heat to be found in the air thanks to the energy from the sun. A heat pump simply takes what little heat there is outside and puts it inside so that you can enjoy it in the form of a warm and dry room. The reason heat pumps are so efficient is because they don’t actually turn cold air into hot air like traditional electric heaters do. Instead they simply use electricity to ‘move’ heat around i.e. from outside your home to inside.
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