From this to ....

[adrian250]

I have an 11 year old power flue gas fire which has seen better days. All the facia has gone rusty, the black back panel is peeling and it is in no way efficient AT ALL! Been looking at various options to update as the current surround and mantel are also very dated. Question is, how easy would it be going from this :

to something like this:

If I did this, it would save the price of a new half and surround. I want a balanced flue anyway as that is the only other type I could have (no chimney). Doesn't matter about the carpet as this is being replaced anyway. I have budgeted unto a max of £1800 for everything fully fitted. Is it do-able?

 

[Madrab]

All LFE's are only about 35% efficient. They're more for effect rather than space heaters.

All the work you wish to undertake is of course achievable, the building work is straightforward, so is decomming old a refitting new. I guess what you're asking is can it all be done for £1800?

You're over £1000 just for the fire so the real question is, can you get a gas engineer/builder to remove old, finish off wall and fit new for, at a max, £800.

I'd get separate quotes for the fire and then labour to decom and refit and see how it stacks up against a company to supply and fit everything.

 

[Agile]

If you are prepared to get different people doing the work and arranging them yourself then I would suggest that you engage the gas guy to do the removal and installation of the new fire but excluding plastering and decorating.

The reason being that most gas guys will do simple blockwork and rough rendering but don't have enough skill/practice to do a top quality finish plastering and would only have to supervise a plasterer.

I would be wondering if you would get it all done for that price.

But since you obviously want to spend on something that will give you no benefit apart from a new look then the actual cost will only be your desire to spend less rather than any shortage of money.

As said there is no efficiency gain on gas fires.

But really an electric fire will be more efficient, provide heat output and look nice! And be about a quarter of the cost!

Tony

 

[mcmoby69]

you'd be better off spending £1800 on an oil painting of a gas fire, it will appreciate in money, and cost you nothing to look at. Unlike a gas fire. £100 in gas, £65 up the chimney, £35 looking good and heat into the room.

(edit, could always fit a flueless )

 

[bernardgreen]

Flat screen TV with a DVD of an open fire on auto repeat.

 

[cjard]

So how come we can make a 90 percent efficient boiler but only a 35 percent efficient gas fire? Surely some heat exchanger in the flue could be employed?

 

[FiremanT]

So how come we can make a 90 percent efficient boiler but only a 35 percent efficient gas fire? Surely some heat exchanger in the flue could be employed?

We can. That fire in picture will be in the 70% to 85% range (but normally less efficient on lower settings). I think it may be a Kinder / Flavel
I am not surprised at reading the nonsense in Tony's post, as it is par for his course, but a little surprised at McMoby. An elec. fire has poor flame picture, with a max. output of 2Kw, they are also often noisy. Okay, if for occasional use, but they are NOT cheaper to run. Generallyy cheaper to fit, though.
The cost will be affected by location and accessibility to job site, of course. When I had a shop, I would have charged IIRC about £500 for the installation (inc. blockwork/ lintel, but the plastering would be extra. To be fair, that would only apply as I would have been supplying the fire and making some profit on that (but not as much as some would think).

 

[FiremanT]

http://www.kindergasfires.co.uk/products/kinder-proclaim-he-balanced-flue

Specifications
Safety Flame Supervision Device (FSD)
Flue Type Balanced Flue
Maximum Heat Output 5.5kW
Maximum Heat Input 7.5kW
Ventilation Required Not normally required
Net Efficiency 87%

Weird - photo reversed
Having has a quick on line price search, then £1800 inclusive is unlikely:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=K...r+Proclaim+HE+Balanced+Flue+Gas+Fire&tbm=shop
Beware Kinders T&C's - for 5 year warranty you MUST have an annual service (fair enough) but also an annual ODS replacement (ridiculous)

 

[D_Hailsham]

Maximum Heat Output 5.5kW
Maximum Heat Input 7.5kW
Net Efficiency 87%

5.5/7.5 = 0.733 , which is 73.3% efficient!

I wonder where the extra 14% come from?

 

[Madrab]

I stand corrected as well, did not read the documentation for this fire so 35% efficiency, as other LFE's, was inaccurate.

I must add though that even according to their own declaration, this fire is only 74% efficient, not 87%??

 

[Madrab]

Oops, sorry D, beat me to it

 

[D_Hailsham]

Maybe the extra 14% is the load of hot air generated by salesmen.

 

[FiremanT]

net/gross efficiency

 

[Madrab]

The efficiency of this appliance has been measured as specified in
BS EN 613 : 2001 and the result is 74%. The gross calorific value of the fuel has
been used for this efficiency calculation.

Taken from their literature - therefore the 74% is gross, that then means that the net is even worse at 67%. Looks like they're calc's are a little off.

All that being said though, it does detract from the OP's original question.

 

[FiremanT]

All that being said though, it does detract from the OP's original question.

It took a moment to recall what that was!

But the answer is: Reasonably straightforward, but not necessarily within the budget. Allow another £400 and you are well in (IMO).
Assuming the the terminal position is within regs.