Gas fire & vents

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gd2000

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I'm at a loss and would appreciate some clarification!

I currently have a gas fire, which replaced a natural fire (i.e. there's a chimney in the house suitable for a natural fire). However, there's no vent in the room.

I've been told by a registered gas installer (got details from Bord Gais website) that I need to have a vent in the room. Is this correct? If so, how was it installed in the first place?!

I'd be reluctant to put a vent in, as it would ruin the aesthetic of the house. As it stands, that would mean converting back to a natural fire!

Any advice/options I may not have considered?

Cheers...
 
Hello,

We have a gas fire in our house. It's a newly built house so the vent was already in place. Before the installer would install the fire, he insisted on us changing the vent cover to a constantly-open vent cover. He indicated that if we did not have a permanently open vent and he installed the fire anyways he would be partially liable in the event of a gas-related accident. He also told us that our insurance would not cover us should we not have the room containing the gas fire properly vented. We had to sign a form for the gas man stating that we would always ensure that there would be an open vent in the room.

My advice is to have a vent installed - its a case of safety over asthetics on this occasion. We painted the vent to match the colour of the sitting room walls, and would never notice it now. The vents also come in chrome, brass, white etc to match in with your room.

Hope this helps :)
 
Thanks themenunegal...

I feared that the only option would be to install a vent. The problem I have with that is that the front of my house is a nice butterly brick and a vent would ruin the outside (no neighbours have a vent to the front). Since I'm mid terrace there isn't really another vent option...

I'm leaning towards the natural fire...
 
u do have another choice...and that is to install a window that has a vent built into it as well...
 
grizzcol - I recently installed windows that have vents... Are you sure this complies with regulations?
 
install a proper wall vent, the vent strips in windows are very
small and can get easily blocked over time I would never
rely on them. if you're still unsure read this
[broken link removed]
 
I had Natural Gas heating installed in my house about 5 years ago. I also had a gas fire installed. It is installed in the same fireplace that I had a back boiler in. All was installed by Bord Gais. The gas fire is a enclosed unit that sits into the fireplace. No one mention anything to me about vents. Should I have this check out ?
 
well I moved into a new house a couple of years ago ...had a gas fire and gas hob..and the only vents that were installed were in the windows..
 
I know very little about this - but I've just been told that my gas fire was a convector fire and that's why it didn't need a separate vent. A convector fire has a box behind and is specifically designed to be able to use the chimney and that's why it doesn't need a vent.

grizzcol/megan - maybe that's why your fire doesn't need a vent?

kiwijbob - will check out that link now. I would have guessed that a proper vent was the better option - I just don't want to destroy my lovely house!! Converting to a natural (non-gas) fire seems like the better option for me!
 
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