Frequently asked questions

The fireplace itself, as well as its construction, are the basis of its performance and efficiency. The fireplace is a small device which, in order to ventilate properly regardless of the fire’s size, needs to be well designed. Ventilation is also affected by the surface occupied by the fire and the wood inside it.

It is also useful, during the first operations of the fireplace to check how extensive a fire it can accommodate without beginning to smoke, as well as the kinds of wood than can be utilized. Moreover, the type of fireplace is another important factor. The amount of thermal energy that a fireplace exudes depends greatly on the wood and the construction of the fireplace, which can be built with firebricks (performance 10-15%), prefabricated with cast iron (performance rate 15-25%), or it may be an energy fireplace (performance rate up to 85%). Nowadays, energy fireplaces are widely preferred, as they offer the highest thermal performance. The fireplace door, which should be of the highest quality to isolate the air, is also of great importance. The firewood should be as dry as possible. The heat produced by the fireplace is dependent on the type and size of firewood used, but it also depends on the way these are placed in the fireplace. They should not be pushed too closely together so that the air is able to circulate between them and feed them with the oxygen needed to burn. 

Chimney cleaning should occur at least once a year. Omission of this process can cause an obstruction in the chimney and the fireplace to smoke. It can also cause the soot in the chimney to ignite, which can severely damage the fireplace, chimney or the entire construction. This can also constitute a grave danger to the entire house, especially in houses with wooden roofs when the chimney passes through them, had it not been properly constructed and insulated with a fire-retardant agent.

There is a misunderstanding concerning certain materials available in the market in solid, liquid or powder form, which one can burn in the fireplace and cause the soot to disintegrate, so as to render it un-ignitable. This is the so-called chemical cleaning, which is a process that does not remove the soot and cannot solve an obstruction problem, thus it is in no case a replacement for mechanical cleaning with a brush, which is the unique and irreplaceable practice necessary to clean the chimney. Clean your chimney to avoid any unpleasant surprises! In cases of a fully stainless-steel chimney, the time frame between cleanings can be longer.
 

Clean your fireplace glass by using kitchen paper towels or a newspaper and a window cleaner. If the soot was burned onto the crystal and is hard to remove, dip your soaked paper towel into some ash, or scrape with a glass scraper.

Special cleaning sprays are also available in the market, which you can order through our company.
Any bronze parts can be cleaned with special bronze cleaners.
Do not use sharp objects to clean your glass, as these can damage it.
 

This is the second kind of energy fireplace.

In this type of fireplace, instead of heating air, water is heated in the double walls of the fireplace, which is then either consumed (water heater) or circulated to heat radiators, just as in the case of oil boilers. In essence, a radiator energy fireplace is a wood burning boiler, and just as in the case of oil boilers the choice of fireplace depends on the heating needs of the house.

What can I heat?

Modern fireplaces are highly technological devices, and are ideal as the main heating instrument providing a uniform temperature throughout the house. This can be achieved either by distributing heated air to each room using appropriate air ducts and ventilators (thermodynamic or hot air fireplaces), or by placing radiators (radiator energy fireplaces). In this type of fireplace, the radiator fireplace is basically a wood burning boiler and thus cannot be used a simple fireplace (i.e. without the installation of radiators and water circulation) as this would damage the boiler.
Thermodynamic or hot air energy fireplaces can be used as the main heating source, without the use of air ducts or air distribution, but in this case the temperature in different areas of the house is not uniform and variations will appear from room to room. This, however, is not to say that the house will be cold.
The area that a fireplace is able to heat depends on the fireplace’s capacity, the insulation of the house, ceiling height, the broader area’s climate conditions and the arrangement of the rooms. There is a fireplace for every need. By studying your house’s floor plan, we can give you thorough information on the appropriate fireplace model for your home.
 

Before the first operation of your fireplace, carefully read the Operation Manual, which provides all the details for your fireplace’s proper usage, as well as useful information regarding its operation.
Your fireplace is a device which requires careful and proper operation. You should never exceed its limitations and endurance by keeping it in constant maximum operation in an attempt to heat larger areas than its intended use.
This kind of careless usage will cause excessive wear and tear to various parts of your fireplace, as well as the surrounding construction such as hairline cracks, tile detachment, damage to the chimney etc.
Do not burn small wood scraps, flooring, MDF, wood boards and twigs as the main burning material. These are only suitable as tinder. You should use mature, dry logs to burn in your fireplace.
In all cases of misuse, your warranty is rendered null and void.
Read your User’s Manual carefully!

These are specially designed fireplaces which can be placed in existing open fireplaces, hence they are called “inserts” or cassettes and are aimed at converting them to energy, hot-air fireplaces. They carry all of the advantages of cast iron closed fireplaces, while some of them feature embedded ventilators to maximize efficiency. They are easy and quick to install (installation can be completed in a few hours) and they are able to transform your old fireplace into a modern energy fireplace, economical to run, easy to use and exceptionally efficient.

The correct choice of an energy fireplace is quite a complicated procedure, but it can be made simpler with guidance by a specialist. The deciding factors are:

• The size of the space to be heated.

The areas that various types of fireplaces are efficiently able to heat, can range from 250m² to 602m², so the first factor to consider when choosing your fireplace should be the size of your space. The fireplace should not be too small for your space, as you would need to operate it constantly on full power, which will reduce its lifespan, but neither should it be too large, as you would need to keep it constantly under-functioning, which can lead to malfunction or to a dirty glass, walls and chimney.

• The aesthetics demanded of the space.

Aesthetics are the most subjective and fluid aspect of a fireplace. They are mostly affected by the surrounding structure. A fireplace can be styled to look classic, cottage, traditional, modern or conceptual. It can be shaped to look straight, curved, prismatic, square, oblong, to fit a corner or to sit in the center of your space. The final look, that is to say the final design, is another factor to be considered during the choice of fireplace.

• Your budget

Another deciding factor in your choice of fireplace is its cost.
 

A closed hearth keeps the flames stronger at all times, offering a unique site, as opposed to open fireplaces which require you to turn the fire constantly to keep the flames alive. This phenomenon is due to the higher temperatures developed in the closed fireplace, which cause a larger percentage of gas to ignite rather than escape the fireplace in the form of smoke. This leads to a fireplace full of lively flames with golden cinder and minimum ash production. This phenomenon is even easier to understand and observe in catalytic fireplaces, which operate at even higher temperatures, are more efficient in burning unburned particles and feature self-cleaning glass. These are more efficient, with a feeding of wood lasting up to 8 hours and vacating the ash needs not occur until after 7-10 days of operation.

Modern houses, with their modern airtight doors and windows, do not allow air intake into the house, which is necessary in order to replace the air deducted due to the operation of the fireplace. Additionally, high-powered range hoods, which are able to ventilate 600-800m³ per hour, can create low pressure inside the house. As a result, the fireplace’s chimney is converted into an air intake, which, in turn, results in your fireplace smoking.

• Keep the air replenishment louver open at all times or open a window, especially in the kitchen, so that the air is replaced.
• Clean your chimney at least once a year to avoid soot blockages.
• Check your chimney for any possible bird’s nests, which can block it and obstruct the air escape.
• High obstacles at an 8-meter radius of your chimney can create turbulence and are sure to turn the air inwards in windy conditions.

If the glass gets dirty very fast, check:

• The quality of wood you use. Wet or fresh wood will inevitably cause this problem.
• Conifer wood (pine, fir) often produce soot due to their high resin content.
• Low pressure, as described in previous chapter “Why does my fireplace smoke?”.
• The condition of the strings. Damaged strings allow air intake, which causes turbulence inside the fireplace which, in turn, results in a blackened glass and large wood consumption. Strings are consumables and should be replaced when damaged or once every 1-2 years at regular usage.