Electric fires: versatile and stylish heating options

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Electric fires are currently experiencing a considerable resurgence in popularity.

Advancements in technology and design have made the electric fires a fantastic heating option for many households.

Perhaps their main selling point is the easy with which they can be fitted. While other fire options might require building work, alterations to chimneys and – in some cases – council-approval, an electric fire can be fitted wherever an electricity supply is available. That represents a distinct advantage for properties that do not have existing fireplace, or where fitting any sort of flue is not a possibility. Continue reading →

Meet the manufacturer: Invicta

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French stove manufacturer Invicta is definitely at the more contemporary end of the Gr8fires.co.uk stock.

The Invicta brand is built around eye-catching designs and a very modern look. From a fresh take on the traditional wood-burning stove, to ornamental wood burners you could easily confuse for art installations, Invicta focuses on making stoves that are as beautiful as they are functional.

With such a diverse range of designs on available it is difficult to know which stoves to highlight to introduce you to the range. We’ve done our best to find three stoves that span the spectrum of Invicta’s output. Continue reading →

Top 10 ways to improve the efficiency of your wood-burning stove

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Once you’ve got your wood-burning stove installed, there’s the obvious temptation to throw on lots of wood and just enjoy not having to use the central heating.

At Gr8fires.co.uk, we thoroughly understand that sentiment. But once the euphoria has partially subsided and you’ve got your thinking cap back on, we would suggest you follow these tips to make sure you’re stove is costing as little as possible and heating as much as possible.

1.Use dry kindling to light your stove
Lighting your fire with fast-burning kindling heats the firebox quickly. You’re essentially getting your stove heated up so your logs have less work to do. Continue reading →

Airwash: what is it and what does it mean for your wood-burning stove?

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Airwash might sound like a cutting edge piece of technology that Dyson have created to revolutionise cleaning your car, but it’s actually a lot more straightforward that.

It does involve air and it does involve cleaning, but cars and cyclone technology are omitted in favour of some basic physics and your trusty wood-burning stove.

It is one of those inventions that once you see how simple and effective it is, you wonder how it wasn’t used far earlier.

Airwash technology brings a flow of air into the firebox of your wood burner from a vent above the glass panel. The air is immediately forced directly downwards over the inside of the door. This creates a layer air which ‘washes’ over the glass at all times.

Flames and gases are both kept at bay by this constant flow of air, which prevents tar building up and causing the glass to blacken.

So, as we mentioned, airwash is not fancy in terms of the design or the technology involved, but it is very effective.

Since being able to see the real flames is one of the best parts of having a wood-burning stove, and since having a piece of grubby glass sitting in your living room doesn’t look particularly nice, airwash saves you a lot of hard work trying to get your glass clean.

The various methods people use in an attempt to keep their glass clean probably merit a blog post of their own, but suffice it to say that it’s not a chore that you would want to become a part of your life unnecessarily.

Buying a stove with an airwash system means you can:

  • Prevent the build-up of tar on the glass panel of your stove
  • Avoid cleaning your glass because the stove will keep itself clean
  • Always have the pleasant, homely view of the wood burning inside your stove

Find stoves that are fitted with airwash systems on the Gr8fires website.

Don’t wait for the government to act on climate change. Go green now!

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Most of the world’s governments seem to agree that something has to change when it comes to the energy we use to heat our homes. Even countries that are not particularly forthright in tackling climate change are weighing up their energy options to minimise their exposure to volatile oil prices.

If the pace of change isn’t quick enough for you, why not reduce your carbon footprint – and your heating bills – long before an army of civil servants have decided whether nuclear, hydroelectric, wind or something completely different is the way forward for the rest of the country?

You can go green in 2012 by installing a wood-burning stove in your home. Take decisive action to cut your contribution to climate change by reducing your dependence on oil or gas.

Burning wood is a very environmentally friendly way of heating your home. The act of burning carries with it the connotation that you must be doing some harm to the environment, but that’s not true of wood.

When wood is burnt, it only gives off as much carbon dioxide as it had absorbed during its life as a tree. Heating your home with a wood-burning stove is actually completely carbon neutral.

It’s also entirely sustainable. Unlike our finite resources of coal, gas and oil, with careful forestry we can have a constant supply of wood for fuel. It just means planting new trees to replace the one that are cut down.

And it doesn’t have to be just your home that gets heated. You could also consider installing a boiler stove, so that your water is also heated when your stove is in use.

The boiler is heated at the same time as the rest of your home, removing the need to heat your water separately. Needless to say, this dual use is very green and very cost-effective.

Throw into the equation the fact that you can collect reclaimed wood from fallen trees to use as your fuel and you can operate your stove without so much as a tree being chopped down on your conscience.

If you want to do your bit to stop climate change right now, feel free to use the discount code VKL8J3CP to get 10 per cent off our range of wood-burning stoves.

Five wood-burning stove New Year’s resolutions!

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Happy New Year to you from all the Gr8fires.co.uk team.

At the start of any new year it is always healthy to make some resolutions and plan a few things that you would like to change or achieve in the 12 months ahead.

Since we are all about wood-burning stoves, we have got a few stove-themed resolutions that you might like to adopt as your own.Restovlutions, if you like!

1.    Save money on your heating bills with a stove

If you haven’t already got a stove installed, now is the time to act. Picking up a New Year stove means you can take advantage of it throughout the rest of this winter and be raring to go later in the year when the cold weather returns. The initial financial outlay might not immediately appeal but as with most resolutions, it’s a case of no pain, no gain. Several media outlets are now highlighting wood-burning stoves to their readers as a great way of cutting their heating bills.

2.    No more green wood

Freshly cut green wood is the fast-food of the stove world. It’s time to cut it out and make your stove more efficient. In 2012, make a conscious effort to improve your provisions of seasoned wood. You might not see the benefits of wood you start drying now until well into 2013, but by putting it off you will only by running your stove inefficiently for event longer.

3.    Upgrade your existing stove

If you’re a wood-burning stove veteran, it is probably worth looking into swapping your old stove for a newer model. While your stove may well still be going strong, the latest stoves do offer greater efficiency. Spending the money know might well save you money on fuel over the course of the year, and make your home warmer in the meantime.

4.    Heat your water more efficiently

This follows on from the previous resolution. If you are planning to upgrade your existing stove – or even if you are considering buying your first stove – why not opt for one that works harder for you? A boiler stove will not only heat your home, but also heat hot water for you. Two birds, one stove.

5.    Get the family together

There are few greater joys in life than gathering with your loved ones in front of a stove in a cosy room. Watch a film together, play a game or just chat. The most important thing is increasing your quality time together.

Browse our wood-burning stoves to see which one could be a part of your New Year’s resolutions.