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Do electric fires need a flue?
Wood-burning stoves, multi-fuel stoves, open fires and gas fires all need a flue, but do electric fires need a flue? Let's find out.
Do you need a flue for an electric fire?
No, electric fires do not need a flue because they do not burn fuel and therefore do not produce smoke, fumes or carbon dioxide.
Since no smoke, carbon monoxide, or fumes are being created, there are no flue gases to take away from the appliance. For that reason, there is no need to install a flue with an electric fire.
What does a flue do?
A flue pulls air from an appliance upwards and outside. This is essential in order for a solid fuel and gas appliance when a fuel is being burnt.
For example, in a wood-burning stove or open fire you will be burning logs or coal. Gas fires and gas boilers both burn gas. Oil heating and appliances burn oil. In each case, flue gases and smoke will be created as a byproduct of the fuel being burnt. These fumes need an escape route, which is up the flue and out of the property.
Equally, the flow of air into the appliance and through the flue system is essential for an efficient burning process.
Why doesn't an electric fire need a flue?
Unlike the examples we gave above – such as logburners, gas fires and oil central heating – nothing is being burnt in an electric fire. There is no real fuel in an electric fire. Instead, electric fires rely on realistic LED flame effects, decorative logs and fuel beds.
Since there is no burning and no gases, there is no need for a flue. Instead, the heat is generated at the press of a button. Find out more about how electric fires work in this article.
What do electric fires need instead of a flue?
Electric fires required very little in order to operate correctly. We've already established that they don't need a flue. Instead, the need only:
Correct vent positioning
Appropriate positioning of the air intake and output vents, so that they can function correctly. For example, in built-in electric fires for media walls the vents need to be front-facing. As long as the air can flow in and out of the electric fire freely, there is no need for external vents.
Space for ventilation
You need to leave enough space around an electric fire to allow for air flow around the appliance. The clearance distances around an electric fire will be detailed in the manufacturer's product manual.
Regular plug socket
To get started with an electric fire, you need onlya regular socket into which you can plugs the appliance.
The benefits of an electric fire
The absence of a flue is a reminder of some of the key benefits of having an electric fire in your home:
Electric fires are very safe
They don’t have the intense heat of some appliances and they don’t pose the same risk of carbon monoxide fumes.
Electric fires are very easy to install
They don’t need the construction work throughout the full height of the house that might be needed for some appliances.
Electric fires are incredibly flexible
Since you only need a regular plug socket to install your electric fire, they can be installed almost anywhere in any space. You don't need an existing fireplace or flue system, which means you can treat your room as a blank canvas when deciding where the appliance should be positioned.
You only pay for what you need with an electric fire
The heat from an electric fire starts immediately when you switch it on and stops when you turn the fire off. An appliance with a flue system may involve a lighting process and a gradual process of extinguishing or cooling down when your home reaches a suitable temperature.
Ready to buy an electric fire?
If after finding out that electric fires do not need a flue you are now ready to think about installing an electric fire in your home, feel free to explore our range of electric fires.