Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Once there is a gas supply in the house, a pipe can be extended to the fireplace. A wide range of gas fire and heating appliances can then be provided to suit the specific situation

Yes. The vast majority of gas appliances including ovens, hobs, stoves, fires and hole in the wall fires can be used by utilising LPG gas. LPG is a liquid gas, which is stored in cylinders outside your house.

A flue is normally a spherical outlet which carries away the gases from the appliance and discharges them outside. It is normally enclosed in a chimney. A chimney is a more solid and insulated structure made up from metal or other building materials, which contains a flue.

There is a wide variety of gas fires designed to be installed where there is no chimney in place. These include Flueless units, balanced flued units and fan assisted units. These appliances are suited to different situations and needs and your choice will be affected by heat required, cost, efficiency and style.

Conventional chimneys rely on the natural circulation of heated air to expel the products of combustion up your chimney and can work with either open or glass-fronted fires.

Balanced flues work in conjunction with glass-fronted fires only. Here the appliance is sealed from the room in which it is installed and a concentric pipe system vents directly to outside. Air for combustion is drawn in through the outer pipe whilst the inner pipe removes the combustion gases to the exterior of your property.

Depending upon the fire selected, the concentric pipe system may exit horizontally through an external wall or vertically through the roof.

Open fronted gas fires do not create a particularly hot environment on the wall above where they are installed. Accordingly, it may be possible to install a plasma or LCD TV above them as long as the TV is a minimum distance of 450mm from the top of the fire and you have checked the TV manufacturer’s installation instructions with regard to installation and heat proximity.

If in any doubt, it is essential to check with the TV manufacturer.

You should not put a TV above a glass fronted fire. Glass fronted fires emit more heat than open fronted fires and this can damage a TV mounted directly above.

Yes. We recommend annual service of all your gas appliances by a qualified serviceperson . This will ensure that your appliance is functioning properly.

Installation of our products must be done in strict accordance with national building codes, RGII specifications and the manufacturers installation manual. We recommend that our products be installed by a qualified gas fitter who is a RGI, Bord Gais or Calor gas approved installer.

Today, gas appliances are very safe. Gas appliances must undergo extremely rigorous testing to ensure safety. When buying a gas appliance, deal with a reputable outlet and check that the appliance carries the CE mark. (Confirmation that the Appliance is suitable for use in Ireland).There are also stringent regulations concerning the installation of gas appliances, again it is vitally important that the installer is approved and competent.

If you have a back boiler, which is in use, then your fireplace design may be somewhat restricted. This is due to the fact that some back boilers may protrude out from the opening. If this is so, then your chosen design may have to be modified to suit the boiler. If you have a back boiler, which is not in use but still connected, we would advise on its removal.

Firstly, the boiler must be disconnected. This would have to be done by a plumber. Newbridge Heating & Fireplace Centre can then remove the back boiler and rebuild the opening. Please note that the removal of a disconnected back boiler is not included in the price of a fireplace. We would confirm a price for removal on a site survey.

Newbridge Heating Centre cannot recommend the use of any one type of solid fuel for coal fires. Due to the introduction of “petro-chemical” fuel with a high pep coke content, we have discovered that these fuels can cause serious damage to fireplaces, firebacks, baskets and hearths.

These solid fuels can burn at extremely high temperatures, which no fireplace material at the moment can withstand. Please consult your local coal merchant for the correct fuel to use. Newbridge Heating Centre cannot take responsibility for damage when this type of fuel is used.

When a fireplace is off-centre Newbridge Heating Centre can install a new fireplace in a variety of ways. Nowadays 99% of all off-centre fireplaces can be catered for. This can be done through any of the following methods.

1. We can move a fireplace opening by 3 or 4 inches either to the left or right depending which side is off centre. This can be done without affecting the flue, which means that the fireplace can still be used for solid fuel or a gas fire.

2. We can extend your chimney-breast on the shorter side so as to balance out the fireplace symmetrically. This option could mean losing space from your room and is therefore a decision for you the customer. Please note that there is an extra charge for a chimney-breast extension. The fireplace installation in this case will normally take a full day to complete.

3. If you wish to centre your fireplace without any extra disruption to the chimney-breast, you can choose a slim-line electric fire, which can be placed exactly to the centre of the breast. Please note that if choosing this option the back panel/inset must be a flat marble/granite/cast-iron type, so as to incorporate the slim line electric fire. This fire is only used for aesthetic purposes.

4. Modifying the chimney flue path can also centre your fireplace. In this instance your fireplace opening can still be used for a solid fuel/coal or gas fire. This method takes approximately 2 days and must be carried out by a chimney specialist. A Newbridge Heating Centre consultant can advise you on this during a site survey.

Should you not wish to centre your fireplace, you can keep it off-centre and modify an existing design to a larger off-centre one. Please note that prices would vary for this option.

Newbridge Heating Centre installation price includes the removal and disposal of the existing fireplace and installation of the new one. Newbridge Heating Centre fitters will make good any plasterwork pertaining to the installation so that the chimney breast is left ready for painting and decorating.

However, please note that if there is a large fireplace for removal that a mini skip may be required to dispose of the old fireplace. There may also be a requirement for extra plastering due to the removal of the larger fireplace. All of the above is exclusive of the standard fireplace price. Newbridge Heating Centre will normally confirm a price on a site survey.

Newbridge Heating Centre would advise that the following should be done to prepare for the installation of your new fireplace:

1. Carpets to be lifted irrespective of whether new carpets are being re-fitted

2. Room cleared as much as possible (if the room cannot be cleared we would advise for you to remove curtains and cover any furniture).

Please note that timber floors should always be laid after the installation of your fireplace. Newbridge Heating Centre will take into account whether or not you are getting timber floors and will raise the hearth height accordingly

Although there is a standard fireplace size of 54” (4 ft 6”) or 60” (5ft), it is possible for Newbridge Heating & Fireplace Centre to size down or size up many of the fireplaces from the range in our showrooms. These are proportionally sized to suit the width of your chimney breast. Newbridge Heating & Fireplace Centre will normally confirm all sizes on a site survey.

Yes, on any standard fireplace installation a 16 or 18 inch fireback will be fitted with the fireplace, if you are planning to use your fireplace for a gas inset fire you can upgrade this to a ceramic fireback, which will radiate more heat from the fire.

Convector units may also be installed into the fireplace, which would not require a fire back. Should you wish to use your fireplace for a solid fuel/coal fire, Newbridge Heating Centre would recommend the use of a high-grade fireback. Please note that both ceramic and high-grade firebacks are not included in the standard fireplace price quoted in our showrooms.

A fret / front and a fire grate is normally supplied when purchasing a fireplace with a cast iron inset. However if you are choosing a fireplace with a flat back panel/inset you will need to purchase a fret and basket separately as there are many types to choose from.

On choosing your fireplace design in our showrooms, Newbridge Heating & Fireplace Centre then organise for a site survey to take place. This is a simple process whereby a Newbridge Heating & Fireplace Centre consultant will call to your house and take visual photographs of the fireplace due for removal. We will check all details pertaining to the order such as fire type, new floor covering, back boiler removal etc. A site survey is made by appointment for any time from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

In order to book and confirm your order, Newbridge Heating Centre requires a 50% booking deposit. This deposit can by paid by cash, cheque, credit or debit card. The balancing 50% is then paid when your fireplace is ready/installation.

Newbridge Heating Centre has a lead in time of 3/4weeks from the moment you confirm an order to the time of installation. Should you wish to have your fireplace installed sooner than this, it can be possible for us to schedule a shorter time, however please note that this cannot be confirmed until a site survey takes place

When you come in to choose your new fireplace, your selection will be made easier by bringing the following information with you.

1. A picture of your existing fireplace
2. The full width of your existing chimney breast
3. The width, height & depth of your existing opening
4. If you have flooring which you are keeping – measure the size of the existing hearth sitting into the flooring

To achieve a relaxing room temperature of around 21ºC when the external air temperature is at freezing (0ºC) you will need approximately 1kW of heat output for every 14 cubic meters of space. Measure the length, width and height of your room and multiply the three figures together.

For example, a room measuring 7m long by 4m wide and with a height of 2.5m is 70 cu. m. of space. Divide by the sum by 14 and this means you will require a 5kW stove.

However this is just a rough guide, factors such as the number of outside walls, the size of windows and whether they are double glazed, the age of the home etc, can all influence the heat requirement. We would always recommend you arrange a site survey before making your decision

Logs burns best on a flat bed of ash, with air for combustion coming from above. Coal and smokeless fuels burn best on a grate, with air entering from beneath the fire and cinders dropping into an ashpan below. Wood burning models, therefore, have flat fuel beds whilst multi fuel models incorporate grates, but the latter are also designed to allow you to develop a bed of ash upon which to burn logs should you wish.

Logs burns best on a flat bed of ash, with air for combustion coming from above. Coal and smokeless fuels burn best on a grate, with air entering from beneath the fire and cinders dropping into an ashpan below. Wood burning models, therefore, have flat fuel beds whilst multi fuel models incorporate grates, but the latter are also designed to allow you to develop a bed of ash upon which to burn logs should you wish.

Today’s stoves are more efficient and technically advanced than those manufactured only a few years ago so efficiencies in excess of 75-80% are now possible.

For example, a stove with a net fuel input of 6.5kW and an output rating of 5kW is 77% efficient.
With a very few, particular exceptions, the figures for all Stoves have been independently verified by CE and HETAS approval systems.

Also do not forget that, unlike an open fire or hearth, a stove has airtight doors and a sealed flue so it will not draw heat from other heating sources, such as radiators or electric storage heaters, up the chimney. This means the stove can conserve energy even when it is not lit.

This is a design feature that uses a specially placed vent or vents to draw in cool air from the room to wash over the inside of the glass during operation. This helps to keep the glass cleaner for longer, allowing you to enjoy the glow and flames to the full.

Cleanburn is a system by which warm air is introduced into the firebox just above the normal height of the fire.

The effect is to allow the combustion of unburned hydrocarbons in the smoke stream. This, in turn, provides not only a ‘cleaner burn’ (i.e. less soot particles going up the chimney/flue and into the atmosphere) but also generates up to twice the heat output from the same amount of fuel. Furthermore, you will enjoy the sight of even more flames.

Yes. There are stoves which have integrated wraparound boilers which will allow you to produce domestic hot water for baths, showers and radiators as well as heating the room where stove is situated.

No. All stoves must be individually flued.

Condensing boilers are highly efficient. They use less fuel and have lower running costs than standard boilers. Higher efficiency levels are made possible by extracting heat contained in the combustion gases, which would otherwise have been lost to the atmosphere.

This is because both oil and gas contain hydrogen locked within their chemical structure. When oil or gas is burned, the hydrogen links with oxygen in the air to form H 2 O (water). This water (as vapour) can be seen from the exhausts of cars on cold days.

The vapour (or steam) contains about 8% of the total fuel’s energy and capturing it makes energy efficiency sense. This is exactly what condensing boilers do. They “condense” the vapour and capture the energy contained there, making modern boilers so much more efficient.

Controls have come a long way in the past ten years and they afford an excellent way to improve comfort conditions and save energy.

Controls have two primary functions:

Deciding when the heating system comes on and goes off. It is a good idea (and a requirement for new installations) to divide the house into zones (eg living areas and bedrooms) and to have separate time clock control over each zone.

Maintaining a pleasant comfort level in the rooms. The most cost effective way of achieving this is by fitting room / cylinder thermostats in conjunction with thermostatic valves to the radiators. These thermostats automatically regulate the heat generated in the home and in the hot water cylinder –

The Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme provides grants to homeowners who are interested in improving the energy efficiency of their home in order to reduce energy use and costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme is open to all owners of existing houses built before 2006. For more information or to make an application please visit the SEAI website. https://www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/

Windows and outside walls will be the coldest surfaces in the house. Cold windows cause draughts and uncomfortable conditions for the occupants. To maintain air temperatures and achieve comfortable conditions, radiators should be located under windows to raise the glass temperature and to eliminate cold downdraughts.

A Thermostatic Radiator Valve (TRV) may be installed on a radiator instead of the hand wheel valve. The TRV contains a bellows which will close the valve on a rise in air temperature in the room, stopping the flow of heating water to the radiator.

The TRV has a number of settings, which the householder may use to set the desired air temperature for each room. In locations where a high level of heating is required, the TRV will be set at the top setting. Conversely, if only background heating is desired then the valve will be fixed at its lowest setting. If installing a new heating system the incremental cost of TRVs is very small indeed.

Typically, the “as new” efficiency of an oil or gas boiler over 15 years old would have been less than 80%. It’s present efficiency today, due to wear and tear is unlikely to be greater than 70%.

The current range of boilers available today will have efficiencies greater than 90%. This represents an operational improvement in efficiency of up to 20 percentage points

Increasing the operational efficiency of your boiler by this amount represents an actual fuel saving of more than 25%. In other words, by replacing an older, low efficiency boiler with a new, high efficiency boiler, you can cut your fuel bills by a quarter.

So, replacing old boilers makes good sense for two reasons:

Significant fuel cost savings, which can only increase as energy prices escalate.

Improved reliability and safety.

If you have a boiler older than 15 years then it is most likely during the next few years that you will have to replace it on reliability grounds in any case. Change it now and start saving immediately!

By planning the change (rather than it being forced on you in the depth of winter when it breaks down) you can get competitive quotations and reduce the cost.

Most boiler manufacturers recommend an annual service, primarily on the grounds of safety but also to ensure reliability. On efficiency grounds it is well worth servicing oil boilers annually because the soot build-up is such as to significantly increase oil consumption. With gas, while soot build-up is not so much a problem because of its clean burning characteristics, an annual service would still be recommended.