Gas Safety Week runs from 10-16 September, with the gas industry joining forces with consumer organisations to increase gas safety awareness among the general public and encourage people to take good care of their gas appliances. This post looks at the main safety issues addressed by the campaign and gives information about locations of Gas Safety Week events.

Gas Safety Checks & Servicing Gas Appliances

Get a gas safety check every 12 months and have gas appliances serviced regularly. If you live in rented accommodation your landlord is legally obliged to provide annual gas safety checks. Energy providers sometimes offer free safety checks to vulnerable people - check the back of your gas bill for contact information to see if they can help you.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide gas will make you feel ill, but exposure to high levels can quickly cause death. Install a carbon monoxide alarm which gives an audible warning, and test it regularly (check out this post for details of a free alarm test reminder service offered by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue).

Be Alert

Be alert for signs that your gas stove, gas fire, boiler or cooker may not be working properly. Warning signs include excessive condensation in the room, black marks appearing on or around the appliance, and burning with yellow or orange flames instead of crisp blue ones.

Use Gas Safe Registered Engineers

Unsafe gas work can have devastating results including fires, explosions, gas leaks and CO poisoning. Only allow Gas Safe registered engineers to work on your gas appliances. Always ask to see their official Gas Safe Register ID card - the video above shows how to check the card.

Gas Safety Week Events

Gas Safety Week events are taking place throughout the UK at locations including Aberdeen, Aintree, Basingstoke, Bath, Belfast, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bradford, Cambridge, Canterbury, Cardiff, Catford, Falkirk, Gloucester, Holywood, Leicester, Londonderry, Luton, Manchester, Nottingham, Oldham, Peterborough, Preston, Solihull and Stoke - click here for details.

Testing your smoke alarm or CO alarm is one of those things you know you should do regularly, yet it is easy for it to slip your mind. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue have come up with a great way to help people keep their smoke alarms in working order.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue have launched a new reminder service called Press The Button. All you need to do is visit the Press The Button website and sign up for their reminder service. You can opt to receive messages weekly or monthly either by email or Twitter.

While the focus of this campaign is on smoke alarms, this is a great chance for anyone with a carbon monoxide alarm to get a reminder to test both at the same time. CO alarms are required with all new installations of woodburning & multifuel stoves, and are a great idea for anyone with gas, oil or solid fuel appliances in their home. To find out more read our post on CO safety for woodburners.

CO and smoke alarms can only save lives when they are in working order. Ideally they should be tested every week. The reminder service is completely free, so why not sign up today and make life just a little bit easier for yourself? You can also follow South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue on Twitter at @SYFR.

It's easy to get excited about the idea of buying a new wall fire with so many stunning designs to choose from. However, it's a good idea to think carefully about the practical aspects first to make sure your new fire really suits your needs. Hopefully this post will help you narrow down your options and quickly home in on something that's a great fit for you and your home.

Gas or Electric?

If you need a fire which can give out a substantial amount of heat you are probably best off looking at gas. Electric wall fires with fan heaters generally have a 2kW maximum output, while the convector types can be as little as 600W. In contrast gas wall fires typically have a heat output between 3-4kW, with a few models in the 5-6kW range. The construction of the wall is also important - a plasterboard stud wall may be fine with an electric wall fire but pose a real fire risk with a gas fire. Remember that your new fire will need either a gas or electricity supply, and your fitting costs will increase if there isn't already a power point or gas outlet in a suitable position. Take professional advice from a Gas Safe engineer if you are considering the gas option.

Inset or Wall-hung?

This question can either be practical or aesthetic. An inset wall fire takes up little or no room space, but may require a deep chimney cavity for installation. Hang on the wall fires are ideal for flat walls, but they do stick out into the room. Usually this isn't very noticeable in larger rooms, but it could be a problem in a smaller space. Inset gas wall fires generally require a working chimney, but many wall-hung flueless gas fires are available if you don't have a functioning flue.

An important practical issue for flued gas wall fires is whether you have a working chimney and a chimney recess large enough to house the body of an inset wall fire. Nearly all flued gas wall fires are designed for inset installation, and if there isn't already a builders opening at the right height one will have to be knocked out. Most wall-hung gas fires are flueless, which makes them ideal for people without a chimney.

With electric wall fires you have a wide choice of both inset and wall-hung models to choose from, although convection models tend to be wall-mounted as they usually conceal the warm air vents behind the frame of the fire. Some wall-hung electric fires come with a coloured backlighting facility which can really make an impact as a decorative feature.

Open or Closed Front?

If you have children in the house a sealed unit is the safer option, but this is about fuel economy as well as safety. The most efficient gas fires are sealed, and this translates into long term savings on running costs. Sealed gas fires are also more environmentally friendly - their emissions are cleaner and they use less fossil fuel per kW of heat output than less efficient models. The downside is that purchase costs tend to be higher. Open fronted fires give a feeling of a more direct connection between the fire and the user, but dust can easily settle on the decorative fire bed making maintenance a little harder. With gas fires it is important that the fuel bed is positioned correctly to ensure the gas jets function properly and prevent discolouration, and it is easy to dislodge the fuel bed of an open gas fire when trying to clear it of dust.

Installation

Gas wall fires may need a hearth, depending how high they are off the ground, and may also need an air vent. Your fitter will be able to advise whether this applies in your case. It's important to confirm that the wall can safely take the weight of the fire, and that there is no fire risk from combustible materials close to heat sources. We strongly advise you to get an installation survey from a qualified fitter before committing to any particular wall fire to ensure it is suitable for your requirements. Fireplaces Are Us offer installation surveys in many areas of England and Wales - visit our fireplace installation page for more information.

The burning season will soon begin. If you have a wood burning or multi fuel stove it's time to make sure it is ready to keep you warm through the winter. To help you get organised Stores Direct have produced this checklist of essential tasks.

Fuel

When the cold weather starts special offers on firewood and coal will dry up while delivery times increase. If you haven't got a decent stockpile of fuel for your stove take action now. Check out this post on choosing firewood if you're not sure what type to go for.

Chimney Sweeping

It is essential to have your chimney swept before the burning season begins to clear out soot, debris such as birds nests and any build up of creosote. Neglecting essential chimney maintenance increases the risk of chimney fires and of  harmful combustion gases such as carbon monoxide being returned to the room.

If you need to find a professional chimney sweep in your area the National Association of Chimney Sweeps is a great resource. Their website makes it easy to search online for local chimney sweeps, and you can call them on 01785 811732 if you need help or advice.

Stove Maintenance

If your stove is looking worn then it's best to renew the finish before you need to start using it on a daily basis. Check out our handy guide to painting woodburners if you're not sure how to go about it.

These are the essentials for making sure your stove is in good working order for the winter:

• Replace worn seals around stove doors and glass
• Check seals on cast iron stove bodies and patch with fire cement if necessary
• Replace cracked stove glass
• Replace cracked or distorted grates in multi fuel stoves
• Replace cracked or crumbling firebricks
• Make sure the baffle plate is clear of soot deposits

HETAS stove engineers can service your woodburner, but remember they get very busy once the colder weather sets in.

Carbon Monoxide

Although woodburners are very safe when the flue is drawing properly, it is possible for carbon monoxide to be returned to the room if the flue gets clogged or if severe weather forces air back down the flue. While the law now requires a carbon monoxide alarm be placed in the same room when new woodburners are installed, many people with older stoves aren't yet protected. It's time to get a carbon monoxide alarm if you haven't already got one. For more information about this issue check out our post about carbon monoxide safety for woodburners.

At this time of year chatter among seasoned wood burning stove and fireplace users turns to firewood, with everybody talking about whether they have enough stockpiled for the winter. If you're new to wood fired heating or planning to get your first woodburner or open fire this year you may not be thinking about your fuel supply yet, but we recommend you start thinking about firewood well before you need it.

Planning Ahead Pays

Living with gas or electric heating gets people accustomed to heat on demand at the flick of a switch. You don't have to think or plan; just react to the cold weather when it comes. But solid fuel heating is a bit more demanding, for all the money it saves many householders. The ideal for a woodburner owner is to start the burning season with enough fuel to last the winter, secure in the knowledge that the house will be warm no matter what the winter throws at them. Acquiring freshly felled timber cheaply or free of charge and storing it for 1-2 years until it is fully seasoned is the most economical way to do this. However this requires a large enough garden to house a substantial wood store, a luxury not available to everyone.

Balancing Economy and Convenience

For those with less storage space seasoned firewood, kiln-dried firewood and a wide range of coal and solid fuel can be bought by the pallet - this is a good way of balancing limited storage space against the financial savings of buying in bulk. It also cuts out the physical labour of chopping logs down to a useable size. Although firewood or coal can be bought by the bag, for example from garages or garden centres, this works out very expensive for anyone who uses their wood burning stove or fireplace regularly.

There are plenty of fuel suppliers throughout the UK who can deliver good quality firewood or solid fuel to your door. Beware though, when the weather turns cold they will be snowed under with orders from people who haven't planned ahead, with a resulting increase in delivery times. If you're going to buy in fuel for your woodburning fire try to place your order sooner rather than later. Check out our old post on how to choose firewood if you need some help.

Dimplex fireplaces have achieved an enviable reputation for producing electric fires with realistic flame effects. So it comes as no surprise that the developers of the new Trump International Hotel in Toronto have chosen to install Dimplex fires in most suites to add ambience to the building.

Dimplex have developed some groundbreaking fireplace products over the years. Their patented Optiflame system has become a world favourite since its introduction in 1988, generating a realistic bed of simulated flames which appears to emanate from the centre of the fuel bed. The appearance of the flame effect varies depending on the size of the fire and what fuel bed is chosen.

More recently Dimplex launched the Opti-myst system, a 3-dimensional smoke and flame effect which is hard to distinguish from a real fire. Opti-myst uses an illuminated ultra-fine water spray to create the illusion of smoke and flames, with further realism added by a fuel bed of glowing Optiglo logs and a shimmering ashbed.

The Dimplex product range include wall mounted fires, freestanding fires and fires for use with conventional fire surrounds. Shop for Dimplex fires from the comfort of your home!

Guest Post Author Bio: John lives in the countryside and is weighing up alternative methods to heating up his cottage.

Whether you are renovating or selling your home, some additional features could help to add value or sell your property. One of the homeliest of these is the hearth or stove. Whether you go for an open fireplace or a wood burning stove* you are guaranteed to bring a warm glow into your home.

Fireplaces are usually regarded as the traditional option. An open hearth has long been the symbol of welcome. Many conversion properties have existing fireplaces that simple need to be opened up and restored. You might need to replace the grate, surround or flue – a professional hearth restorer will be able to advise you – but the cost of installing a reproduction fireplace can be surprisingly affordable.

Of course you can invest in a period piece – many architectural salvage yards have a wide variety of lovingly preserved fireplaces with original art nouveau tile surrounds or Victorian cast-iron grates. These period details – especially if they are in keeping with the era of your home – can add value and appeal to your property.

Modern fireplaces can add a striking twist to loft-style conversions and bolder architectural visions. A range of steel and stone designs have recently come on the market, including free standing and suspended designs that make for an unusual focal point in a large, modern space.

However, open fireplaces can contribute to high levels of dust and, while modern designs can be easily lit and regulated, they can sometimes be temperamental. Enclosed wood burning stoves are much easier to maintain and, being enclosed, they are safer and cleaner than open fires.

Again, your main choice is between reproduction, antique or modern. Look for a wood burner that has a way to regulate the air flow as that allows you to change the speed of the burn, thus regulating heat and making more efficient use of your fuel. Many wood burners have hotplates on top that can be used to heat a traditional kettle, and some include back boilers that can heat radiators either in the same room or elsewhere in your home, which can really help to minimise drafts and even out the heat.

Whichever you choose you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you’re using a renewable fuel every time you throw another log on the fire. Whereas coal and gas are fossil fuels, well forested timber can actually help reduce carbon dioxide levels. You can also use the waste products of your fire in the garden: wood ash can be used to condition soil. According to the Royal Horticultural Society “[wood ash] is a natural source of potassium and trace elements. It also has a liming effect, so wood ash can remedy excessively acidic soils.”

Whichever you choose, the final design will depend on the style of your home and on your budget. Whether you have a small period conversion or a large modern loft there is a fire place or a wood burner for you.

Pennine 4 Multifuel Stove

The Pennine 4 multifuel / woodburning stove is a British-made budget model with a 4kW heat output. If you're looking for something well-made and affordable this is a great option. It is equipped with both primary and secondary burn for efficient operation, and airwash to keep the viewing window clean. The body of the Pennine 4 woodburner is made from steel with a cast iron door.

Villager Puffin Multifuel Stove

The Villager Puffin multifuel stove is a traditional woodburner with a 4kW output. Equipped with primary air control and an airwash system for cleaner glass, there is the option of a stainless steel back boiler to divert some of the heat into a radiator, towel rail or hot water. The Villager Puffin stove has a static grate for burning wood or solid fuel, and is suitable for top flue installation only.

Bohemia 30 Multifuel Stove

The Bohemia 30 woodburner is ideal where hearth depth is limited. Wider than it is deep, the Bohemia 30 can take an impressive 30cm log, as well as being suitable for use with smokeless fuel. The steel body has a simple design which can fit in with both modern and traditional homes. The heat output is 3kW, and the efficiency rating is 74.4% for wood and 75.5% for solid fuel.

Dunsley Highlander 3 Multifuel Stove

Dunsley are known for clever engineering, turning out a top quality range of intelligently designed stoves from their Yorkshire factory. The Highlander 3 is the baby of the Dunsley range, with a heat output up to 3.3kW. Options available include a canopy, stainless steel back boiler and choice of black or brass handles. The Dunsley Highlander 3 woodburner is made from steel with a cast iron door.

Broseley Serrano 3 Multifuel Stove

The soft curves of the Broseley Serrano 3 multifuel stove make it a great choice for modern interiors. The stove body is made from solid cast iron, which is great for holding heat and gently radiating it into the room. The Serrano 3 has primary and secondary air controls, with pre-heated airwash to help keep the viewing window clean. The heat output is 3kW, with an efficiency rating of 81%.

It can be difficult to know what woodburning stove to choose, but always remember there is plenty of help available. If you need some help or advice you can email or call us on 01484 434320.

Working in the fireplace industry there are certain facts about fireplaces I tend to see as so obvious they don't need to be explained. Every so often someone asks an unexpected question, which of course makes me wonder how many other people are unsure about the same thing. Recently one of our customers asked what a fireplace hearth does, and I decided to share the answer in case anybody else is wondering.

Most people just think of a fireplace hearth as the slab of stone which lies at the base of the fireplace below the grate, stove or fire. In fact there are usually two parts to a fireplace hearth - the decorative slab visible at the base of the fireplace, and a thick concrete sub-hearth below which lies flush with the floor. Together they provide a heat shield to prevent the heat from the fire from spreading to nearby joists which could catch fire if not protected.  The decorative hearth has additional fire prevention functions - by creating a raised area near the fire it subtly deters people from placing flammable materials too close to the fireplace, and it provides a non-combustible surface around the fire in case any burning embers spill out.

The traditional combination of sub-hearth and decorative hearth harks back to the days when open fires were the norm, but is still important for modern combustion appliances such as gas fires and solid fuel stoves. UK Building Regulations set out strict requirements for hearths for combustion appliances in Document J, which you can download here. It is vital to confirm that your hearth is suitable for any new stove or fire you are thinking of having installed, and this is one of the points a professional will check when visiting your home to do a fireplace or fire installation survey.

Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue Service recently issued some safety guidance in the wake of a number of house fires linked to wood burning stoves. Substantial energy price rises in recent years, coupled with the struggle to cope with recession, have made woodburners a popular way to save money on home heating bills. The trouble is that the pressing need to save money can tempt people to cut corners when installing their wood burning stove, increasing the risk of a house fire.

According to community fire safety officer Michael Aldersey of Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue Service “When they are used correctly, wood-burning stoves are a safe and effective way to heat the home, but users should be aware of some basic safety considerations”. His comment appeared last week in The Galloway News, along with the following recommendations for safely enjoying your woodburner.

1. The main concern is to make sure wood burning stoves are fitted professionally, including having the chimney checked before installation.
2. People often leave firewood close to the stove to dry out before it is used, but the wood can get sufficiently warm and dry to catch fire even if it isn't in direct contact with the woodburner. You should keep any flammable materials well away from your stove.
3. The surface of a wood burning stove will become very hot during use. If you have young children in the house you should put a fireguard around your woodburner to prevent them getting close enough to burn their little hands.

These are all excellent points, but I would add that anyone who uses their woodburner with the door open should use a spark guard, and that it is vital to dispose of ash safely as embers can reignite hours or even days after the fire has gone out.

If you are thinking of getting a wood burning stove we recommend a professional solid fuel installation survey before going ahead to confirm it is a suitable heating option for your home, to get a clear idea of the installation costs and to ensure you have expert help in choosing the best stove for your home.

New Pureglow fireplaces L-R: Wenlock limestone, Wychbury limestone, Hanley marble, Knighton marble

We've just added some beautiful marble and limestone fireplaces from Pureglow to our product range. All are available with or without a fire, giving you the freedom to create the perfect look for your living room.

Pureglow Wenlock Limestone Fireplace

The Wenlock fire surround is crafted from solid Agean limestone, with a 54" wide mantel shelf. The creamy tones of the limestone contrast with the glossy black back panel and hearth. It has a 75mm rebate and is suitable for use with gas and electric fires. The black granite back panel has a 22" x 16" cutout which is compatible with standard inset fires.

Pureglow Wychbury Limestone Fireplace

The Wychbury fireplace is crafted entirely from solid Sepol Portuguese limestone, and is suitable for use with gas and electric fires. The three-piece back panel allows for some flexibility in the opening size, making this suite a good option for use with fires which aren't standard width. The mantel width is 54", with a 75mm rebate.

Pureglow Hanley Marble Fireplace

The Hanley fireplace is made from Perla micro marble, a composite stone with consistent colouring and a smooth, glossy finish. Two sizes are available - 48" width or 54" width, both with a 75mm rebate. The 22" x 16" cutout is compatible with a wide variety of gas and electric fires.

Pureglow Knighton Marble Fireplace

The Knighton fireplace is made from Perla micro marble, with a matching back panel and hearth. At 56" wide it will be an imposing feature even in larger rooms. The back panel opening is 22" x 16", ideal for inset gas and electric fires.

Rising fuel costs and the green living movement have triggered a lot of interest in woodburners amongst people who have never had one before. While I know a wood burning stove is a great choice for many people, it isn't right for everyone. It's easy for stove shoppers to get caught up in working out how to choose the right woodburner, but you really need to begin by answering the question of whether a wood burning stove is right for you.

Let's face it- a stove has to fit in with your lifestyle as well as your decor. You can always get the look of a woodburner with a gas stove or electric stove, but living with a woodburning stove requires more hands-on involvement with heating your home. For some people that's part of the attraction, but for others it is more of a turn off. You really need to get a sense of what is involved before committing to buying your first wood burning stove.

Back in October I mentioned that Hayley Jones of uk-energy-saving.com had started an online diary recounting her experiences with a newly installed Morso Squirrel stove. Over the last few months she has given a warts-and-all account of getting used to her first woodburner. If you want an insight into life with a wood burning stove this diary is a great place to start.

The internet has been buzzing for the last few days with pictures of a wood burning stove installed in a car. While the pictures are great, this video is even better!

Why Install a Woodburner in a Car?

The man behind the story is Pascal Prokop, a 38 year old living in Mettmenstetten, Switzerland. It all started when the heater broke in his 1990 Volvo 240 - no laughing matter in the bitter cold of an Alpine winter. While most of us would deal with this problem by getting the heater repaired, Pascal Prokop thought it made more sense to install a woodburner in his car instead. Out came the passenger seat and in went a woodburner complete with a chimney through the car roof.

No Seriously, Why Does a Car Need a Wood Burning Stove?

My first thoughts about this (at least once I stopped laughing) were to wonder whether our good Mr Prokop

• Had too much time on his hands?
• Anticipated ever having a special someone who might want to sit beside him in the car?
• Was a little bonkers?

If you dig a little deeper the whole thing doesn't seem quite so mad after all. Apparently fixing the heater in a Volvo 240 is a nightmare of a job (although almost certainly easier than ripping out the passenger seat and replacing it with a woodburner). And the cold snaps which turn into a national crisis in England pale into comparison to the worst a Swiss winter can offer. I'm not saying I'm convinced it makes sense to put a woodburner in your car, more that I accept the possibility of it making sense somewhere in an infinite universe. My knowledge of Swiss German is limited to guessing it's probably the German-sounding language the Swiss man was speaking, so I don't know what Pascal has to say for himself on the video. But I like to think he was talking about how his job requires him to spend all day driving round inspecting snow-laden trees and waving at everyone he passes, making an in-car woodburner every bit as essential as a steering wheel.

Don't Try This at Home!

According to MSNBC Pascal Prokov built and fitted the wood burning stove himself, then went through official channels to get an operating permit from the Swiss authorities. I'm not sure how Swiss bureaucracy compares to the delights of UK regulations, but I can't imagine such a contrivance getting the official seal of approval over here! But just for a moment let's play with the idea of something like this hitting the UK roads...

• Should you avoid driving through Smoke Control Areas, or drive through them faster to avoid getting caught belching out wood smoke from your car?
• Would the police view refuelling while driving as better or worse than talking on a mobile phone?
• Would twoccers be more likely to steal your car because it makes it easier for them to burn it out when they've finished joyriding?
• Would boy racers install fake wood burners in their hot hatches to make them look faster?
• Would stretch limos be fitted with jewel-encrusted woodburners to give them that extra bit of bling?
• Would the cat enjoy being taken to the vet if riding with a woodburner was part of the deal?

World Record Wood Burning Stove

Pascal Prokov has been awarded a world record for being the first person to install a wood burning stove in a car. I'm pretty sure he's entitled to a world record for getting most attention for installing a woodburner anywhere in the history of the world ever. However I have my doubts as to whether he is a true pioneer or mere proof of the power of social media. I once met a musician called Howling Chris who travelled Europe in a woodburner-equipped van little larger than a Volvo 240. If you see him tell him to give the World Records Academy a call...

The March edition of 25 Beautiful Homes recommends the Stovax Huntingdon 35 woodburning stove as a similar model to the traditional woodburner shown on p.96 in the Hampshire villa belonging to Sarah Bedford and John Pyne. The gothic lattice work on the stove door is a great fit for a Victorian building, as is the solid cast iron construction. But what if you want to get this look but need a different type of stove?

Aga Minsterley Woodburning Boiler Stove

Solid fuel boiler stoves are becoming increasingly popular as part of money-saving & green heating systems. The Aga Minsterly boiler stove is capable of heating 4-5 standard single radiators as well as giving out 3.6kW to the room. It can be used with both wood and solid fuel, and uses cleanburn technology to achieve 73% efficiency.

Franco Belge Ardennes Double Door Woodburner

The Franco Belge Ardennes stove is a double door powerhouse ideal for heating larger rooms. Two sizes are available - 11kW and 15Kw - and you have a choice of glossy enamel colours if you don't like the standard matt black painted finish. An outside air kit is available if you want to bring in combustion air to the stove without having to install an air brick.

Broseley Canterbury Gas Stove

The Broseley Canterbury gas stove looks traditional but has been designed with modern homes in mind. It's a slimline model which can be installed on a standard-depth hearth, available in black, blue or green finishes. Broseley also make a balanced flue gas stove and electric stove in the same design. These are very popular with people wanting realism because they use a cast iron carcass.

Dimplex Rectory Electric Stove

Dimplex are one of the UK's most popular brands of electric fire. Although best known for their inset fires, Dimplex also make some  great electric stoves. The Dimplex Rectory stove comes with both log and coal fuel beds and features the Optiflame® flame effect. A remote control is supplied so that you can fully enjoy it without having to get out of your armchair.

Where do you put a fireplace when you don't have room for one? This might seem like a daft question, but there is a distinct trend towards smaller rooms in modern properties. As well as making us feel hemmed in, these restrictions on living space create some real practical problems. How do we fit in enough seating to be sociable with family and friends? Where do we put all our stuff? And how do we make a small place feel like home rather than a rabbit hutch?

Modern houses and flats generally have excellent central heating systems, without any physical need for a fireplace to keep you warm. But that isn't really the point. Evolved as we are, fires still speak to a primordial part of us. They represent home and comfort and safety, and the hypnotic effect of flickering flames is truly relaxing. The central heating may keep our bodies comfortable but it doesn't warm our hearts.

So what should we do if we crave the comfort of a fire but simply can't fit in a conventional floor level fireplace? The answer is to head for the high ground and look at wall-mounted fires instead. There is a great range of shapes and sizes available to fit whatever space you have available. Most are modern in style but there are a few with a more traditional look if the contemporary isn't your cup of tea.

Wall fires are incredibly versatile, with gas and electric models available for both recessed and flat-wall installation. The biggest problem you're likely to face should you want a wall fire is which one to choose! I'll come back to this topic later with a look at how to choose the right wall fireplace. In the meantime why not sit back and imagine how a wall fire could improve your living space.

There's nothing like the ambiance and comfort of a real fire, but decades of reliance on central heating seem to have left some gaps in our understanding of fire safety. I've seen too many news stories lately about house fires which started because ash from an open fire or woodburner wasn't disposed of safely. Many people don't realise how dangerous hot ashes can be, assuming the risk of fire disappears as the flames die down. However, even when it looks as though the fire is dead embers can stay hot enough to start a fire for several days afterwards.

The worst story I've heard about recently was the Christmas morning blaze in Connecticut which killed three little girls and their grandparents. Apparently the children had been concerned about Santa getting down the chimney if the embers weren't removed from the fireplace. Their mother's boyfriend is believed to have cleaned out the fireplace and left the ashes in a bag in or near an entryway, close to the rest of the household rubbish, where they reignited during the night and set fire to the house.

Even when nobody is hurt a house fire can be devastating, causing entire families to be displaced from their homes. Always make sure smoke and fire alarms are in working order, and above all develop good fire safety habits.

Safe Ash Disposal Tips

• If you leave ashes in the fireplace make sure a fire screen is in place.
• Never use a bag, cardboard box or plastic container to collect and dispose of ashes. The ideal ash container is a small metal can with a tight-fitting lid.
• Never use a vacuum cleaner to collect ashes from your fireplace or woodburner.
• Once you collect the ashes from your woodburner or fireplace, take the ash container outside immediately.
• Place your ash container outside, well away from the house.
• Allow at least 4 days for ashes to cool before dumping them.
• If using ashes on your garden take care not to tip your ashes near something which could easily catch fire such as dry leaves, and make sure you moisten the area before dumping the ashes.

The Morso Squirrel woodburner has long been one of the most popular Scandinavian stoves on the British market. Over the years the Morso Squirrel stove family has grown, but always retained a traditional appearance. The latest addition, the Morso Squirrel 1416 stove, is a departure from tradition with clean, contemporary styling to suit modern homes.

The Morso Squirrel 1416 is a compact 4kW multi fuel stove capable of burning wood, briquettes and manufactured smokeless fuel. It has been designed for clean burning, and has a net efficiency rating of 78.4%. DEFRA approval is pending, and once passed it will be legal to use the Morso Squirrel 1416 in Smoke Control Areas.

Today one of the leading UK's leading financial websites recommended wood burning stoves as a way of saving money on energy costs. The article appears on www.thismoney.co.uk and suggests a range of simple tips for saving energy, and therefore money. These include switching energy suppliers, improving home insulation, using a water conditioner to remove limescale, using rugs on wooden floors during winter, turning down the heating thermostat by one degree, and using a wood burning stove.

The article rightly points out that wood burning stoves are far more efficient than open fireplaces, comparing estimated efficiency of 15-20% for open fires to 70% for wood burning stoves. Woodburners vary in efficiency, with those incorporating clean-burn technologies such as secondary and tertiary burn being ahead of the field. Many log burning stoves now burn so cleanly they are DEFRA approved for use in smokeless zones.

The ultimate in fuel-efficient domestic woodburners are pellet stoves such as the Aga Fusion pellet stove, which can achieve 90% efficiency. The Aga Fusion burns pellets of compressed wood waste, which are exceptionally dense and dry for wood fuel, and is programmable with an automatic start-up cycle. This level of automation comes at a price however, inasmuch as the initial purchase cost is higher than for a log burning stove.

Our stove & fireplace showroom is holding a winter clearance sale from 27th December. Prices start from £199, and everything must go! Our showroom carries only a small percentage of the thousands of products we sell online, so please call the showroom on 01422 373540 before visiting if you are outside our local area to avoid disappointment if they do not have the product you are interested in.

News coverage and discussion of clean burning wood stoves tends to focus on their environmental and financial impact - improvement of air quality through reduced emissions, carbon footprint management and money saved through increased fuel economy. But there is another important aspect to this issue - the impact on wildlife occupying woodland areas.

A recent article in The Times of India describes an initiative to encourage residents of villages in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve to switch from traditional mud stoves to clean burning Chulha stoves. This will reduce the villagers' dependency on the local forest for wood fuel, supporting rejuvenation of the forest and increasing the security of the 11 tigers who live there. So far villagers who have made the change are seeing a reduction in fuel use of around 40%.

The initiative is also boosting the local economy, with a group of women trained as installers initially paid to install the stoves in their own homes to serve as demonstration units, then able to charge a fitting fee to people who decide to get a Chulha stove. The local potter also benefits from the new market for clay stove pipes.

As well as making for a safer environment for endangered animals, use of Chulha stoves offers significant safety benefits to their owners. Traditional cooking methods carry high risks of burns and smoke inhalation not just in rural Indian communities but in many parts of the world. The Chulha stove is one of many clean burning stoves designed to offer a safe, cheap and efficient alternative.

The tigers and other animals in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve are at constant risk from poachers, who earlier this year killed a male rhino in order to cut off it's horn. While poaching presents a direct risk to endangered animals such as tigers and rhinos, their continued wellbeing also depends on maintenance of their natural environments by minimising human disturbance to forest areas. Reducing consumption of firewood by changing to clean burning stoves immediately reduces the need for villagers to intrude into the tigers' forest home to gather fuel.

The world's wild tiger population has dropped by 95% over the last century. You can adopt a tiger through WWF for as little as £3 a month - an ideal Christmas present for animal lovers!

Image: anankkml / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I recently saw the above fire safety video which gives a shocking demonstration of the dangers of a real Christmas tree catching fire. The video shows two living room fires filmed in a laboratory - the rooms are fully furnished but have one open wall to allow filming. The first section shows a fire developing in an everyday living room, and the second shows the spread of a fire from a real Christmas tree. As the video shows, if your Christmas tree catches fire it will very quickly escalate much more rapidly. With that in mind, I decided this would be a good time to go over some essential safety tips for real Christmas trees.

Where To Put Your Christmas Tree

Make sure your Christmas tree isn't blocking doorways, and that it is situated somewhere it is unlikely to get bumped into or knocked over. Think about the location of electrical sockets as well - you don't want your fairy light cable to be within reach of children and pets or to turn into a tripwire which could cause someone to fall or pull the tree over. Keep your real Christmas tree away from heat sources - this includes working fireplaces, wood burning stoves, gas or electric fires, radiators and direct sunlight. This isn't just about preventing the tree from shedding needles - if the tree dries out it becomes a more serious fire hazard.

Don't Let Your Christmas Tree Dry Out

The wood of a real Christmas tree is very resinous, so it will catch fire easily as well as burning hot and fast. The lower the moisture content, the easier it is for the tree to catch fire and the faster it will burn. An average sized Christmas tree can need up to a gallon of water per day to stop it drying out, and dried sap  can quickly form a seal which prevents the tree from absorbing water. Make a fresh cut at the base so the tree can take in water and refill the water container every day, making sure the water level doesn't drop below the cut surface.

Look After Your Lights

No Christmas tree is complete without garlands of fairy lights, but the heat from the lights has an unwelcome drying affect which can be minimised by using miniature lights or even LED lights and turning them off when nobody is in the room to enjoy the tree. Always check before use for frayed or broken cables and damaged bulbs or sockets. It's better to replace a set of faulty or damaged lights than to use them and risk starting a fire. Also make sure you don't overload electrical sockets, and turn the lights off at night.

General Fire Safety

It's always a good idea to close doors at night - should a fire start this will slow down the spread of smoke and flames. Make sure your smoke alarms are working, and fit some if you haven't done so already. Over the Christmas period your living room is more likely to get cluttered with flammable material than normal, so tidy up regularly especially last thing at night. If you use candles make sure they are sited on a heat-resistant surface out of reach of children and pets, and that you put them out before leaving the room unattended or going to bed.

Disposing Of Your Christmas Tree

Once Christmas is over and the decorations are taken down dispose of your tree promptly. If you have a working fireplace or a wood burning stove it is tempting to cut up your Christmas tree and burn it. This isn't the best way to dispose of the tree though as the wood can burn explosively. If you have a garden chipper you could shred the tree to use as mulch, or alternately take it to the garden waste section of your local tip.

An increasing number of people are turning to woodburning boiler stoves for their home heating, both to reduce their carbon footprints and to save money. Boiler stoves vary enormously in heat output, from stoves with small add-in boilers for hot water only right through to dedicated boiler stoves with large integral boilers capable of heating a large home. The latest generation of boiler stoves offer excellent efficiency, ideal for achieving financial savings as well as being environmentally friendly. This post covers the basics of woodburning boiler stoves, and includes links to some useful resources.

Uses of Woodburning Boiler Stoves

There are three common ways wood burning boiler stoves are used in the home

• Hot Water - Woodburning stoves with low output boilers can be used to heat hot water as well as giving direct heat to the room.
• Hot Water and Radiators - Whether you want to heat 2 radiators or 22, you will be able to find a wood burning boiler stove with a suitable output. Only boiler stoves with thermostats should be used as primary heat sources.
• Link-up - Multiple boilers (for example wood & oil or wood & gas) can be connected to the same central heating system. Although two boilers is the norm for a Link-up system, it is possible to use more appliances. This option can be complicated and dangerous if not installed correctly, so professional help is essential.

Open Central Heating Systems

Most woodburning boiler stoves are for use with open systems only. Where more than one heat source is connected to an open system it is necessary to use a neutral point manifold which balances the temperature, pressure and volume of water in the pipes connected to it. The best known neutral point manifolds for woodburners are the Esse Centraliser and the Dunsley Neutralizer. Although I have provided links for both of these so you can get a better idea of how they are used, please bear in mind these are not DIY items and should only be installed by a professional heating engineer.

Sealed Central Heating Systems

There are a limited number of woodburning boiler stoves suitable for use with sealed heating systems on the market, but stove manufacturers seem to be trying to cater better for this need. A good example is Broseley Fires, who recently developed SCWS ("Safety Cold Water System") boilers for some of their stoves. Currently Broseley SCWS boiler stoves are only available through local showrooms, so be prepared to pay more than internet prices.

Installation of Woodburning Boiler Stoves

I strongly recommend anyone considering installing a woodburning boiler stove to start with a professional installation survey. A suitable engineer will be qualified to deal with wet systems as well as being HETAS certified for solid fuel appliance. We are able to arrange stove installation surveys in many areas, and HETAS has a register of solid fuel fitters throughout the UK.

 It's the first day of December and Movember wives and girlfriends across the land are heaving a sigh of relief as their significant others shave off some of the strangest moustaches seen since the seventies.

Our very own Hairy Desperados have now been restored to their usual clean shaven good looks. With your help they've managed to raise £1207 for Movember, which will be used to support testicular and prostate cancer initiatives. Altogether Movember has raised over £14 million in the UK alone, and over £63 million worldwide.

Although the fundraising drive is over for this year, the battle to improve men's health continues all year round. One of the biggest challenges is getting men to be more proactive in taking care of their health. According to Movember, the most common reasons men give for avoiding health checks include being too embarrassed, being afraid of getting referred to hospital, being too busy and that they just can't be bothered.

Just over 1 in 4 men sees their doctor for regular check-ups, yet 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. That adds up to a lot of men missing the chance of early treatment for a very common form of cancer. We've all had a lot of fun with this over the last few weeks, but let's try to remember the real meaning of Movember in the months ahead.

We're here to help - just call us on 01484 434320 during our new opening hours:

• Monday-Friday 8.30am to 5pm
• Saturday 9am to 4pm
• Sunday 11am to 3pm

Well, we're in the final week of Movember. While the Hairy Desperados have managed to grow some quite magnificent moustaches, they seem strangely excited about shaving them off again. Maybe they don't like being pointed at in the street or maybe they just want to be able to kiss their wives and girlfriends again without them complaining of stubble rash. Whatever the reason, they've all been great sports

Our managing director David Duffy picked the worst (or best) possible time to hit the news for catching a laptop thief from thousands of miles away. When the BBC and the newspapers turned up at the office for details they captured Dave's Movember face in all it's glory, an image now startling innocent internet users across the world. I'm sure his mum was proud once she got over asking what on earth was growing on his face!

So far the men of Britain have raised over £9 million for Movember, second only to Canada, and the worldwide total has reached over £43 million. It's not just about the money though - Movember is also about raising awareness and changing attitudes to men's health issues. Only 26% of men visit their GPs for regular check ups, with the rest missing out on opportunities for early detection and treatment of diseases such as prostate and testicular cancer.