What type of Chimney do I have and how does that affect my choice of fireplace?

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  • It is important to choose the correct fire and fireplace for your home and requirements. There is an ever increasing product range available with new fire technologies available for modern and traditional homes. Before you start searching for your new fireplace one of the most important starting points is determining what fires you can install in your home. Every home is different and Fireplaces Are Us recommend having a installation survey, which we can perform in certain post codes, to help identify the correct class of chimney for your home and if your chimney requires a flue liner.

    We have provided a basic guide to help you understand the chimney terminology correctly, but we strongly recommend asking a professional to check before you make the purchase. The below descriptions will give you a good idea of what to look for:

     Class 1  Class 2  Pre Cast Flue  No Chimney
     Class 1Chimney  Class 2 Chimney  Precast Chimney  No Chimney
    Commonly in older houses, earlier than 1960. The Class 1 chimney is identifiable by 7” (180mm)diameter, or greater flue. Ensure the existing chimney is structurally sound before any fireplace installation procedure. Class 1 chimneys are suitable for all fireplace types, as long as they are fault free. Used in either an older house, where the existing chimney has been lined by a proprietary steel flue, or a newer house with a steel flue built-in. This chimney type can be identified by a 5” (130 mm) diameter flue and a steel flue terminal. Modern houses, built later than 1960, often have a pre-cast concrete chimney system, which is identifiable by a rectangular box section flue and a terminal, as illustrated in the picture.
    Pre-cast flues can only be used with specific gas fires and you cannot install a solid fuel fire. An increasing range of gas fires suitable for Pre-Cast Flue Chimneys have been developed over the last few years.
    Modern houses are often built with no chimney. This means that you can only use a modern decorative electric fire with up to 2kW heat output, a gas powerflue fire, or a flueless gas stove.