The current fireplaces are high-tech appliances that offer high performance, renewing the ancient tradition and the ancient charm of the exposed flame, both in terms of thermal power and efficiency, which now reach very high values, both for the aesthetic part, with solutions of particular value and even customized or customized. The appearance of comfort is not far behind, with the ability to choose mixed-power versions that allow you to program the operation, even at a distance.
Technologically perfected systems allow combustion control and optimization, not only to achieve maximum efficiency but also to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere. This is why today the fireplaces can be considered environmentally friendly. In addition, there are also models that use biofuels instead of wood or pellets.
The charm of the fireplace
The stoves combine aesthetics and practicality, ease of maintenance and savings in the bill. Those of new generation, subdivided into various categories of products (wood or pellet, air or water heating) are becoming more and more a valid alternative to the most widespread heating systems, as well as their integration. Whether it is to restart an old, badly functioning fireplace or to heat a house on several levels, a fireplace always offers the right solution.
It is always necessary to start with the use of the stove and the required performances. With the installer or with the specialized retailer it will then be easy to orientate on the range of models that meet the requirements. Otherwise, the risk is to oversize the appliance compared to the actual needs or, on the contrary, not to obtain the required performances.
The heart of the system: The hearth
The hearths for stove is the “technical” part, the place where combustion takes place. It is usually coated in cast iron or glass, capable of withstanding temperatures above 1200° C. In addition, glass hearth gives aesthetic value, have a mainly decorative function and the flame is visible, but protected by a safety glass that keeps cold outside; they only work when the door is closed and therefore guarantee greater thermal efficiency than iron hearth models. They can heat more rooms.
A considered choice
To identify the fireplace that is suitable for your needs, you must take into account various factors …
- A width of the rooms to be heated;
- Presence of an existing fireplace;
- Need or less to channel the hot air in order to heat rooms adjacent to that in which the fireplace is installed;
- Need or less of having to use the existing radiator system or in any case wanting to produce hot water;
A particular type of fireplace is the insert, also used to recover old or malfunctioning fireplaces: they are ideal when you want to combine the aesthetics of the fireplace with the practicality of using a high-performance heating system.
- Preassembled products are usually delivered in kits to be connected to the flue and the air intake.
- Through the combustion generated inside the burner, the inserts produce hot air that can be spread even in adjacent rooms by means of special ducting kits. Air circulation can occur by natural convection or forced ventilation.
How they warm up?
The hearths can propagate heat in three ways:
- By irradiation: The heat, accumulated inside the stove, is progressively transferred to the environment through the hearth; they are fine for small homes.
- By air convection: The heat, propagated in a natural way or forcibly through fans, spreads homogeneously in the rooms; it is the ideal solution for medium-sized rooms as an integration to an existing heating system.
- By water convection: The heat spreads through the plumbing, feeding the radiators; is the system suitable for large homes or arranged on multiple levels and these models can replace a classic heating system, because they are able to produce domestic hot water as well.
