Do you need a flue with a gas fire?

All the gas fires need a flow of air to function properly. They draw in draught air and/or air from the room to support combustion, and safely expel burnt excess gases into the atmosphere. Broadly speaking, there are two types of flue used in gas fires: Open Combustion and Closed Combustion.

• Conventional flue gas fires (aka ‘open combustion’) make use of a chimney to draw fresh air and expel waste.

Traditional open-fronted fires also draw from the surrounding room to aid convection and circulation. Such arrangements are becoming increasingly rare, however, as the majority of modern conventional flue gas fires are glass-fronted.

This is because a fire protected by the heat-resistant glass is more energy-efficient and it’s safer too. Modern glass-fronted conventional flue fires are equipped with intakes that efficiently circulate a flow of air to feed combustion – a far more economic approach.

Conventional flue fires come in all shapes and sizes. Visit our Nexus showroom and you’ll find traditional inset fires (ready to fit right into a standard chimney’s fireplace opening), hole in the wall fires that sit higher on the chimney-breast, contemporary designer fires (2-sided, 3-sided and striking see-through feature units), or even freestanding stove-style gas fires.

• Balanced flue gas fires (aka ‘closed combustion’) are entirely sealed heating systems.

Enclosed behind the glass, they can be fitted almost anywhere, with no need for a chimney. Instead, they draw air and expel waste gases through a clever concentric flue that connects directly to the outside through an exterior wall. You can find out more about balanced flue fires here.

We have conventional flue gas fires from Dru, Dovre, Gazco and many other top brands – choose from classic and contemporary looks, with a range of fire styles (Front View, 2 Sided, 3 Sided, wall-mounted, free-standing, Tunnel and much more) and fuel-bed options. Whether your living room is a traditionally decorated period setting or a sleek minimalist modern space, Nexus will help you find the ideal gas fire to warm your home.