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Do you have an existing fireplace? If so, does it have a flue or chimney?

You will need to make sure that any flue or chimney is usable, if it hasn't been used in some time or if you have just moved in. Get a heating professional to check it for reliability, and if you have a chimney, get a chimney sweep to give it a thorough cleaning, as deposits of soot could be a fire risk, particularly if you choose an open fire.

If issues are discovered with your chimney, such as loose/unstable brickwork, or if it fails a smoke check, you may need to have it lined with a flue liner. This is normally a circular, flexible metal duct, which can be inserted down the chimney. The type you need will ultimately depend on what type of fireplace you choose.

Once you have found out if your chimney/flue is right for use, you can then move on to looking at what type of fireplace to purchase.

Open Fire: The simplest and probably most enchanting option, is the open fire. This will require a grate, typically created of cast iron, to hold the wood or coal that you are burning.

For this you will need to have a serviceable, cleaned chimney as observed before, and a consistent source of either logs or a solid fuel such as coal, to burn. It also requires a little more elbow grease to get an open fire started, but once burning, it is the most idyllic sight in winter.

Wood burning/Solid fuel stoves: These are completely enclosed, cast iron fires, which give more safety as the fire is not open, and can provide a more constant supply of heat. When configured in an older, period property they really do look the part.

Gas fireplaces: As the name suggests, gas fires are either connected to the mains gas supply, or propane tank supply. They are greatly flexible, in that it is simple to turn them on and off, and with the coal effect fire place inserts, they can look just like a classic open fire. The purchase price of initial purchase and installation of gas fire suites is higher, but offset by not having to find logs or messy solid fuel.

Electric Fireplace Suites: If there is no flue or chimney around, you can opt for an electric fireplace. Again, these are straightforward, though can cost a lot more than a gas fire to run.

With such a wide choice of fireplaces available in each type, there will definitely be something available that suits your home perfectly

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