Heating your home

• Always turn off before bed
• Don’t place too close to bedding, curtains and clothing – anything which could catch fire
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
• If you have any concerns turn the heater off and consult a qualified electrician.
• Never use portable heaters to dry clothes!

• Ensure appliances are checked and serviced regularly (at least annually) by a Gas Safe registered engineer
• Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm in your home.

Ensure your burner is properly installed, maintained, and regularly serviced by a qualified person.

• Wood burning stoves should be placed on a fire-resistant base and not directly onto a hardwood floor or carpeted surface
• Ensure you use the right type of wood or coal
• The chimney or flue should be cleaned at the end of each heating season and at least once during the heating season
• Use a protective fireguard
• Remove ash and burnt fuel once it has cooled

• Ensure appliances are checked and serviced regularly (at least annually) by a Gas Safe registered engineer
• Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm in your home.
• Keep vents and chimneys clear at all times.

Heating your home – open fires and wood burners burn seasoned or kiln-dried wood stored in a dry airy place. The moisture content of the wood should be below 20%. Check this by using a moisture sensing probe. Don’t burn any other waste material, stoves aren’t designed for this and it can lead to blocked chimneys or flues.

Bio-fuel stoves

Although ethanol fireplaces are mainly decorative as they don’t generate enough heat to warm a house like a traditional stove would, they are becoming increasingly popular due to their portability and lack of chimney. However, it’s crucial to be aware of the fire hazards they can pose.

Spilled fuel

Bio Ethanol is not explosive but it’s still highly flammable, so you should take care when filling and lighting the fireplace.  Ignoring spilled fuel when lighting the fireplace can lead to a difficult-to-control flame. Although there is no risk of sudden bursts of flames, the fuel can still harm the fireplace.

Prevent spills by always using a funnel and clean up any spills immediately to ensure no bio ethanol remains on your hands or lighter.

Fuelling a hot fireplace

Avoid filling a hot burner with Bio Ethanol as this increases the evaporation of the fuel, leading to more fumes. Lighting Bio Ethanol that has been poured into a hot burner can result in a burst flame.

Before refuelling an ethanol fireplace:

• Close the lid safely
• Wait a minimum of 10 minutes before refuelling
• Use a funnel to pour the Bio-Ethanol into the burner
• Check for any fuel spillages before lighting the fireplace

Overfilling the burner

Follow the instructions in the appliance manual as this will give a good guide as to how much to fill the stove. The amounts can vary but usually, you should fill the burner up to 1 cm from the top. Adding too much fuel could cause the fire to get out of control and it can be hard to put out.

Overfilling can risk hot fuel spilling out of the burner, although most approved ethanol burners have a special tray (safe spot) to prevent this.