Installing a Fire
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
Forum Description: For mums, dads, parents-to-be, grandparents, friends -- you name it! And you name the topic you want to chat about!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=38870
Printed Date: 30 August 2025 at 12:28am
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Topic: Installing a Fire
Posted By: _Lou_
Subject: Installing a Fire
Date Posted: 19 April 2011 at 8:54pm
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Hi all,
DH and I bought a new house last year which has no heating. We're starting to think about what sort of heating we want and at the moment, I'm leaning towards a fire. A wood fire kind of puts me off as I imagine the installation of a chimney etc would be quite pricey on top of the installation of a fire as well. I quite like the idea of a gas fire as we already have gas hot water (a rinnai system) and its cleaner than a wood fire. Has anyone installed a gas fire recently? What do I need to consider? We're in the Bay of Plenty, so its not extreme temperatures, but definitely cold enough for some heating! TIA 
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Replies:
Posted By: Nothing
Date Posted: 19 April 2011 at 9:22pm
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I have always had wood or coal fires in the houses I have lived in. They work great. I dont know much about gas ones, but I would prefer wood as you can go get the fuel yourself and if there is an emergency you are not left stranded with no heating. Alot of the new fires are really clean burning, if you live in an area that has a clean air policy then you will only be able to put in certain models. Most of these you cannot turn down overnight as they dont allow the damper to full shut- most people remove this bit so they can shut it down! lol. Dont get just a heatpump either, they should be used with another form of heating as if the power goes off you are stuffed. ------------- 
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Posted By: RedHeadDuck
Date Posted: 20 April 2011 at 8:36am
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Mum and dad have a gas fire, they love it!
Only things they have noticed there is no risidual heat, once you turn it off, thats pretty much it! You can still light a gas fire with no electricity, you just have to be REALLY careful! It doesn't need power to run, just to light up. It can get expensive to run, they can blow over a big bottle in less than 2 weeks in the middle of winter, but that is in southland and running on almost 24/7 
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 20 April 2011 at 9:37am
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When we had our fire installed it wasn't overly expensive, $2-3000, this came with everything, flue, health, fire, permits, labour. Been worth it's weight in gold.
If you are getting a gas fire installed unless you have the gas line to where you want your fire you'll have to factor in that cost too. Easiest idea is to go & get quotes first and then decide. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: _Lou_
Date Posted: 20 April 2011 at 11:13am
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Thanks everyone! Really good to know!
A&C, where did you buy the fire from? And I assume they recommend installers? Also how much would you spend on wood over a winter? Thanks also moocow, we're on reticulated gas not bottle but it will still use the same I guess!! |
Posted By: CrazyCass
Date Posted: 20 April 2011 at 11:31am
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Hi Lou
Dh Uncle & his grandfather have put in Gas fires, the both love the heat but the cost run them is huge! If you are going to have to buy your wood you'll need to factor about $500-$600 a year for that, then there is the mess of having to deal with it, the dust & storage of the wood.. I dont pay for wood, thankfully I get it through work, but this is our last year with our fire, we are going to put a heat pump in. The extra $40-$60 per month is going to be much cheaper for us once I'm off work than to arrange firewood (and yay for instant heat) Just some thoughts to confuse you more! What part of the BOP are you? A girl at work got her Heat Pump through her rates, on a 10year interest free loan ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 21 April 2011 at 7:10am
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I am in Palmy and we got a fire installed in here almost 6 years ago now. Ours was $2500 for everything including the permits and instilation. |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 21 April 2011 at 7:34am
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Lou, we got a Jayline from 4 Seasons, not sure if you have that were your are. I just left all up to them to arrange.
We also got a fire which was capable of heating over the amount of floor space we have. ie 120sqm and the fire is for a house which is 140sqm. We have also put "holes" in the top of the walls in the lounge to vent through to other parts of the house (flat roofed house) ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 21 April 2011 at 12:32pm
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We love our wood fire! We have a Woodsman Matai, about 3k all up I think. Yes they are a bit messier but I just love the heat of a fire!
My parents loved the ease of their heatpump in their house, but Dad is having such bad aches from not having a good, warm heat coming through the house. They are now putting a fire in - it was either that or Dad came to stay here all winter to take the chill of his bones. My friends who have a gas fire say the expense is quite large, but the convenience is good. |
Posted By: SpecialK
Date Posted: 21 April 2011 at 1:07pm
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We have had a pellet burner installed last year - cheaper than gas ( we would have had to have a gas line ), looks like a proper fire but you don't have to mess around with kindling and firewood so much cleaner. It turns on and off at the wall. I think the whole lot was about $3-4K and pellets cost about $10 a bag which gives you 24 hours - so lasts us about a week. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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