An independent reference about fireplaces and stoves at home. It sells nothing, is not an installation company and is not connected with the previous website on this domain.
Ideas
A hearth changes a home: the family gathers around it, furniture is rearranged for it and it is the first thing people think of on a cold evening. But a fireplace in a country-house living room, a stove at the cottage and a decorative fire in a flat are very different stories. Here we have gathered the ideas people usually start with and are honest about where each of them reaches its limits.
The cosiest fireplace is the one that never makes you nervous. A beautiful surround means little without a sound chimney and the habit of never leaving the fire unattended.
How this section works: we describe ideas in general terms, without brands, models or dimensions. Whether a particular solution suits your home is decided by the design and professionals; here is what is worth thinking through in advance.
Six scenarios that house and flat owners think about most often.
A wood-burning fireplace becomes the centre of the room, so it is planned together with the layout: where people will sit, where the sofa should not go, where the log supply will be kept. An open fire looks more striking; a closed one with a door is easier to live with. The chimney and hearth base are built into the design from the outset.
A stove warms a house slowly and holds the heat for a long time, which is why people love it at a cottage. But a cottage stove often sits unused for months, so before the first fire after a break, have it and the chimney inspected: birds may have nested there or masonry may have crumbled over the winter.
An electric fire gives the look of flames without smoke, logs or a chimney and suits a flat where a real fire is usually out of the question. Plug it into a sound socket, never cover it or dry things on it, and switch it off at night.
A bioethanol fire burns with a real flame and no chimney, but the combustion products stay in the room and use up the air. Put it in a spacious room, ventilate regularly, never top up fuel in a lit or hot burner and never leave the flame unattended. It is a decorative appliance, not a heater.
A small log holder by the fireplace keeps wood to hand and decorates the room. Place it where sparks cannot reach and keep only an evening's supply indoors, with the main stock in a dry, ventilated woodshed.
A fire screen, a door a child cannot open alone, fireside tools and matches out of reach, and a simple rule: "only go near the fire with an adult". Do not leave pets alone with a burning hearth either.
Firewood, fuel briquettes, fire-resistant linings, door glass, non-combustible hearths and bioethanol in general terms, plus our article catalogue.
How to plan a fireplace or stove: the type of hearth, what the house needs, the design, professional installation, a draught check and alarms.
Answers about this reference, about lighting fires and firewood, and about fireplace and stove safety at home.
Specific requirements are summarised in general terms from the Fire Safety Regulations of the Russian Federation and Russian rescue-service guidance on stove heating. Other countries have their own chimney and fire-safety rules, so check your local regulations. Dimensions, clearances, fire separations and installation methods are set by the design, the applicable regulations and the professionals who install and service your fireplace or stove.