Smart ways to heat a home

I recently came across an environmentally friendly open fireplace. What makes this fireplace so user-friendly and easy to install is the fact that it does not even require any installation or utility connection for fuel supply, as it runs on Denatured Ethanol - a renewable energy that burns clean.

 

ecosmartfire.com

What makes the EcoSmart fireplaces even more attractive - at least from my point of view - is the beauty of it. It's not just a fireplace, it is the perfect focal point for any room, and is sure to be centre of conversation. Plus the units are designed to be easily assembled and installed, in fact, the Burner Range can be installed by any builder or cabinet maker of your choice, using the supplied comprehensive installation guidelines.

ABOVE and BELOW: The EcoSmart burner is the core product of the range and offers ultimate design flexibility with a variety of fascias and installation options. Fuelled by Denatured Ethanol, an energy efficient, renewable biofuel, the clean burning nature of ethanol means that the Ecosmart Burner does not require a flue to remove toxins, making installation a breeze. The EcoSmart Burner can be installed by your builder into any setting that complies with our Compulsory Specifications.

The fuel is housed in a stainless steel burner chassis. You can turn it on and off as desired and control the intensity of the flame through its built-in regulatory mechanism. This feature means you can manipulate the amount of heat being generated and the quantity of fuel used. The life of the fire is determined by the amount of fuel in the burner. Once the fuel is burnt there is nothing to clean or clear.

 

 

Turn up the heat
You can expect the EcoSmart to heat over 35 sqm of living space quite easily, as the flueless design means that all the heat stays in the room rather than most of it being flued outside as residual emissions. Denatured Ethanol burns a stationary flame and does not spit out sparks, emit dusty soot, smoke or release harmful exhaust gases. The life of the fire is determined by the amount of fuel in the burner.

What is Denatured Ethanol?
Ethanol is an absolute alcohol, produced by the fermentation of sugars originating from agricultural and forestry products; mainly sugarcane, potatoes, bananas, beetroot and recently from cereals such as wheat. Ethanol producers de-nature ethanol with various substances for re-sale purposes and it is then called Denatured Ethanol (Methylated Spirits*). The combustion of Ethanol results in a clean emission.

The initiative of using denatured ethanol as an energy source for heating is a unique offering in the market. The EcoSmart burner’s technique of safely housing and burning a flammable liquid offering an open flame in a controlled environment makes them ideal for just about all contemporary environments. In a house of typical construction, that is, one that is not of unusually tight construction due to heavy insulation and tight seals against air infiltration, an adequate supply of air for combustion and ventilation is provided through infiltration. However, if the heater is used in a small room, the door/s to adjacent rooms should be kept open or a window to the outside should be opened at least 3cm to ventilate sufficiently.

*You can purchase Methylated Spirits in standard packaging of 1, 2, 4 and 20 litres from most larger supermarkets, Builders Warehouse and petrol stations.