Bio Ethanol Fireplace Safety Distance and Risk of Fire
When dealing with an open fire, it is crucial to be mindful of potential fire hazards. One key consideration when purchasing and installing a bioethanol fireplace is ensuring the appropriate safety distance between the bioethanol fire and surrounding objects and materials. This guide will help you understand the necessary safety distances to maintain when using a bioethanol fireplace, helping to minimize risks and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
Key Safety Precautions for Bio-Ethanol Fireplaces
In this guide, we will primarily focus on the essential steps and considerations for DIY bioethanol fireplace projects, highlighting the key measurements and safety distances you need to be aware of. Additionally, we will touch on some general guidelines regarding the placement of various types of bioethanol fireplaces to ensure a safe and efficient setup.
Highlighted safety precautions
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Exercise caution when installing a biofuel fireplace. A bioethanol fireplace generates a real flame, so ensure no flammable materials are nearby.
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Construct your fireplace using non-combustible materials; MDF is unsuitable. If building your own bioethanol fireplace, use only non-combustible materials to ensure safety. This is less of a concern with ready-made bioethanol fireplaces, as they are typically designed with safe materials.
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Allow sufficient space for the flame and heat, maintaining a recommended clearance of at least 50-60 cm above the burner and at least 100 cm from any flammable materials.
Currently, there are no specific bioethanol building regulations in the UK, allowing anyone to carry out installations. Each manufacturer has different guidelines for their fireplaces, so always adhere to the installation manual provided with your fireplace.
If you have any doubts about the safety distances for a bioethanol fireplace, feel free to contact bioethanol-fireplace.co.uk.
Guidelines for DIY bioethanol fireplace safety distances
Bioethanol burner installation in surround
If you're planning to place the burner inside a surround for your bioethanol fireplace project, these guidelines are essential to follow. They are also applicable if you're converting an old wood-burning stove fireplace into a bioethanol fireplace.
However, if you intend to install a TV above your bioethanol fireplace, it is crucial to follow the specific instructions provided in our dedicated guide: Installation of a TV Above your bio fireplace.
| Instruction | Description |
|---|---|
| A | We recommend a minimum clearance of 50-60 cm above the fire opening for the flame. |
| B | There are no definite safety distance requirements for the sides. However, we do recommend a distance between 5-10 cm. If you choose to have several burners next to each other, we recommend placing them about 5 cm apart. |
| C | We recommend about 10 cm in front of and behind the burner. |
| D | The optimum depth varies with the burner. However, if you want to have a TV hanging over the bioethanol fire, you should have a little extra space to push the burner further in. See more under E. |
| E | If you want to hang a TV over an ethanol fire, you must consider that the heat should not rise directly into the TV. As a minimum, you should have about 10 cm in front of the burner. For a TV above, we recommend 15-20 cm in front of the burner. |
| F | There are no security requirements regarding the distance to the floor. You should, however, ensure to use solid materials to place the burner on and that the burner is placed horizontally. |
| G | If you hang a TV over the bioethanol fire, we recommend that you add an additional 30 cm in the clearance above the burner. But please check our dedicated installation guide for TVs above bioethanol fireplaces here. |
| Instruction | Recommended Materials and Notes |
|---|---|
| 1 | This part shall be completely solid and fireproof. Examples of materials could be bricks, slate, stones, cement, ceramics, or metal (we recommend stainless steel). Do NOT use MDF-material, gypsum boards, or fibreboards! |
| 2 | Recommended materials: Stainless steel, metal, stone, slate, cement, or bricks. |
| 3 | This part is particularly affected by the heat. Make sure it is thick and solid. Examples of materials could be bricks, steel, cement, or stone. Heat-insulate if necessary with Vacupor or mineral wool. |
| 4 | Use fireproof materials such as metal, stone, slate, bricks, or tiles. |
| Note | Be extra observant with curtains and similar items that are moveable by the wind. Ensure that elements such as these will not get near the open fire and maintain a security distance of a minimum of 1 meter from the ethanol fireplace. |
Bioethanol burner installation without a surround
If you are installing a bioethanol burner without a cavity or surround, it's important to adhere to the following safety distances. These guidelines ensure that your bioethanol fire remains safe and efficient, minimizing any potential hazards associated with open flames and heat output.
| Instruction | Description |
|---|---|
| A | We recommend approximately 10 cm space in front and behind the burner. |
| B | We recommend about 5-10 cm for both sides of the burner. If you choose to have several burners next to each other, we recommend placing them a minimum of 5 cm apart. |
| C | We recommend a free space of minimum 50-60 cm above the opening of the burner for the flame. |
| D | There are no security requirements regarding the distance to the floor. Ensure to use solid materials as a floor for the burner and that the burner is horizontal. |
A, B, C, D refer to the recommended minimum measures.
| Guideline | Material and Safety Measures |
|---|---|
| 1 | This part shall be completely solid and fireproof. Examples of materials could be bricks, slate, stones, cement, ceramics, or metal (we recommend stainless steel). Do NOT use MDF-material, gypsum boards, or fibreboards! |
| 2 | Recommended materials: Stainless steel, metal, stone, slate, cement, or bricks. |
| 3 | This part is particularly affected by the heat. Make sure it is thick and solid. Examples of materials could be bricks, steel, cement, or stone. Heat-insulate if necessary with Vacupor or mineral wool. |
| 4 | Use fireproof materials such as metal, stone, slate, bricks, or tiles. |
| Note | Be extra observant with curtains and similar items that are moveable by the wind. Ensure that elements such as these will not get near the open fire and maintain a security distance of a minimum of 1 meter from the bioethanol fire. |
1 and 2 refer to the recommended materials and surfaces.
While these two installation guidelines provide a general framework, it is crucial to remember that they are only broad recommendations. For the safest and most effective setup, always adhere to the manufacturer's specific installation instructions included with your bioethanol burner.
Find our selection of bioethanol burners for DIY fireplace projects here.
Safety Distances for Pre-fabricated Bioethanol Fires
Pre-fabricated bioethanol fires, including wall-mounted and freestanding fireplaces, are designed for quick and straightforward installation. While specific safety distance guidelines are minimal, we offer some recommendations to ensure safe use. Given the vast array of models available, it's crucial to consult the individual bio fire manual for detailed installation and safety instructions.
Wall Mounted Bio Ethanol Fireplace Safety Distances
When installing a wall-mounted bio ethanol fireplace, ensure a minimum clearance of 100 cm above the burner. If the burner is enclosed within a "box," this clearance can be reduced to 60-70 cm. Although side security distance is generally unnecessary, it's advisable to maintain a few centimetres of space from other materials.
Pay special attention to curtains and similar items that can move with the wind; they should be kept at least 1 meter away from the bioethanol fireplace to prevent any potential hazards.
Most wall-mounted bioethanol fireplaces can be installed on any type of wall, as long as the wall can support the weight of the fireplace. For those fireplaces that require heat protection, they typically come with a backplate or special mounting brackets to ensure adequate protection between the wall and the fireplace.
Freestanding Bio Ethanol Fireplace Safety Distances
These guidelines apply to both freestanding bioethanol fireplaces and bioethanol tabletop fireplaces.
The required safety distance around freestanding bioethanol fires may vary depending on the model and whether the flame is enclosed within the fireplace body on all sides. For most of our bioethanol fires, the flame is safely contained within the fireplace body, so only a few centimetres of clearance is needed for security purposes. However, for bio ethanol fires without a fully enclosed body, where the flame is more exposed, we recommend maintaining a safety distance of 60 cm from the burner to any flammable materials.
Additionally, a safety height of 1 meter above the fire should be maintained. This is particularly important for tabletop fires and any lamps or other objects hanging above the fireplace- and also exercise caution with curtains and similar items that can be moved by the wind.
Other Reads
Explore more about bioethanol fireplaces and related topics with our links below:
What is a bioethanol fireplace?
Installation of a TV above the bioethanol fireplace
Placement of a bioethanol fireplace