Bioethanol burner

Combustion hearths are becoming increasingly popular, offering the possibility of replacing an old burner or creating a modern fireplace with a little work.

Criteria for choice

Decorative criteria

Sometimes you're just looking for the "flame" aspect without really having a heating requirement. In that case, any burner, however small, will do. Unless you have to build a flush-mounted fireplace, you may want to consider a secure, enclosed ethanol fireplace. There are some very simple models that may be just what you need.

It may not sound like much when you put it like that, but a lot of customers call us to ask about our burners. At first, they're interested in a very specific model, but when the question of available space comes up, we realise that the model they're looking for is simply too big. This is especially true for projects involving the refurbishment of old fireplaces. Every appliance we sell has a diagram available on its explanatory page: compare this diagram with the space you have available.

Power

We've been saying it all over the place, and we don't want to give the lie to preconceived ideas: a burner really does heat up. You still need to make sure that it is correctly sized for the room in which it is installed. As a reminder, a room of 15 to 30 m2 will be heated well by a 3 kW burner, a room of 30 to 50 m2 will require double the power, and beyond that you should start with 8 kW or more. You can find a full index of power ratings on the fireplaces page.

What is the purpose of the foam in the body?

Many of you seem intrigued by the white fibreglass in the firebox. Is it useful during transport? Does it need to be removed before using the fireplace? No need to ask. This foam should be left inside the burner, where it performs two functions:

Safety: it acts as a buffer, retaining the fuel if the insert is knocked over or overturned,

Regulation: this foam absorbs the ethanol and gradually releases it during combustion. It's a bit like a wick in a paraffin lamp.

Fibreglass is durable, but over time it will lose its colour and turn black: from time to time, you should cut off the black parts with a cutter to ensure a good quality flame.

Filling

A few precautions need to be taken, as ethanol is a flammable liquid and is likely to leave marks if spilled on the floor. The filling pump takes the liquid directly from the canister and feeds it directly into the combustion chamber. No need to handle a sometimes heavy canister, and no need to aim for a funnel that could move or fall over each time you fill up with liquid. The first fill of the body should be half full. Subsequent fillings can be done in their entirety. For more information, please refer to the filling procedure in our FAQ.

Ignition

Patience, you will soon be able to enjoy the first flames from your fireplace. Let's not be too hasty and continue to think about safety. The long lighter will be a great help. Ethanol is a highly flammable liquid that needs to come into contact with a flame in order to ignite: avoid traditional smokers' lighters or matches, as you risk getting burnt. The long lighter allows you to keep your hands at a distance so as not to be surprised by the sudden arrival of the flame (flash effect). You'll find it on sale next to every model of insert we sell. Remember to present the lighter from the side and not from above.

Extinguishing the fire

The flame comes out of the burner through a mouth. This must be blocked to deprive the flame of oxygen if you wish to extinguish the fire. A utensil is systematically supplied with the burners in order to carry out this task. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to gauge your needs at the time of filling, so that you don't have to turn off the chimney. This will mean less wasted liquid and greater safety:

Your little one won't be tempted to light the stove and play with the flames,

No evaporation or gas production.

Maintenance

Our burners require very little maintenance. From time to time, you'll need a little elbow grease and, above all, a stainless steel cleaning product to clean the visible surface. The inside can only be cleaned superficially, and above all without using flammable products (acetone, petroleum, petrol, etc.) that cannot be mixed with ethanol. Fibreglass has a very long life: you can use a cutter to cut away the black clumps that will form naturally over time, as the fire burns.