Artisan Fireplace Design and Exhausto chimney fan systems have been used to solve a potentially dangerous problem with a previous fireplace installation in Leeds.  As part of the refurbishment of a Georgian lodge in West Yorkshire, a local fireplace business had supplied and installed new fireplaces and coal-effect gas fires in the dining room and drawing room. The supplier miscalculated the ratio of fireplace area to flue diameter. This caused the fires to discharge flues into the rooms due to a complete lack of chimney draught.

The fires quickly became unusable. When questioned, the supplier suggested quick fixes, including glass panels to reduce the fireplace area. Unhappy that the whole design of fireplace and room was being compromised, the homeowners contacted Artisan Fireplaces in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. Artisan’s Gary Heginbottom visited the site and realised that the fireplace area/flue diameter ratio was wrong, aggravated by one of the chimneys having been lined. He also pointed out that the installer had lined only one chimney, when he had charged for lining both. The survey revealed that the close proximity of trees and other buildings made it unlikely that a reliable natural chimney draught could be sustained with the existing fireplace.

Instead, Artisan installed a Exhausto chimney fan systems to provide and control the draught. The CORGl-accredited systems has a fail-safe feature that shuts off the gas supply to the fire should the chimney become blocked or damaged. As soon as the chimney is clear, and the fan can draw a proper draught up the chimney, the gas supply can be restored and the gas fire can be lit as normal. Exhausto claims that the chimney fan system is the only one available that has a fully-certified fail-safe capability Exhausto chimney fan systems are available from Artisan Fireplace Design andversions are available for both gas- and solid-fuel fires. There is also a version with a wall vent that can be installed in homes with no chimney