Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Heat your home economically this winter
EVERYONE wishes to be warm and comfortable in the winter time, but at the same time are aware that heating requires additional energy and also increases their carbon footprint. Biomass, in the form of wood pellets and matured dry wood, is a green, sustainable source of energy and also at present, the most economical and reliable heating solution for your home.
New wood burning closed combustion fireplaces: Italcotto through it exclusive supplier Calore is excited to launch a new free standing fireplace from Bronpi of Spain. The Dover free standing unit has many unique and exclusive features making it efficient for a longer period of time. Features of the Bronpi Dover fireplace: Heat storage system – the fireplace has “heat accumulators” placed above the combustion chamber
which absorb the heat during the operation of the stove and continue radiating heat up to four hours after the fire has spent .
This allows a significant increase in efficiencies. Additional “heat accumulators” are available as an optional extra.
Triple combustion system: this technology allows a third combustion of unburned gases during the first and second combustion achieving a higher output and efficiency.
Glass cleaning system – the system allows air from the outside of the fireplace to travel over the inner side of the glass, improving combustion and preventing the glass from blackening thus allowing greater view of the burning fire.
Other stunning wood burning fireplaces include the “Kenia”, available in two sizes with both single and double sided glass options. The double sided options are a perfect divider for two rooms or place it in a large open plan space offering a view of the fire from both sides. All the Kenia models come standard with ventilation systems. Prices range from R38500 including vat for the Kenia 90 Vision 14kw single sided to R58 000 including vat for the Kenia 110 Double sided Vision 23kW.
Also on offer is the Londres range of closed combustion fireplaces with extremely high heat outputs at extremely economical prices. These units are perfect for large spaces offering a modern and contemporary look. The units are easy to clean with a removable ash boxes. They also offer a panoramic glass door for a stunning view of the fire .The Londres T model offers a standard ventilation kit capable of ducting up to four vents with each vent able to duct up to 7m.
Prices for the Londres 21kW is R26 000 including vat and the Londres-T 21kW retails for R48 000 including vat.
Pellet fireplaces: Pellet fireplaces are fully automated heating systems. They use wood pellets, which are manufactured from compressed sawdust and wood waste, as fuel. The manufacturing of wood pellets sold by Calore, are derived from the waste of the South African timber industry. This waste would normally be either dumped in landfills or left to rot, creating methane pollution into the atmosphere. It is now possible for South Africans, at a domestic level, to use this energy from a waste product, and in doing so, reduce the use of energy from fossil fuels which would have been used to produce the same heat energy.
How does a pellet fireplace work: The wood pellets are automatically fed from a hopper, via an auger, and dropped into a brazier where it automatically is ignited. The feeding to the brazier is automatically managed thermostatically, to ensure optimum efficiency of fuel used. Using wood pellets allows you to manage your own energy consumption, without any down time as the systems are completely automated. The advantages of using a wood pellet fireplace is the complete automation, constant energy on demand, high efficiency, high energy output with minimal cleaning and maintenance required. You can set your pellet fireplace to start up in the morning, before you wake up, thus awakening to a comfortably warm home.
Visit our fireplace showroom at the Italcotto Design Centre, Christiaan Barnard Street, Foreshore, and Cape Town to view our extensive range of wood burning and automated pellet fireplaces and to discuss your heating requirements with one of our knowledgeable heating specialists.