- 1
- 19th November 2018
- Commercial
Project Description
Smart Fire UK brings 18th century fireplaces back to life
Trinity House, the working home of the General Lighthouse Authority in London, has restored its impressive fireplaces with the help of Smart Fire UK.
Dating from 1796, the historic House on Tower Hill had two original fireplace grates that had been rendered unusable by the lack of chimneys. As they wanted to bring the fireplaces back to life, they had to turn to alternative methods to return the fires to their former glory.
That’s when they decided to investigate the use of clean-burning fires, and came across Smart Fire UK. These green fires are fuelled entirely by bio-ethanol, a clean burning liquid, sourced from agriculture, which doesn’t require a chimney, flue or extraction system.
Trinity House’s fireplaces, which dated from the 18th century, presented a challenge as they were curved rather than straight edged. Smart Fire UK fitted the fireplaces with bespoke drop in plates to solve the problem.
Smart Fire UK also manufactured bespoke glass fireguards to complete the appearance. As well as restoring the fireplaces, it has also given the venue an extra heating source that can be easily regulated.
More Information
“It has been an honour to be part of renovating this historic building. It’s projects like this that the Bioethanol fires really come into their own. Just because a chimney has been removed or a flue has been blocked up doesn’t mean you have to board up a beautiful fireplace. These versatile products are perfect for restorations like this. They create the look and feel of a real fire without the soot, ash and cleaning that’s associated with them. The restored fireplaces are magnificent and have once again become a focal point within the venue.”
Project Details
Client:
Trinity House - https://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/
Before the renovation the fireplaces were technically in fine condition but we felt it was a waste of a potential source of heat and added ambience that they were inoperable. As well as restoring the façade of the fireplaces, the venue now has an extra heating source that can be easily regulated. The fires have created a cosy ambiance for both daytime and evening events and the fact that this heating source is environmentally friendly is an added bonus.
