Faqs

Absolutely! They are designed to be both beautiful and functional. The firebox and lower flue are made from steel which is an excellent heat conductor. This produces both direct heat from the fire itself and radiant heat from the steel (and of course the perceived heat from the dancing flame and crackling logs).

Our fireplaces have are approved for CE certification and have been rated as having the following heating capacities:

• The Aether: 8.2kW
• The Hearth: 7.2kW

Both of these ratings are very powerful for open fireplaces and they are certainly powerful sources of heat. The exact heating capacity depends on many variables: the ambient temperature outside, the height of the ceilings in the room the fire is located, if the room has insulation in the ceiling and walls, how many and the size of the windows in the room and perhaps the biggest factor of all is the quality and amount of fuel you are using.

As an example; we have an Aether in our living room which is 120m2. It is an open plan room with high raked ceilings and sliding doors across the length of the main wall. It is a new home with good insulation.

The Aether does a cracking job of heating this space for us!

Heating Area Volume & Climate Zone

Yes! Read all about it on our cooking in your fireplace page.

Our outdoor fireplaces are coated with a zinc primer to prevent rust. Extra care will ensure the longevity of your fireplace.

If you live near a beach or if your fireplace is installed near your swimming pool, your fireplace will be more prone to minerals settling on the surface of the fireplace which can damage the paint over time if care is not taken to prevent this.

Follow these guidelines for cleaning & maintaining your outdoor fireplace:

• Your outside fireplace must be installed in an area that is covered to prevent excessive exposure to rain
• Keep it Clean – Accumulated dirt and debris can hold moisture and allow corrosion to occur even on a dry day. Periodically wiping down the firebox and lower flue following the steps outlined on the next page can help avoid paint damage in the long run.
• Keep it dry – never light your fireplace when the surface is wet as the minerals in the water will stain the paint. If your fireplace has been exposed to rain always wipe down your fireplace prior to use, following the steps below to remove mineral deposits from the surface of the steel. Any minerals from the rain left on the steel when it is burnt will damage the paint.

CLEANING METHOD

All cleaning and maintenance must be done when the appliance is cool.

Do NOT use oven cleaners or abrasive products as they will damage the paint.

1. Wipe all surfaces with a mild soap with a scratch free glass polishing cloth.
2. For stubborn marks or grease use WINDEX and a scratch free glass polishing cloth. Don’t scrub the paint. Gentle pressure only.
3. Wipe dry with scratch free glass polishing cloth.
4. Ensure surface is completely dry before lighting the fire.

Maximum load capacity:

• No more than four large logs (not exceeding 110mm in diameter) at a time.
• Untreated, air dried hardwood
• Split logs with a humidity content of less than 20%

You can pick up great wood from Bunnings or most service stations. Just check the humidity content which is printed on the bag.

We recommend split wood rather than round logs as they burn better and are much easier to stack.

For more tips on wood and building the perfect fire head over to our blog.

For further information on sourcing appropriate wood for your fireplace check out the firewood association page for your country:

Firewood Association Australia

Wood Heat Association UK

What To Burn

Use dry split wood for best results. Using wet wood will result in a smoky fire that is hard to get started and gives off low heat. If you are drying your own wood keep in mind that wood only begins to dry seriously once it is split to correct size. Allow around six months for proper drying to take place. We recommend split wood rather than round logs as they burn better and are less prone to rolling away from the ember bed.

Before Lighting Your Fire

• Check that the damper is fully open. The handle should be pointing down. The fire must be operated with the damper fully opened at all times.

Starting a Fire

You will need the following materials to build and maintain a good wood fire

• a fire lighter or newspaper (do not use coloured or coated paper)
• a handful of finely split, dry kindling in a variety of sizes
• seasoned firewood split into a range of sizes.

The Most Reliable Method For Lighting Our Open Fireplaces

It is important to keep in mind that Aurora Fireplaces are open fireplaces and cannot be loaded or operated in the same way as a combustion (closed) fireplace. If you’re used to a combustion fireplace this method may take a little getting used to, however it is absolutely reliable, and when it is done properly there is almost no smoke right from the start.

The most important part of this whole process is to use dry, seasoned firewood. The fire works by having the coals and embers from the top layer fall into the layer of wood below it. If the wood is wet it won’t catch on fire and you’ll become frustrated.

1. Place two split pieces of timber approximately 40mm thick x 300mm long on the firebox floor with the ends facing front and back. Placement with the ends facing front and back allows the air to mix well with the fuel, rather than just hitting the sides of the wood.
2. Place a fire-lighter or one piece of scrunched up newspaper in-between them.
3. Stack two pieces of kindling approximately 30mm thick x 300mm long on top of the bottom pieces criss crossing in the other direction.
4. Follow this by stacking a third row of fine kindling 20mm thick x 300mm long on top, criss crossing in the other direction.
5. Repeat step four.
6. Light the fire lighter or paper and watch as the fire burns down through the fine kindling and the kindling into the bottom pieces of split timber.
7. Once the timber is well alight start adding more 40mm thick pieces of timber 1 or 2 at a time, slowly increasing the timber size as the fire burns hotter.