Frequently Asked Questions

Normally we do not deliver ourselves. If you are in Cape Town and book an installation with our installer, they will usually collect the fireplace from us and deliver it to your home. We do also have a vehicle we can use in case of emergencies. For deliveries in other parts of South Africa, we use door to door couriers, which are reasonable and reliable.

Yes. At Hydrofire Cape Town we understand that a fireplace in an investment and a lifelong addition to the family, so to help our customers in selecting a heating solution that perfect suits their needs, we provide guidance and advice on a daily basis. Feel free to call us or pop into our showroom in Paarden Eiland and we will be glad to assist – you can find our contact details here. Regrettably, we do not do house visit, however a photo and a measurement of the area (including ceiling height) is sufficient for us to be able to adequately advise you and recommend a fireplace and flue.

You can use a boiler stove fireplace and the water-based heating system to not only warm one room, but your entire house using a network of radiators. Read more about it here.

Kilowatts measure the power of the fireplace and can also be used to measure heat output. The bigger the area that you want to heat, the bigger the fireplace and more nominal power you need to do so effectively.

Efficiency is an indication of how much heat one can derive from a set quantity of wood. Anything over 70% is considered high efficiency, but the higher the efficiency the better –although it is impossible to achieve 100% efficiency. In our modern, closed combustion fireplaces with 75- 80% efficiency, only 20-25% of the full potential energy is lost. This may seem a lot, but traditional open fireplaces only achieve approximately 30% efficiency, with around 70% of the potential heat from the fireplaces being lost.

Both options are excellent and the deciding factor here should simply be which you prefer visually. Mild steel allows for a sleek, more modern look and better shaping in design. In contrast, many of the cast iron models have an old fashioned, charming look and feel, however we do also stock cast iron fireplaces with a more contemporary design.

Yes we do installations. Soon after you have purchased a fireplace, our sales team will handover the installation logistics to our service coordinator who will be in contact with you and facilitate the whole installation process . The feedback about their work has been fantastic and they will generally collect the fireplace and the flues from our showroom for you when you book an installation with them.

We’re proud to inform you that – with proper use, care and maintenance -our fireplaces should easily last 10-20 years. For your peace of mind however, we do offer a 2 year warranty on steel units and a 5 year warranty on cast iron units – T&C’s apply.

We import directly from manufacturers from Europe and we keep our margins reasonable, but never compromise on quality. All our fireplaces are CE certified and meet strict manufacturing requirements to ensure superior value and complete safety.

We do have a couple models with a rear exit, but most are top exit.

All fireplaces are different and the amount of wood that is burnt per hour depends on your fireplace’s specific specs, as well as how open the air vents are, type of used wood and other factors. Wood consumption varies from 1kg – 5kg/hr and generally speaking the bigger, more powerful fireplaces use more wood.

You may be surprised to discover that the glass is the most expensive part of the fireplace and can cost between R1500 and R2800 to replace. It’s not just any glass however, it is high quality, durable, ceramic SCHOTT fireproof glass that is produced in Germany. Should the glass break, do not install toughened glass as a cheaper replacement – it is not safe to use. If water touches toughened glass when it is hot, it will shatter into scalding pieces which can stick to your skin and cause severe burns.

There are very few parts on the fireplace that will ever need replacement. Glass will not crack unless there has been an intense shock or force, or if burning wood leans against glass. That said, we at Hydrofire hold ample stock of fireplaces and can supply you with a new part in an emergency.

For maximum efficiency and minimal harm to the environment, use dry, seasoned, hard wood. Don’t use wet wood which will may smoke and damage the glass of the fireplace. Read more about selecting, storing and burning wood.

Annually is best, but at least every 2 years you should have a chimney sweep and inspection by professional, who will also check your water seal and keep an eye out for corrosion.

Yes you can. This comes at an additional cost, however it is simple to do and will save you money on water and electricity in the long run.

Cold water is fed into the cavity or water jacket that’s within the walls of the fireplace. Heat from the fireplace warms the cold water which, upon reaching a certain temperature, circulates out of the cavity. Hot water flows to the distribution box, which includes important valves and safety gauges. From the distribution box, water is pumped to different areas of the house, heating various rooms via the radiators.

We do not recommend solely using single wall flues as they get very hot and nearby combustible materials can easily catch alight. For this reason it is especially advised that insulated flues be used in the cavity between the ceiling and roof, where wood or insulation can easily start to burn unnoticed. If a customer insists we will oblige, but our installer won’t guarantee the water seal of any single wall flue kit and we take no responsibility for the installation.

Yes; our stainless steel flue piping can be externally or internally installed, depending on your personal preference. External flue pipes will need to run on the outside of the house up the wall.

Fireplace type, your home and complexity of installation can all affect the cost of installing your fireplace, so although it is not possible to quote one price for all installations, if you call us on 021 510 0980, we can discuss your requirements and the costing.

At Hydrofire we are renowned for selling top quality flues at an extremely competitive price, however flue piping that you require is dependent on your roof height, whether you are doing an internal (from the fireplace to the ceiling and out through the roof) or external (piping running along your outside walls) flue installation, among other factors. Give us a call on 021 510 0980 and we can give you a quote based on your specific requirements.

No. The flues are sold separately and based on your specific requirements. We also do not offer installation of the fireplace, but will gladly refer you to our trusted installer.