Boru Doras fire front

Tonmar

Hi there has anybody installed a boru doras it's a glass fronted door you attach to an open fire.Are they successful?

eco bee

doras m mcneill resize 1.jpgdoras p keane resize 2.jpgHi Tonmar, i have fitted loads of them for people and i think there a great product .
Quick fix for cutting your fuel bill by over half,more heat,safety for all night burning and cuts out the draft.

And if you move house or for some reason dont want the door any more its easy to move.
I have been asked to move this one door to three different houses.
Great to have the freedom.

Any questions you have i will try and answer them for you.

eco bee

Here are more pictures.


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Tonmar

Hi Eco bee thanks for the info,I have a back boiler does the heat to that increase and do you lose heat into the room.I was at the self build and renovate in City West last week and a boiler supplier told me they stopped installing them as the heat from them was cracking the marble around the fire,have you come across this.

eco bee

Hi Tonmar,
yes the door will put more heat to the boiler and at the same time stop the draft going through the house.

This will make the house warmer straight away and you will be only using less that half the fuel you were using .
If you dont fit the door right you will be wasting fuel and if its fitted very bad could damage your grate or fire.

It would end up like if you left the bottom door/vent of a stove open too long that will have a roaring fire and will burn the grate or damage chimney.

Some granite is only used for gas or oil fires and is not suited for solid fuel because of the high heat out-put. Solid fuel needs expansion gaps.
This is the same if your fitting free standing or insert stove.

blueknight

Hi eco bee , I have a back boiler but the fireplace is arched ,can one of these doors be fitted and do you loose heat in the room your fireplace is in?.

eco bee

Goodgolfer

Hi Mr eco bee!!

I am in the process of getting a Boru Doras. I have a back boiler. There is an existing plate on the back boiler that slides horizontally from front to back to direct the air/flue gases to the front or to the rear of the water jackets.

With the installation of the Doras how should I position this baffle plate?

Rgds

Louis Carroll

deandean

It's great to see these helpful posters opening new accounts to endorse a product :rolleyes:

Goodgolfer

No endorsement from me deandean till it's up and running and giving heat!!

Tonmar

eco bee wrote: »

Hi Eco bee, I installed my Boru Doras last week with great success, the house is definately warmer. What I like is if you are burning wood you don't get any sparks or smokey smells into the room, thanks for your help. Tonmar

Horslip

Hi, I am thinking of getting a small stove to fit into the fireplace, however I have just learned about the Doras system.
Just a few questions;
Would the extra heat burn out the existing grate and fire back quicker?
Are they easy to install ?
How are they attached to the existing fire surround (mine is red brick)?

daiboc

H i does any one have any updates on their firefronts as im thinking of getting
one, my main concern is the heat output to the room where its in installed
Cheers daiboc.

Goodgolfer

I now have my by Boru Doras fire front delivered. It's ready for installation tomorrow. I'm not sure if the existing back boiler baffle plate is required or not. Can anyone advise?

Tonmar

Hi goodgolfer you have to remove the damper on your back boiler

Goodgolfer

Thanks Tonmar...and did you use high temperature silicon to seal any gaps between the insert front and existing fireplace?

Tonmar

Hi goodgolfer I got a new fireplace installed at the same time and the guy installed the Doras before I got home not that I was complaining but he did use a sealant. The guy worked for Robinsons Fireplaces in Coolock,you could ring them for the name of the sealant he used

Goodgolfer

Hi Tonmar....I installed mine today....early days yet and the jury is still out on the effectiveness!!!!

Tonmar

Hi goodgolfer don't forget to close off the vents when the fire dies down and you are going to bed,you would be surprised how much heat can be drawn out of the room with them left open.by the way what handicap is goodgolfer?

Goodgolfer

Thanks for that advise Tonmar...last night I left vents open and still there was just a 2.5C drop in temperature overnight. Tonight I will shut them down and monitor the difference. I am tempted to change my name to Badgolfer...I am the wrong side of 20!!:o

daiboc

Hi tonmar,goodgolfer,
Just wondering how ye are getting on with the firefronts is there more heat to the room where they are installed. I have my firefront ordered hopefully will have it on friday mine is a bit different its a yola firefront, company in wexford.
yolastoves.com.
Cheers Daiboc

Tonmar

Hi Diaboc Goodgolfer, With the firefront alone I did not notice any heat difference in the room, but when you put the pump on and circulate the water it's a lot warmer because your back boiler is working more efficiently. If the glass blackens up use a damp paper towel or j cloth, dip it in the ashes from the fire and wipe the glass, as good as new in minutes, only do this when the glass is cold.

Jomol

hi folks,

I also have been looking at installing a Doras firefront but my fireplace is made from rough stone, is there some way to fit the front and fill around the gaps or would it be best to smooth out the stone where the firefront will fit.

daiboc

Hi Goodgolfer, thanks for your reply. I was thinking there would'nt be much of a heat difference to the room with just the firefront.
The firefront i have ordered is supposed to have a convection chamber, (take in cold air and let it out as hot air) if this works or not ill
just have to wait and see. I presume you are using a lot less fuel.
Cheers,
Daiboc.

daiboc

Hi Jomol,
I think it would be very hard to seal your fireplace with rough stone. and also if you plastered it smooth there's a danger of plaster cracking as these generate alot of heat, they say there only suitable for fire with back boiler because they would crack an ordinary fire back. Angle steel on the front is probably your best bet an engineerig company might help.
Daiboc

Jomol

Hi Daiboc,
thanks for the reply, I think I have 2 options, 1. the steel that you suggest or 2. grinding back the stone to a level finish where the firefront frame will sit.

Goodgolfer

OK I have had by Doras in action for the last four nights!! The first two nights I just had a small fire down and I could not see any great advantage!!

However on the second two nights I put a good amount of coal on it at the start at about 4.30pm. It took about two hours to start giving heat both to the room and the water. The room then quickly came up to temperature and no more coal was required all evening. The coal I had put on earlier just glowed and glowed. At 11pm the room temperature was still at 22C.

What seems to be happening is that the fire doors themselves and the surrounding fireplace absorbs the heat initially and then gives that heat back to the room.

The unit itself fitted against a brass surround and marble at the top. I had a about a 2mm gap down each side. I used fire rope to fill this gap and high temperature sealant.

So far I reckon that fuel usage is about 75% of what it was pre Doras.

daiboc

Hi goodgolfer.
are your rads performing any better with firefront.

Goodgolfer

Yes Daiboc....heat to the central heating water is better than before for the same fuel input.

irishbass

I am interested in these... one thing I cant figure out after seeing one installed in a friends house is how to clean the chimney in the normal way (ie rods etc) once the plate to attach the Doras is in place... my friend doesnt know either so I wondered if anyone here has the answer?

Goodgolfer

That plate is easily removed...juts two nuts holding it. Thereafter it's the same access for cleaning!!

What fuel are people using on their Doras in smokeless area?

irishbass

Ok thanks for the info... I need to take a better look at the plate etc

daiboc

Hi all got my firefront today and have it installed. Have the fire goin now but it seems to be taking forever to light up
is any one else having this problem, or is this the norm with these, and can any one tell me do i have to remove the original damper or leave it.
Cheers Daiboc

Goodgolfer

Daiboc.....I have left my original damper in place...I have pulled it forward but am still experimenting with the best position for this.

I find that the fire starts up fairly fast..I use a little timber and a fire-lighter and Black Diamond supercoal. But it does take an hour or so after lighting before it starts to give out any heat. I think the reason for this is that the unit absorbs heat initially before starting to give it out an hour or more after lighting.

daiboc

Hi Goodgolfer
Ive had better luck tonight with fire front it lit up pretty quickly, I have a much bigger fire tonight and its giving out a lot of heat so impressed so far.
cheers Daiboc

daddydee

Hi there, i have an open fire with grant tripple pass back boiler and was thinking of getting one of these doors, i normally burn hayes glolite smokeless could i still burn this, thanks.

Goodgolfer

Hi Daiboc....what fuel are you using?

Got this from Bord na Mona site http://www.bordnamonafuels.ie/usage-guide

daddydee

Hi Goodgolfer, how is it going with your doras door, do you find that you are using less fuel now with the door fitted, sorry for all the questions have been trying to find info on these doors and then found this site and you guys are actually using them.

daddydee

Hi diaboc, how is it going with your fire door do you think it's made a difference to the heat to your boiler and your coal usage, thanks.

The Castle King

1) Removing the damper will result in the boiler now working correctly as when the damper is in a pulled out position it is designed to let the flames up through the back of the boiler to heat the water. If the damper is needed to be removed these doors are not a great job.
2) By leaving the damper in it means you have to open the door to control the flames to the boiler for heating the water which in my view is not a great job as you are releasing fumes into the room.
3) Reading down through comments I notice a company ceased fitting them as they were resulting in damage to fireplaces (cracking panels)
** This is not the fault of the door but because the fireplace may have been manufactured for gas/electric fires and has no expansion joints. If there are no expansion joints on marble/granite insert or heart it will crack if converted back to solid fuel fires with or without these doors.
4) WARNING!
A lot of fireplaces in the past ten years were fitted by cowboys and are not sealed properly (sand and cement). They were sealed with bonding with cement mixed through or in many cases with fibreglass just stuffed up between wall and fireplace. These are a fire hazard and should be thoroughly checked before reverting back to solid fuel. Even in circumstances where gas fires are fitted get them checked as carbon-monoxide gasses are lethal and could result in death.

To be honest these doors are very expensive around €550. They are a cheap version of an insert stove with back boiler and I would recommend going the extra few hundred and do the job right.

daiboc

Hi good golfer im using staffords ordinary non smokeless coal and logs seems to be ok.

daiboc

Hi daddydee yes the front has made a difference to the boiler and i would think im using about a third less coal the heat output to the room is much better i have yola firefront they have a convection chamber, ie take in cold air and release as warm air. [URL="http://www.yolastoves.com

The Castle King

daiboc wrote: »

Hi daddydee yes the front has made a difference to the boiler and i would think im using about a third less coal the heat output to the room is much better i have yola firefront they have a convection chamber, ie take in cold air and release as warm air. [URL="http://www.yolastoves.com

daiboc, do you have to remove the damper on the boiler or can it be left in place?
How much was the yolas stove door and was the installation simple?

daiboc

Hi, No i did'nt remove damper, im pretty sure its to be left in place.
the door was €675 got a new grate and they also made steel plate for top of fireplace,
pretty expensive though i think it will be worth it early days yet. installation is simple enough.

daddydee

daiboc wrote: »

Hi daddydee yes the front has made a difference to the boiler and i would think im using about a third less coal the heat output to the room is much better i have yola firefront they have a convection chamber, ie take in cold air and release as warm air. [URL="http://www.yolastoves.com

Hi Daiboc, thanks for getting back to me that has given me food for thought, i use this fire daily instead of the oil heating and the boiler performs pretty good heating 10 rads but i want to make it more economical and with better heat output to boiler, i think these doors could help, thanks again.

daddydee

Hi Goodgolfer, would love to know your thoughts on the boru doras, do you think it has benefited your open fire, thanks.

sailor 1

Hi Daiboc
I have grant back boiler with open fire currently heating 10 rads. I looked at yola firedoor today so just wondering how is yours performing now.
Also did you use existing grate and leave in your existing fire front "grill" to stop fuel falling forward onto door etc.
I am also looking at the doras so would be interested for any feedback on same.
Tks

daiboc

Hi sailor 1
we are very happy with firefront, yola made us a new grate your original
front grill will have to go, theres a small grill on the yola door. I dont think the doras would be as good as the yola door as there is no convection chamber on doras.

sailor 1

Hi Diaboc
Tks for reply. Is the door on yours steel or cast iron. Any thoughts on same welcome

kscobie

My missus makes and sells jam and very nice brown bread. Can she advertise here too ???:D:D:D:D:D

daiboc

Hi, We have cast iron door, not sure if there is much differrence between the two.