Update a living room with new gas fire

The recent spell of cold weather may have meant many households have been spending more time at home snuggled up together watching television.

Indeed, as the start of 2010 saw temperatures drop to below freezing and snow fall and remain on the ground for several days, staying warm and cosy at home may never have been so important.

But with households spending increasing amounts of time inside their homes, it may have become more apparent to them that their communal living spaces could do with an update.

Indeed, as people continue to reign in their spending as the country emerges from the recession, improving the home may currently be a more realistic goal than moving up the property ladder and could see it given a whole new lease of life.

As the winter rumbles on, a home improvement which could create a new look for a room and be practical too may be to have a new gas fire fitted.

While central heating is no longer seen as a luxury and is present in the majority of UK homes, with radiators more than capable of swiftly heating a space, a gas fire could up the cosy factor.

In addition to looking good, gas fires can act as a central focus point within a room for the whole family to gather round.

And due to all the different designs now available, there is likely to be a gas fire which compliments any interior decor scheme a homeowner has or is in the middle of creating.

Open plan living rooms with a clean and modern feel may benefit from a gas plasma fire, such as those by Valor or Flavel, with the Flavel Sapphire Pebble gas fire perfect for those with limited wall space due to its compact size.

Meanwhile, the Valor Visia Plasma gas fire boasts strikingly simple lines, with the fire centred within black and then white surrounds.

For a more traditional look, consumers could consider an Inset gas fire which comes complete with mantelpiece and grate and looks like a real coal fire, but without all the added hassle.

And properties without a chimney do not have to miss out, as there are also plenty of gas fires which keep this in mind and so do not require them.

When looking for gas fires, Britons could also consider electric stoves, decorative gas fires, electric suites, outset living flame effect gas fires, radiant gas fires, electric fires, or they could simply choose a new fireplace or surrounds.

Ratedpeople.com advises consumers considering getting a new gas fire to keep energy efficiency in mind, particularly if they will be relying on it to heat a room.

It warns that gas fires which are not designed to save energy could end up taking more heat away from a room.

Andrew Skipwith, chief executive officer and founder of Ratedpeople.com, said: "The introduction of ducts and airflow mechanisms into fireplaces can go a long way towards improving their overall efficiency. There are many chimney or fireplace adapter sets available for homeowners that can help to increase the efficiency of their fireplace by as much as 40 per cent."

With all these benefits on offer, Britons may wish to start their search for a new gas fire right away.

* CB 48X15 MARBLE HRTH BOTTICINO LIOZ

£ 46.94 (ex vat)
£ 55.15 (inc vat)

3125 Horizon Electric Stove**

£ 94.00 (ex vat)
£ 110.45 (inc vat)

FLAVEL RICHMOND MC GAS FIRE NG BLACK

£ 230.14 (ex vat)
£ 270.42 (inc vat)

ROB WILLEY FIREGEM VISA BROWN NG

£ 165.67 (ex vat)
£ 194.67 (inc vat)

BE-MODERN SAVANNAH DLXE 180MM COAL BRASS

£ 206.45 (ex vat)
£ 242.58 (inc vat)

* CB 51X15 MARBLE HEARTH WHITE MICRO

£ 70.57 (ex vat)
£ 82.92 (inc vat)