Fireplace guide: types of fireplaces for SA homes

The right fireplace depends on whether you want to heat your home or mainly enjoy the flames. Closed combustion and gas fireplaces heat a room efficiently; a traditional open fireplace looks wonderful but sends most of its heat up the chimney. This guide compares the types of fireplaces available in South Africa, how to choose one, and what to sort out with your municipality and installer.

Types of fireplaces compared

Type	Fuel	Heating ability	Needs a chimney/flue?	Installation	Price band
Open fireplace (traditional)	Wood	Low: mostly ambience	Yes, masonry chimney	Builder	Entry to mid (if built new)
Open fireplace with a convection firebox	Wood	Better than a plain open fire	Yes	Builder or fireplace installer	Mid
Closed combustion (slow combustion)	Wood	High, efficient	Yes, steel flue	Fireplace installer	Mid to premium
Gas fireplace (flued)	LPG	Good, instant	Yes, flue or balanced flue	Registered gas installer	Mid to premium
Gas fireplace (vent-free / flueless)	LPG	Good, instant	No, but strict ventilation	Registered gas installer	Mid to premium
Bioethanol	Bioethanol fuel	Low to moderate	No	None or minimal	Entry to mid
Electric “flame effect”	Electricity	Low to moderate	No	Plug in	Entry to mid

Open fireplaces

The classic brick fireplace with an open hearth and a masonry chimney. Nothing beats the crackle and the smell, but an open fire draws a lot of warm room air up the chimney along with the smoke. Commonly quoted efficiency figures for traditional open fireplaces are low, roughly in the 10–30% range depending on the source, which is why an open fire warms the people in front of it more than the room.

You can improve an existing open fireplace by fitting a convection firebox (a steel box with air channels that push warm air back into the room) or a closed combustion insert that converts it into a sealed unit. Keep the damper closed when the fireplace isn’t in use to stop warm air escaping.

Closed combustion fireplaces

A closed combustion (often called slow combustion) fireplace burns wood in a sealed firebox behind a glass door. Air controls let you slow the burn, so a load of wood lasts much longer and far more heat stays in the room. Manufacturers commonly quote efficiencies of 60% or more, which makes these the most effective wood-burning heaters for a main living area. They come as freestanding stoves or built-in units, and they work right through load shedding.

Read our closed combustion fireplace guide for sizing and installation.

Gas fireplaces

A gas fireplace gives you a real flame at the turn of a knob, with no wood to stack and no ash. Most South African gas fireplaces run on LPG from cylinders outside the house, piped in by a registered gas installer. Flued models vent combustion gases outside; vent-free (flueless) models release them into the room and depend on a minimum room size and permanent ventilation. See our gas fireplace guide.

Bioethanol and electric fireplaces

Bioethanol fireplaces burn liquid alcohol fuel in a burner tray. They need no chimney and suit flats and townhouses, but they’re mostly decorative: heat output is modest and fuel costs add up if you burn them often. Never refill a burner while it’s lit or still hot, and follow the manufacturer’s ventilation advice.

Electric fireplaces give a flame effect and a fan heater. They’re plug-and-play, but they won’t work in load shedding.

Built-in vs freestanding

Built-in fireplaces sit inside a wall or chimney breast, or in a custom cladding. They look integrated, but the build is more involved and harder to change later.
Freestanding stoves stand on a non-combustible hearth with a flue going up through the ceiling or out through a wall. They’re often simpler to retrofit and radiate heat from all sides.
Inserts go into an existing open fireplace to make it more efficient.
Double-sided units heat two spaces, such as a lounge and dining room.

How to choose

Decide the job: heating a main living area every winter evening, or occasional ambience? For serious heating, look at closed combustion or gas.
Size it to the space. Fireplaces are rated in kW and usually quoted for a heating area. A Highveld home with high ceilings and big windows needs more heat than a well-insulated coastal home of the same size. Ask the supplier to size it for your room, not just the floor area.
Consider fuel. Do you have space to store dry wood? Would you rather swap gas cylinders?
Check the structure. Where will the flue go? Is there a thatch roof (which needs special precautions)? Is the floor strong enough for a heavy stove?
Check estate or body corporate rules before you buy.

Chimney and flue basics

The chimney or flue must be the right diameter and height for the fireplace, or it won’t draw and smoke will come back into the room.
It must terminate high enough above the roof to clear turbulence, with the required distances from combustible materials.
A cowl on top helps prevent downdrafts and keeps rain and birds out.
Wood fires leave soot and creosote in the chimney, which can catch fire. Have it swept regularly; see our chimney cleaning guide.

Approvals and compliance

In South Africa, fireplaces, chimneys, flues and hearths are covered by Part V (Space heating) of the National Building Regulations, with SANS 10400-V as the deemed-to-satisfy standard. Installing a new fireplace or chimney may require plans to be submitted to and approved by your municipality, so check with your local building control office before you start. Thatched roofs, estates and sectional title schemes often have extra requirements.

A gas fireplace piped from outside cylinders must be installed by a gas installer registered with SAQCC Gas, who issues a Certificate of Conformity (CoC). See our gas CoC guide.

Ask your installer to confirm in writing what approvals they’ll handle, and keep the paperwork for your insurer and for when you sell. Get quotes from fireplace and gas installers.

Fireplace ideas

Raised hearth with wood storage beneath, so dry logs are always at hand.
Double-sided fireplace between the lounge and an indoor braai area or dining room.
Corner freestanding stove in a small lounge, to save wall space.
Gas fireplace with a TV above, if the manufacturer’s clearances allow it.
Stacked-stone or face-brick surround for a classic farmhouse look; plaster and steel for a modern home.

Safety

Use a spark guard with open fires.
Keep furniture, rugs and curtains clear of the hearth and the fireplace’s stated clearances.
Burn only dry, untreated wood. Never burn painted or treated timber, plastic or rubbish.
Fit smoke and CO detectors and keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

FAQ

What is the most efficient type of fireplace?

Closed combustion wood fireplaces and flued gas fireplaces are generally the most efficient for heating a room. Traditional open fireplaces are the least efficient, because most of their heat goes up the chimney.

Do I need plans approved to install a fireplace?

Often, yes. Fireplaces and chimneys fall under Part V of the National Building Regulations, and many municipalities require plans for a new fireplace or chimney. Check with your local building control office and your estate or body corporate.

Can I put a fireplace in a flat without a chimney?

A bioethanol or electric fireplace needs no chimney. A vent-free gas fireplace may be possible if the room meets the manufacturer’s minimum size and ventilation requirements, and if your body corporate allows it, but it must be installed by a registered gas installer.

Can I convert my open fireplace to something more efficient?

Yes. A closed combustion insert or a gas insert can fit into many existing fireplaces. Have a fireplace installer check that the chimney is sound and suitable first.