Designed to add both style and functionality to your space, our beautiful collection of fire guards and screens offers something unique for (almost) all home styles. With the rise in popularity of free-standing log burners and the recent resurgence of love for old fashioned fireplaces, a sturdy guard is an absolute must when it comes to safely enjoying the warmth and glow of a roaring fire.
And, although log burners and open hearths are a wonderful addition to your home, there are always risks with the unpredictability of flames and hot embers. It’s important to consider the safety of young children and pets when using any sort of open or enclosed fireplace, and choosing the right guard or fire screen for your home is a very important part of that. Here are some frequently asked questions to help you make the right choice for your home.
THE LOWDOWN
Predominantly created to protect young children and pets from hot surfaces or open fires, guards and screens also help to keep embers, sparks and debris at bay throughout fire use. Plus, they add an extra touch of style to any living space.
As log burners are usually enclosed with a glass front, there won’t be any spitting embers or sparks during use. However, it’s always beneficial to have some sort of fire guard or screen to keep you and your family from getting too close to the hot burner.
No, fire guards don’t stop heat from entering your living space. Guards with limited detailing and mesh inserts will direct heat upwards into the room, whilst more detailed guards will still distribute heat outwards through gaps in the design.
CHILD SAFETY
Guards which fix directly to the back walls of the hearth offer the greatest level of protection. We stock a range of Baby Dan fire guards which are specifically designed for child safety, as well as a selection of other child-safe designs. We always recommend that these are installed by a qualified tradesperson to ensure maximum safety.
These fire guards usually feature baby gate-style bars and come complete with a front opening door and safety latch. Please ensure that all bars are no more than 6.5cm apart so that your children can’t reach through to your hot burner or open fire.
Yes, you’ll need to adhere to EN1930:2011. Published by the European Committee of Standardisation (CEN), this regulation specifies the safety requirements and testing methods for child safety barriers for indoor use, which are designed to be fitted across openings to limit access, and to prevent children up to the age of 24-months from passing through.
NHS Guidance recommends that, if you have an open fireplace, you should always use a fire guard which encloses the whole fireplace and attaches to the wall. You should also not put anything on top of the fire guard or hang anything from it.
However, it is always recommended that children of any age should be accompanied and supervised around fires and hot surfaces, whether or not a fire guard is in place. You can find our selection of child-friendly and EN1930:2011 compliant fire guards and screens here.
There are no set regulations or rules around fire guard placement. However, we’d always recommend ensuring that your screen is far enough away from the heat source so children or pets can’t reach it. As previously mentioned, any guard placed specifically for child safety should also be adhered to your wall so your fireplace is fully enclosed throughout use.
INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE
If you have children or pets, your fire guard should always be secured and attached to a structurally sound wall. Some of our designs, where specified, come complete with fixing kits. For those that don’t, you can add one of our specialised fixing kits to your order here.
It’s always best to regularly check the mesh and structural integrity of your fire guard once in place. All our guards are pre-treated depending on the metal material used to fabricate them.
In black, our fire screens are crafted using high quality steel and then powder coated to provide a tough durable finish. For most other finishes, we use pure brass which is shaped by hand then coated in a tough stove lacquer to prevent the brass from tarnishing. To read more about how to maintain specific materials, please refer to our General Care & Maintenance Guide.
In short, it’s completely up to you and the style of your home décor. However budget, size and safety requirements can also be taken into consideration when making the best choice. To help with this, we’ve created a useful checklist over here.
We hope the above answers have helped! However, if your question still goes unanswered after having a browse through, always feel free to contact us for more information. You can browse our full collection of fire guards and screens by clicking the below button.
