Many questions about ethanol fireplaces

Ethanol fireplaces have become increasingly popular. They are essentially large “fondue” stoves that can be installed on a wall or in the centre of a room and require no chimney. They have been in use for over 10 years in Europe and are generally safe. However, the lack of mandatory safety standards for fireplaces and fuel quality is a concern for both fire risk and indoor air quality in homes.

What is ethanol?
Ethanol used as a fireplace fuel is denatured ethyl alcohol with approximately 3% methanol added. In America, ethanol is mainly made from corn, but elsewhere in the world other sources such as rye or potatoes are used to make it. Technically, it is vodka, to which methanol (also known as methyl alcohol or wood alcohol) is added, making the mixture undrinkable and toxic to drink.

An air quality problem?
The combustion of ethanol generates small amounts of water vapour, carbon monoxide (CO) and methanol residues. Generally speaking, if you only have one fire a day, the amount of water and pollutants released into the air is negligible and has no impact on the health of occupants.

However, if an ethanol fireplace is used on a regular basis (three fires per day) or if it has a high heat capacity, it could reduce the air quality of the room where it is located, especially if it is an enclosed room that is not ventilated by a central forced-air heating or mechanical ventilation system such as an HRV. For rooms less than 200 square feet, which are not ventilated, it is recommended that the room door be left open when the fireplace is in use.

Unfortunately, there is no minimum quality standard for ethanol for heating purposes. Fuel cans do not indicate the respective percentages of ethanol and methanol. Some manufacturers may therefore increase the percentage of methanol and further pollute indoor air quality.

hanging fireplaces

Fire risks?
Ethanol fireplaces do not pose a high risk of fire, but in case of an accident, the consequences can be dramatic. Many insurance companies and municipalities require homes with ethanol fireplaces to be equipped with a carbon monoxide detector and a portable fire extinguisher.

Eco-friendly fireplaces?
The use of crop fields, fertilisers and pesticides to produce ethanol for export can be disastrous from an ecological and humanitarian point of view. However, the occasional use of a fireplace fuelled by locally produced ethanol can replace polluting wood-burning fireplaces in urban condominiums and become a much greener and healthier solution for urban air quality.

For or against?
A small fire costs a minimum of £1 per hour, so it is not an economical heating source. But if you want a fireplace for occasional use and to provide a source of heat in case of power failure, the ethanol fireplace seems to me to be a relatively healthy, ecological and safe solution. Some municipalities now require the installation of ULC-certified fireplaces. Consult your municipality and your insurance company before purchasing your fireplace.

A The pellet stove must be plugged into a 120v outlet to operate the feed screw, the igniter and two fans: one to push the heated air into the house and the other to exhaust the combustion gases outside. It typically consumes 300 Wh, which is quite large. In the event of a power failure, it should be connected to batteries that will last 6 to 12 hours, but preferably to a generator to increase the autonomy of the system.