Ethanol Fireplaces

Your EcoSmart Fire ethanol fireplace will burn between 8 and 13 hours on a full burner, with the exact duration determined by your flame setting. The range gives you control over the experience.

A lower flame setting extends burn time and creates a subtle, intimate ambience perfect for a long evening. Higher flame settings deliver a more dramatic visual impact and warmth, though they'll reduce runtime. Adjusting the flame via the slide or hinge mechanism changes oxygen supply to the burner, so you get more hours of gentle glow or fewer hours of bold presence, whatever suits the occasion.

You can also extinguish the burner mid-burn if needed. Simply turn it off and allow the burner to cool for 60 minutes before relighting. The vapours need that cooling time.

The burner capacity varies across our range, so compact models sit toward the lower end of the 8–13 hour spectrum while larger burners reach the upper end.

A ventless ethanol fireplace works through complete combustion of bioethanol vapour, burning cleanly into heat, water vapour, and minimal CO₂ with no flue or chimney required. Unlike traditional fireplaces, no external ventilation infrastructure is needed.

Bioethanol is pure ethanol fuel (96–97% alcohol by volume), produced through fermentation of corn and plant sugars. When liquid bioethanol sits in the burner tray and is lit, it vaporises and burns above the burner surface, creating a real, visible flame. Because the process is nearly complete oxidation (ethanol vapour combining with oxygen drawn from the room), it generates no soot, smoke, or ash.

The byproducts, primarily heat, water vapour, and the same CO₂ humans exhale, discharge directly into the living space. This room-vented principle is what eliminates the need for a chimney or external vent. Because no heat is lost through a flue, ethanol fireplaces typically achieve thermal efficiency above 90%.

When bioethanol is sourced from sustainably managed renewable feedstock, the carbon cycle is considered carbon-neutral, as CO₂ released during combustion approximately balances what the source crops absorbed during growth.

Bioethanol fireplaces produce no carbon monoxide during normal operation. Complete combustion converts bioethanol entirely into water vapour and carbon dioxide, and adjustable flame control across EcoSmart Fire's operating range does not alter this chemistry.

Carbon monoxide results from incomplete combustion, when insufficient oxygen prevents full oxidation of the fuel. EcoSmart Fire burners maintain complete combustion across the full output range. The flame arrestor integrated into the burner prevents fuel vapour flashback and sustains consistent burn conditions throughout each session.

Combustion by-products are carbon dioxide and water vapour, the same gases produced by normal breathing and candle combustion. UL 1370 (USA) and EN 16647 (Europe and UK) independently validate that EcoSmart Fire fireplaces meet safety thresholds for unvented indoor use.

No, bioethanol fireplaces do not need electricity to operate. EcoSmart Fire bioethanol fireplaces run purely on liquid bioethanol fuel, with no power cord, no gas line, no flue, and no utility connections required.

That independence opens placement options a traditional fireplace cannot match. Without hardwired services, the fireplace can sit centred on a freestanding wall, inside bespoke joinery, on an apartment balcony, or anywhere a traditional fireplace simply can't go. Ignition is manual using the supplied Lighting Rod or Fire Lighter, a refillable butane wand, and the flame is adjusted by hand at the burner.

Bioethanol fireplace emissions are limited to heat, water vapour, and a small amount of carbon dioxide, with no carbon monoxide, smoke, soot, or ash produced during combustion. The CO2 released is roughly equivalent to two burning candles, which means correctly sized rooms maintain clean indoor air without a flue or chimney.

Clean combustion does depend on fuel purity. High-grade e-NRG bioethanol burns as a complete reaction, producing a steady orange flame from start to finish without the residues that lower-purity fuels leave behind. That's why EcoSmart Fire bioethanol fireplaces won't stain ceilings, dull nearby finishes, or leave ash to clean up between uses.

What the by-products look like in practice:

• Water vapour: a slight, imperceptible rise in humidity, not visible condensation in a correctly sized room
• Carbon dioxide: trace amounts, comparable to candlelight at the same output
• No particulates: no smoke, no soot, no ash, no odour

Ventilation is about keeping fresh oxygen available for combustion, not venting harmful gases. Each burner has a minimum room size, from the VB2 at 45 m3 [1,589 ft3] up to the AB8 at 116 m3 [4,097 ft3], so adequate air supply is a matter of considered installation

Yes, you can turn off your EcoSmart Fire bioethanol fireplace at any time, even if fuel remains in the burner. Simply close the slider or lift the lid to shut off the flame immediately. The shut-off mechanism is designed for your control, particularly in situations where you need to leave the house, since it's not safe to leave a burning fireplace unattended.

For best results when relighting, wait at least 60 minutes after extinguishing to allow vapours to dissipate. This prevents a strong initial ignition when you restart the flame. If you need to refuel after extinguishing, the burner must be cool to room temperature before adding fresh bioethanol. These waiting periods are simply the correct way to use the fireplace responsibly, ensuring a smooth relight and safe operation.

Bioethanol fireplaces with adjustable flame control do not require a chimney, flue, or permanent ventilation system. The clean combustion of bioethanol releases only water vapour and a small amount of carbon dioxide, with no smoke or soot that would need extraction through a dedicated exhaust pathway.

What replaces the chimney is adequate room volume and natural air infiltration. Minimum room sizes are specified per burner. In very compact rooms, a window openable to 25 mm [1 in] or an adjacent open door provides sufficient air exchange.

This chimney-free design underpins the installation freedom EcoSmart Fire bioethanol fireplaces are known for: zero-clearance inserts, freestanding pieces, and existing fireplace conversions all become viable without structural works.

EcoSmart Fire ventless ethanol fireplaces deliver heat output ranging from approximately 2.5 kW to 6 kW (8,500–20,433 BTU/h), depending on burner size. Heat output correlates directly to burner dimensions: smaller configurations produce around 2.5 kW and heat zones of approximately 20 m² [215 ft²], while the largest burners reach 6 kW and warm spaces up to 60 m² [645 ft²] or larger.

Heat output is adjustable in real time via baffle inserts, so you are not locked at maximum output. You can dial flame intensity up or down to match your comfort needs. This matters for efficiency: over 90% of the heat generated stays in the room, as there is no flue to lose it through.

Fuel consumption ranges from approximately 0.5 L/h on lower settings to 2+ L/h at full output, with operating costs around USD 1.50 per hour depending on burner size and flame setting. For sizing, minimum room volumes start at 40 m³ [1,413 ft³] for the smallest burners, scaling up to 116 m³ [4,097 ft³] for the largest. Match your space volume to burner size to ensure comfortable zone heating.

Yes, room-vented bioethanol fireplaces do produce water vapour through combustion, and condensation can occur in spaces that are undersized or poorly ventilated. EcoSmart Fire's design addresses this directly: minimum room volume requirements are scaled to each burner's heat output, ensuring moisture disperses safely across the air volume rather than accumulating on surfaces.

Smaller burners (around 4 kW) need at least 110 m³ [3,885 ft³], whilst larger burners (13 kW) require 330 m³ [11,654 ft³] or more. This scaling ensures combustion byproducts, including water vapour and carbon dioxide, are diluted proportionally to the burner's output.

In properly sized rooms with normal air circulation (doors, windows, existing HVAC), condensation is not an issue. Problems arise only when a fireplace is oversized for its space or installed in a room with poor air exchange; matching the burner size to the room prevents either outcome.

Separately, ambient moisture from external sources, such as humid storage environments or spilled water, can contaminate the burner reservoir and prevent ignition. This is a maintenance concern distinct from normal combustion, resolved by draining, drying, and refuelling with fresh bioethanol.

Ethanol fireplaces typically don't require building permits in most jurisdictions because the ventless design avoids the restrictions that apply to traditional fireplaces. Since there's no chimney, gas line, or flue to regulate, ethanol fireplaces fall outside the strict building codes created for wood and gas systems. EcoSmart Fire products carry UL 1370 and EN 16647 certification, meeting the safety standards most building authorities reference, which often results in automatic exemption from permit requirements.

Where to verify for your location:

• Contact your local building authority directly with your address and installation plan. Most can confirm permit status in one conversation.
• If you're in an apartment, managed community, or strata scheme, notify your body corporate or residents' committee. Whilst permits may not be required, the organisation may want advance notice of the addition.
• Check with your home insurer. Most policies cover ethanol fireplaces without additional riders, but confirming coverage beforehand simplifies the process should a claim arise.

Jurisdictional variation is minimal. With over 150,000 EcoSmart Fire installations across North America, Europe, the UK, and Australia since 2004, the regulatory picture is consistent: ethanol fireplaces gain approval where they're assessed against safety standards rather than traditional fireplace codes. If your jurisdiction does impose conditions, they're typically straightforward ventilation or room-volume requirements, not permit blockers.