Fire Guards & Child Safety FAQs

What size fire guard do I need? 

Once you have decided on the style and finish of the fire guard or screen that suits your home décor, it’s time to measure up and decide which size is best for your requirements.For maximum child safety, remember to always fix your guard to a structurally sound wall.

For a recessed open hearth, a fire screen may be sufficient. Once you know the distance away from the fire you are comfortable with, look for a screen with a matching projection and decide whether you feel you need a screen with an open or enclosed top. It is advisable to consider a closed top screen to prevent anything being thrown in, or being ejected from, the fireplace.

For a log burner that stands away from the wall, you will need to measure from the back wall to the front of your burner and then to the adjacent wall. This will give you an idea of the total minimum length of the guard that you need and allow you to work out if extra panels should be ordered or if a bespoke guard will be required. You may need to add on further millimetres to keep a decent distance between the fire and the guard. This is entirely up to you and how safe you wish your fireside space to be.

What type of fire guard do I need for my open fire or log burner?

The traditional style of fire screen surrounds the hearth and is three or four panelled with a protective steel mesh. Added safety is provided on versions with an enclosed top, designed to stop coals and sparks being ejected from the fire onto your floor or carpet and also preventing children from throwing anything into the fire. There are no specific regulations for the distance a fire guard should be situated away from a fire source, but fire screens generally project around 400-500mm. Many of our fire surrounds can be made to measure to suit your needs so please get in touch with us for a bespoke quote.

If you don’t feel the standard projection is far enough away from the “hot zone”, you may want to consider a multi-panelled flex guard. Offering additional versatility, they can be adapted to more awkward or unusually shaped areas of the home. These hearth guards are essentially a baby gate to which you can add extra panels and fix to a structurally sound wall.

Tip: something to bear in mind when looking at a flexible guard, such as the Baby Dan Flex range, is whether the bars are close enough together so that your child cannot reach through, risking scalding or burning injuries. The recommendation is that bars should be no more than 65mm apart.

What are the fire safety regulations?

EN1930:2011 – Published by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), this is the current safety standard for gates or surrounds that enclose a fire source. Young children are often vigorous at play and do not necessarily recognise the dangers in their environment as easily as older children and adults would. A child’s natural inquisitiveness can lead them to try and overcome obstacles such as gates and barriers. It is always advisable that children of any age are supervised when around fires or hot surfaces, regardless of whether a fire guard conforms to current safety requirements. Children should not be allowed to play or explore around fires or with fireside apparatus.

NHS Guidance recommends that, if you have an open fireplace, you should always use a fire guard that encloses the whole fireplace and attaches to the wall. You should not put anything on top of your fire guard, or hang anything from it.

Do I need to use a fireguard with a multifuel log burner?

Most solid fuel burners are fully functional whilst the door is fully closed, so the issue of sparks jumping with the crackling of logs etc is avoided completely. However if you have pets which like to sit a little too close to the burner, or small children which may venture close, a guard can help them keep a safe distance. Any fireguard however is not a guaranteed solution and so caution should also be exercised

Which design is best if I have children or pets?

Guards which fix directly to the back wall of the heart offer the greatest level of protection, within our range it would be the Brinton design which we recommend should be installed by a tradesperson.

How do guards influence heat distribution?

Guards with limited detailing, predominately mesh will direct heat upwards into the room.

Do I need a three or four fold design?

Generally this is a designed based preference.  We typically find with a threefold fire screen they are more stable, due to fixed central panel and the one less hinge, this is especially the case where the hearth is made from uneven natural stone and not smooth granite for instance. Four fold fire screens are sometimes preferred as they can be folded and stored, requiring less space.

Do I need to perform any maintenance?

It always best to regularly check the mesh and structural integrity of the guard.  All of our guards are pre-treated and when featured in black are powder coated to provide a tough durable finish. In brass, we use only pure brass which is shaped by hand and the coated in a tough stove lacquer to prevent the brass tarnishing. The lacquer can be removed using a product like brasso and then hand polished to a high shine.