If you grew up in a house that used wood or coal for heating, you'll appreciate the ease, cleanliness and convenience that gas fire stoves offer. No need to prepare wood and coal and clean out the grate every few days. Just turn your gas stove on and push the igniter button to enjoy the clean and quiet warmth that gas provides. Here's a look at the many advantages gas offers as a fuel.

Gas stoves are clean and easy to use but can give the same cosy ambiance as solid fuel stoves. In fact, it's often to tell a gas stove apart from a coal or wood stove. The big difference is that you just turn on the gas, push the igniter and you're away. You just let it run without having to monitor it all the time. There's no filling up with fuel or removal of waste products to be done. Better still, if you grew up in a home with wood fires and are nostalgic for their cheery crackling warmth, you can get some of the same effect from replica logs designed to simulate a real fire.

Another big plus for gas stoves is that unlike solid fuel stoves such as wood and coal fired, you have a far wider choice in the type of flue you can use. This gives you great flexibility when it comes to installing the stove in your home. Here are your options.

Firstly, there’s the conventional gas stove which releases gases through the top or rear of the unit and then out through the chimney. If you have no chimney, then a prefabricated flue is an option.

Next is a balanced flue gas stove. This vents through an outside wall and is an option if you have no chimney and are unable to install one. Likewise, a powerflue gas stove expels its gases through an external wall but uses a fan to allow the gas to be vented further. These two types of flue are quiet and weatherproof. Powerflues are acoustically dampened to minimise fan noise. If you wish to install one of these, you'll need to be sure that your stove is positioned against an outside cavity wall which is between 300 and 500mm thick. A powered flue also needs an electrical socket handy.

Finally, the flueless gas stove needs no method to vent gases externally.

If you've decided to install a gas fire in your home, here are some things to bear in mind.

There are two types of gas - natural gas or liquid propane gas (LPG). Mains natural gas is available throughout most of the UK and provides an economic heating fuel that can also be used for cooking. It's a very clean fuel and no storage is required. LPG has the advantage that it can be supplied to areas when mains natural gas is unavailable. On the other hand, you have to store the tanks in a safe place and replace them regularly. LPG also works out expensive owing to delivery and storage costs. This type of gas is best used to create a focal point when you already have a central heating system installed.

Gas stoves can be more expensive to buy and install than other types. But when it comes to running costs, they're generally cheaper than electrical stoves. It does depend on the type of gas used and the current market price for the fuel.

Installing a gas stove is straightforward. It's important to get a stove that has a heat output suitable for your room size. Output is measured in kilowatts. For a rough guide, multiply the length by the width by the height of your room (in cubic metres) and divide that number by 14. That will give you the approximate output needed to heat the room to a comfortable temperature.

So if you're in the market for a heater, consider gas. They blend high efficiency, cleanliness and quietness, realistic effects with instant operation. And your flue options are far more flexible than solid fuel alternatives.

To see the best available range of gas fires, check out the web sites of an online dealer. Here you can find full details of a extensive range of stoves with pictures and full details. You can place your order online and delivery is often free to a UK address.