Grate Expectations is a well-established, family run business. The company has supplied and installed fires, fireplaces, stoves and flues in London and the surrounding area for more than 35 years.

Based on our knowledge and experience, Grate Expectations has built an excellent reputation that continues to be enhanced by the meticulous approach we take with every project.

Our friendly, professional team efficiently manages each order from sale through to installation.

We take great pride in ensuring that each client is 100% satisfied prior, during and following installation of their Fireplace.

You can easily stoke more efficiently. If you follow the steps below, you will be a responsible stoker!

1. Make sure your appliance complies with EcoDesign (all Dik Geurts appliances).

2. Have your appliance installed by our authorised dealers.

3. Choose the right fuel (local and dry wood!).

4. Fire according to the Swiss Method

Birch, Ash and Beechwood are extremely suitable types of wood for burning. Oak is also good, but this often requires a longer drying time.

A great deal of wood is too wet for burning. You can check this with a moisture meter. An ideal moisture percentage is between 16% and 20%.

Yet many people often unknowingly choose a fire that is too large. As a result, they fire too little wood, resulting in too low a temperature, poor combustion, low efficiency and black windows.

You can very easily determine the power you need to heat the desired space. Look here for how to calculate the desired power.

As with, for example, central heating boilers, gas fires, stoves and wall heaters are consumable products that slowly but surely become dirty as air-borne particles are sucked in during combustion.

These small particulates hinder fire or stove ignition over time. Components may also over time become subjected to wear and tear, which is why we strongly recommend you have your fire or stove serviced annually. Your dealer or installer can advise you and cares for the maintenance.

The same also applies to wood-fired stoves - it is important to ensure that the air supply doesn't become blocked by ash which can be done by the owner. However, the owner will not be able to clean the flue duct which is why your chimney will require regular sweeping; the frequency will depend on the amount burnt and the wood type used.

All DRU products meet the strictest quality requirements. Each fire or stove undergoes numerous meticulous tests before leaving the factory. The guarantee duration on model components is two years.

In the unlikely event that you experience a problem with your fire or stove which you have purchased from Grate Expectations, please contact us and provide the model's serial number  (this is a ten digit number listed on the name plate) and we will try to resolve the problem.

We may contact DRU Fires for additional components (under guarantee from DRU) and it may be necessary for one of their engineers to come to your home to resolve the problem. If the model is still under guarantee and has been installed and used as per the guidelines, this service will naturally be free of charge.

DRU delivers components necessary for the functioning of the model up to 10 years after the termination of the last product range. If you have any questions regarding our products or services please contact us. We will do our utmost to answer your query as comprehensively and quickly as possible.