I'm probably going to fit one of those inset electric fires into an existing fireplace - basically just for decorative purposes as there is CH in the room.
Something like this: (or )
What is the normal way of providing power to these? They are usually supplied with a flex plus 13A plug emerging from the rear; and you really don't want to have a flex emerging from the side of the fire and trailing across the hearth to the nearest socket - and I'm sure that's not intended.
Now in the past when I've fitted these beasts I've solved this by drilling a long hole from the outside of the chimney breast into the fireplace; threading the flex down said hole; and connecting up to a socket on the side of the chimney breast. However, in the current case, the fireplace is actually on a totally flat wall, with the chimney breast in the adjacent room, which seems a bit unusual, and which makes concealing the flex awkward. So:
Option (1): I drill my hole as before, but this means the flex will pass through the chimney breast to connect to a socket in the adjacent room (still in my property, obviously!)
Option (2): I install a spurred socket on the firebrick *inside* the fireplace, behind the electric fire.
In either case, I could use an FCU instead if that would be better, but even so, both the above options seem a bit dodgy practice to me. Apart from other considerations, this will need to pass a future electrical inspection, so needs to be right! What do the experts think?
Thanks David