Fireplace Doors and Stoves Some Suggestions

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Introducing my Custom-made Fireplace Door to the opening

Some Suggestions

on Fireplace Doors

1. I would really only recommend a simple type fireplace door where there is a wrap-round "Firebird" or other make of back-boiler fitted. The reason for this is because the radiant heat to the room is greatly reduced by the glass door. Instead, the heat stays inside the chimney breast. With a wrap-round back boiler it can effectively transfer this extra heat to radiators, one of which should be fitted in the same room as the fire. The room then will be very adequately heated.

2. Where a chimney is on a gable or outside wall, you are going to lose out on some of the conserved heat, because part of that heat in the chimney will simply be warming the wall cavity and the outside of the house. You might need to consider this factor.

3. The answer to the above situations is to fit a stove rather than a fireplace door. This could either be a regular free-standing stove or an inset type stove. The inset stove is great where space is a problem or where there may be a lot of building work involved in fitting a regular stove. An inset stove however is less efficient than a regular free-standing stove and is a lot more expensive.

4. As with all solid fuel fires, it will take a bit of learning as to how best to operate the fire. What types of fuel and their mixture will take a bit of learning. A blazing fire will create too much heat and might lead to damage to the chimney breast. Draught too is very important and being able to properly control the air going through the fire is vital.

5. On the question of draught generally and of draughts in the room, a fireplace door will massively reduce draughts in the room, as it will limit the amount of air being drawn by the chimney. A open fire chimney is the same as a huge vacuum cleaner sucking air out of the room - it will cause draughts from every door and crack. The fireplace door will 95% stop this happening - and even when there is no fire going, the room will be cozier because of the lack of draughts.

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