Glass Doors with a Heat Exchanger for Brick Fireplace - Project #20982

Customer Comments: Hi hope you’re well! I’d like to make our traditional open fireplace more efficient and less smoky. Looking for airtight ceramic glass doors. Basically want to get as close to an insert as possible without actually installing a wood burning insert (my wife doesn’t want an insert). We just had our old cracked flue repaired with a 10” stainless steel liner. The mason repaired the firebox etc. I’m also thinking about adding outside air intake (maybe convert the ash dump), adding a cast iron fire back, and a vertical grate to improve efficiency and remove smoke. Please let me know what you think and how you can help! Thanks! Jeff

Our Comments: I recommend considering adding a heat exchanger with glass doors. There are two types that work with glass doors as illustrated below. In both cases, the doors are made to sit on top of a vent bar that draws room air in, circulates it through the heat exchanger/grate and blows it back into the room. This works great when burning fires with the doors closed. It can be used in conjunction with an outside air source, but works well with a small draft assembly at the bottom of the doors that lowers the amount of air the fire uses significantly and gives you more control over the fire. It is not as efficient as a wood stove insert, but it maintains that open view of the fire you don't get from an insert. If you do not like the concept of the heat exchanger, any of these doors can be used without it since it's a separate item from the doors.

Tempered vs Ceramic Glass: Tempered glass can handle sustained temperatures up to about 450F without breaking from heat and should be at least 8" from the flames. Ceramic glass can handle temperatures up to about 1450F and can have direct contact with the flames. If you wish to burn fires with the doors closed, I highly recommend upgrading to ceramic glass.

Fireplace Opening: Unknown

Before

Before:

Affordable Aluminum Doors

Aluminum is an excellent material for fireplace doors because it does not rust and can handle high temperatures when treated with powder coated finishes. It is also the most affordable.

Creekside

Option #1: PW Creekside Aluminum Bifold Fireplace Door in Black with Tempered or Ceramic Glass and Gate Mesh Backup Doors. Shown with Airculator.

Brookfield

Option #2: Design Specialties Aluminum Brookfield Bifold Fireplace Door in Black with Tempered Glass Only and Gate Mesh Backup Doors. Shown with Heavy Duty Grate Heater.

Medium to High-End Steel Doors

Steel doors are more substantial than the less expensive aluminum doors. They are heavy duty and rugged and are more customizable because the frames are laser cut.

Flat Steel

Option #3: Elegant Steel Fireplace Door with Window Pane Design in Black with Tempered or Ceramic Glass and Gate Mesh Backup Doors. Shown with Airculator.

Flat Steel

Option #4: Hearth Creations Flat Steel Cabinet Fireplace Door in Black with Tempered or Ceramic Glass and Gate Mesh Backup Doors. Shown with Heavy Duty Grate Heater.

Flat Steel

Option #5: Hearth Creations Iron Age-6 Flat Steel Cabinet Fireplace Door with Wrought Iron Details in Black with Tempered or Ceramic Glass and Gate Mesh Backup Doors. Shown with Heavy Duty Grate Heater.

High End Hand Forged Wrought Iron Doors

Hand forged by a blacksmith from 1/4" thick solid wrought iron with heavy duty gasketed doors for a tighter seal and maximum draft reduction. Not only are these built to be used, they take on a more rugged natural look for those who appreciate craftsmanship and tasteful details. The forging process produces a unique texture that you cannot get with laser cut steel and there are added hammered textures that can be for a more rustic applications. These doors are often used for extremely large fireplaces because of their heavy duty solid frame and hinges. They are commonly ordered with ceramic glass for buring hot fires with the doors closed.

Wrought Iron

Option #6: Hand Crafted Wrought Iron Fullview Bifold Fireplace Door in Burnished Black with Tempered or Ceramic Glass and Heavy Duty Gate Mesh Backup Doors. Shown with Airculator.

Airculator

Airculator

Airculator Heat Circulating Grate

Airculator

Airculator Heat Circulating Grate Details

Heavy Duty Grate Heater

The Grate Heater is made from much heavier materials and has an insulated fan that fits inside the fireplace rather than on the hearth for a more desireable finished look. An theremostat is included so the fan will come on automatically at 110F and turn off when the temperature falls below 90F. This way you can leave the fire to die out and still benefit from the heat without worrying about turning off the fan in the middle of the night.

Other Pictures

Fig #1 - Closeup

Fig #2 - Room Setting

Fig #3 - Room Setting

Glass Door Mesh Options

If you are planning on burning anything in your fireplace, you need to have mesh behind the glass so you can burn a fire with the doors open. You can chooe between gate mesh backup doors and sliding mesh curtains. Functionally, gate mesh performs the best as the wire has smaller holes that sparks cannot get through. Aesthetically, mesh curtains may be preferred because they do not have a vertical center frame that obstructs the view of the fire. When you are not using the fire or you want a complete unobstructed view, they do not stick out like gate mesh doors when they are opened.

We are showing these options on a flat steel bifold door with a satin brass overlay and gray glass.

No Mesh

Gate Mesh Backup Doors

Mesh Curtains

Glass Options

Tempered vs Ceramic Glass: Tempered glass can handle sustained temperatures up to about 450F without breaking from heat and should be at least 8" from the flames. Ceramic glass can handle sustained temperatures up to about 1450F and be in direct contact with the flames. If you wish to burn fires with the doors closed, I highly recommend upgrading to ceramic glass. Ceramic glass is $800-$2000 more than tempered glass depending on the manufacturer.

Not all doors are available with all of these glass options.

Ceramic

Tempered Clear

Tempered Gray

Tempered Bronze

Tempered Black (Opague)

Tempered 1/2" Bevel

Tempered 1" Bevel

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INSTRUCTIONS: Send me your pictures and I will create mockups that show how custom made fireplace screens or doors will look in your home. There's no better way to find the perfect treatment for your fireplace. I also do mockups for gas logs!

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