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Masonry Fireplace Doors FAQs

 

Are glass fireplace doors airtight?

Are there fireplace doors that come with a mesh screen?

Can I install a fireplace door without a riser or lintel bars?

How do fireplace doors improve efficiency?

Is the glass in fireplace doors safe?

Is there a universal or standard door?

What makes a fireplace door safe?

Why are fireplace doors better than mesh screens?

What can I use to insulate around my masonry doors?

For the Paterson Sliding Masonry Fireplace Door, how wide does the front of my fireplace need to be to fit the roller track for the door?

 

Are glass fireplace doors airtight?

When you hear the term “airtight,” what is really being conveyed here is that the masonry fireplace door has had gaskets (or seals) installed around the inside of the door frame, as well as around the glass. While no fireplace door is 100% airtight, the gaskets do help to achieve a state of minimal air loss. 

As of 2016, an update to the International Building Code was made, stating that newly constructed masonry fireplaces need to have either a tight fitting flue damper or gasketed fireplace doors in order to operate. This new code is beneficial for a couple of reasons:

  1. The sealing around fireplace doors keeps heat from escaping up the chimney.
  2. Any aromas associated with the burn process are prevented from entering the room.  

Fireplace doors that do not have gaskets can still be every bit as efficient as an air sealed door. A custom fit door that is properly installed is your best bet for ensuring reliable, energy-saving performance. 

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Are there fireplace doors that come with a mesh screen?

Wood burning fireplaces are meant to be enjoyed with their glass doors open. A fireplace mesh curtain helps to contain sparks and embers within the firebox, protecting your loved ones from injury and your belongings from damage. There are many different styles available. Fireplace Doors Online is going to explain these all to you:

CURTAINS/ HANGING MESH

  • This style has a similar function to the window curtains in your home. There are two mesh panels built into each side of the door frame. They usually have a small decorative handle affixed to the top inner corner for you to grab and slide the curtains open or closed. The mesh coils intertwine for smooth operation. Most commonly, the panels overlap in the middle to prevent dangerous sparks from escaping the fireplace.

SINGLE-BAR CURTAINS/HANGING MESH

  • Many masonry doors display this particular style. On the inside of the frame is a single bar that is mounted horizontally across the top of the firebox. The curtains are affixed to the bar with clips, which also prevent the sides of the mesh from hitting each other when closed, creating a virtual overlap. 

CABINET MESH

  • This style is commonly found with single pane or bi-fold doors. The cabinet style is just like screen doors. They are attached to the fireplace door frame and have a small handle or pull ring to open them outward. They close securely with latches.

SINGLE MESH

  • This style is also available with single pane or bi-fold doors. It is a single mesh door that opens from the same side as your fireplace door (handle or pull ring). It closes securely with a latch.

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Can I install a fireplace door without a riser or lintel bars?

Unless adding a fireplace door is going to weaken the structural integrity of your masonry fireplace, you do not need a lintel bar to install a fireplace door. In the event that the addition of a lintel bar is needed, we highly recommend contacting a professional mason to complete this installation for you.

If the door you have obtained is not quite tall enough to fill the fireplace opening, a riser bar may be needed to fill that gap. (Certain fireplace door models actually require a riser bar to function properly.) 

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How do fireplace doors improve efficiency? 

Improve fireplace efficiency with replacement doors! Did you know that 80% or more of the heat from a fire exits through the chimney? That's pretty significant (and costly!) when you consider the investment you've made into a heating application to keep you and your loved ones warm. Consider the windows in your home - you wouldn't leave them open during the winter months, would you?  One of the simplest things you can do to improve the efficiency of your heat source is to add or update fireplace glass doors!

  • We all know that heated air rises. Even after your fire has gone out, your chimney will continue to allow the warm air inside your hearth and the surrounding living space to float up, up, and away! As a rule of thumb, when heated air if pulled out of your home from the inside, cold air from the outside will take its place. A fireplace door creates a barrier between the living space and the chimney, preventing this unwanted temperature exchange.
  • When fireplace glass doors keep temperate air inside where it belongs, your furnace or central air conditioning unit will have less space to maintain, thus reducing the negative effects that heating and cooling costs can have on your checkbook!

Back to top


Is the glass in the fireplace doors safe?

Yes! Fireplace door glass is made from heat resistant tempered or ceramic glass, depending on the type of heating application that you have.

TEMPERED GLASS

  • Most wood burning fireplace doors use tempered glass. This high temperature material is regular glass that has been subjected to a treatment of heated chemicals to achieve its tensile strength. Regular glass would crack and/or shatter under extreme heat. Tempered glass is resistant to constant temperatures up to 500°F. It also has a maximum thermal shock rating of 400°F. (Thermal shock occurs when a variation in temperatures causes the glass to expand and contract.) If it were to fracture, it would break into tiny pieces, versus jagged shards like regular glass. This safety glass option is perfect for wood burning fireplaces, which produce significantly lower temperatures as compared to gas fireplaces or pellet stoves.

CERAMIC GLASS

  • Also called pyroceram glass, this heat resistant glass-ceramic material is more suitable for stoves and fireplaces capable of producing temperatures in excess of 1000°F. It is a transparent product with a subtle amber tint that transmits light and radiates heat, making it an ideal material for gas fireplaces and heating stoves. Pyroceram possesses the astonishing strength of ceramic and the sealing properties of glass. This combination ensures tensile and elastic strength, fracture resistance, shear and compression-stress tolerance. 

Back to top


Is there a universal or standard door?

While the world may be much easier for manufacturers if there were such a thing, a universal fireplace door does not exist.

This is actually good news for you! Just like your home, a fireplace is unique in it's design. Whether you have a masonry fireplace that was constructed along with your house, or a factory-built unit that was installed more recently, your fireplace was made according to the layout and structure of your home. Therefore, your fireplace doors are one-of-a-kind as well. Obtaining a “universal” door (if it existed) would mean that you would get a “one-size-fits-most” model, and nine times out of ten, your fireplace opening would not fall into that minuscule size category.

There is, however, such a thing as a standard door. These custom fireplace doors are available in the most common sizes for masonry fireplace openings and are designed to be exact fits. They are overlap style doors, and most can be customized by finish, glass tint, spark protection, and handle style. There are some replacement fireplace doors that have limited features to personalize, but are no less beautiful and functional than those with more design options.

Back to top


What makes a fireplace door safe?

There are many benefits to adding a glass door to your fireplace! The aesthetic factor alone is enough for some people, but fireplace doors offer a sense of safety above their good looks.

  • As your fire burns, the wood tend to shift and generate flying sparks. Doors protect your home and loved ones from rolling logs, cinders, and embers that dwell in the open hearth. 
  • Fireplace doors keep our feline friends and other pets out of the all-too-tempting ashes!
  • Glass doors can reduce or eliminate the instance of downdrafts pulling smoke and carbon monoxide into your home. Doors on your fireplace also keep other hazards that accompany downdrafts at bay, such as hot cinders.
  • If your chimney does not have a damper, a fireplace door will stop cold air from entering your home via through the hearth.

Back to top


Why are fireplace doors better than mesh screens?

Fireplace screen vs glass doors. Both of these fireplace accessories are important when it comes to safely enjoying your application. However, they are meant to serve two different purposes.

SCREENS

  • Mesh curtain fireplace screens are barriers that stand guard between your fireplace and your living space. Supported by a metal frame, the mesh curtain or panel is usually fabricated from woven wire.
  • They can enhance your hearthside experience with a decorative appeal, while protecting you and your loved ones from the flames and embers when an active, heat generating fire is on display.

DOORS

  • Fireplace doors are much sturdier than mesh screens, and are made from thick pyroceramic glass. Rolling logs and flying sparks are more effectively contained within your firebox by these ceramic doors. 
  • Glass doors not only provide a more solid barrier against smoke and embers, but they go the extra mile when it comes to efficiency. When closed, these doors block warm air from escaping through the chimney, which makes your fireplace a more efficient heat source during the winter months.
  • Of course, in the summer, they prevent cool air from escaping, which helps with the cost of cooling your home.

Back to top


What can I use to insulate around my masonry doors?

We have a line of Fiberglass Insulation that are ideal for adding a seal around your fireplace door. They help increase the efficiency of your fireplace doors as well as preventing gas and smoke from escaping into your living space. Our rolls of insulation are 1.5 - 2 inches wide, 10-11 feet long, 1-2 inches thick (not compressed). They come in black and spray-paint-friendly white. For easy application, a self adhesive insulation with peel off backing is available 
PLEASE NOTE: As always, please keep your fireplace doors open while there is a fire burning in your firebox.

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For the Paterson Sliding Masonry Fireplace Door, how wide does the front of my fireplace need to be to fit the roller track for the door?

The roller track on this door will be twice the size of your fireplace opening. For example, if your fireplace opening is 18 inches wide, then the roller track will be 36 inches wide.

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Prefabricated Fireplace Doors FAQs

 

Can I get a fireplace door without a frame?

Are there fireplace doors that come with a mesh screen?

What is a fireplace door damper? 

How do fireplace doors improve efficiency?

Is the glass in fireplace doors safe?

Is there a universal or standard door?

What makes a fireplace door safe?

Why are fireplace doors better than mesh screens?

Can I get a fireplace door without a frame?

Surprisingly, the answer is yes! Some replacement fireplace doors come with a frame, and others do not. Let us explain:

  • Replacement doors that do not come with a frame are for prefab or zero clearance fireplaces. You MUST be sure this is the type of fireplace that you have before attempting to replace glass doors that are not mounted in a frame. Please look for your manufacturer tag (located inside your firebox) to determine the model number and manufacturer of your fireplace.
    • Make sure the manufacturer and model number information matches that on the replacement doors you are considering.
  • Replacement doors that do not come with a frame consist of four glass panels – two panels on each side that are hinged together. These bifold fireplace doors attach to your firebox by way of a track.
    • A track is a metal channel that is mounted across the top of your fireplace.
  • The bi-fold panels attach to the firebox with pins. The pins are inserted into the holes that are located on each end of the track. 
    • Remember: these replacement glass doors will only work if you have an existing track on your fireplace!
  • There are some prefab fireplace doors that come with a frame which utilizes a built-in track. The frame is installed in the firebox, and then the bi-fold doors snap into the frame.

We believe in hassle-free products that are built to last. From our experience, we have seen too many miscalculations and mishaps occur over the years when customers attempt to get replacement doors without frames. Over a short amount of time, the bifold doors will even stick and resist easy-open and close with the existing track in your fireplace. While we do have a select number of these no-frame door styles, we highly recommend getting a “complete set” when replacing your fireplace doors. This is the ideal way to replace your doors because you are guaranteed an exact fit! When a frame accompanies the glass panels, this can make all the difference in the operation of your fireplace doors when it’s all said and done. (Additionally, a new look can make your entire living space feel fresh and new!)

Back to top


Are there fireplace doors that come with a mesh screen?

Wood burning fireplaces are meant to be enjoyed with their glass doors open. A fireplace mesh curtain helps to contain sparks and embers within the firebox, protecting your loved ones from injury and your belongings from damage. There are many different styles available. Fireplace Doors Online is going to explain these all to you:

CURTAINS/ HANGING MESH

  • This style has a similar function to the window curtains in your home. There are two mesh panels built in to each side of the door frame. They usually have a small decorative handle affixed to the top inner corner for you to grab and slide the curtains open or closed. The mesh coils intertwine for smooth operation. Most commonly, the panels overlap in the middle to prevent dangerous sparks from escaping the fireplace.

SINGLE-BAR CURTAINS/HANGING MESH

  • Many masonry doors display this particular style. On the inside of the frame is a single bar that is mounted horizontally across the top of the firebox. The curtains are affixed to the bar with clips, which also prevent the sides of the mesh from hitting each other when closed, creating a virtual overlap. 

CABINET MESH

  • This style is commonly found with single pane or bi-fold doors. The cabinet style is just like screen doors. They are attached to the fireplace door frame and have a small handle or pull ring to open them outward. They close securely with latches.

SINGLE MESH

  • This style is also available with single pane or bi-fold doors. It is a single mesh door that opens from the same side as your fireplace door (handle or pull ring). It closes securely with a latch.

Back to top


What is a fireplace door damper?

All glass fireplace doors are typically designed to grant oxygen some access to the firebox. Your fire needs this air circulation in order to burn. This area of entry is called the damper. 

There are three different damper options for fireplace doors:

HIDDEN DAMPER

  • This is the most common style on many stock door models. It is designed for use with doors that feature very narrow frames and a large glass viewing area. However, this term can be somewhat misleading as the damper is not literally hidden. The bottom rail of the main door frame tends to be situated slightly higher than the side rails to accommodate air intake. Even if it was only 1/4” high by 36” wide, that's 9 square inches that are open for oxygen to approach the flames and promote a generous burn.

NON-HIDDEN DAMPER

  • If you've ever noticed the ornamental design on the top (and sometimes on the bottom) of your fireplace door frame, this is referred to as a filigree. These areas are in place to allow airflow. The damper is situated behind the filigree to help control the amount of air coming in to the fireplace.

NO DAMPER

  • Stock doors include either a hidden or non-hidden damper. However, custom doors give you the option of not having a damper installed. Keep in mind that without these inlets for your door, your fire will need to obtain oxygen from another source – generally some kind of combustion intake that gets air from the outdoors. Otherwise, your fireplace doors would need to remain open during the entire burn process so that the flames are capable of receiving an adequate draft. 

Back to top


How do fireplace doors improve efficiency? 

Improve fireplace efficiency with replacement doors! Did you know that 80% or more of the heat from a fire exits through the chimney? That's pretty significant (and costly!) when you consider the investment you've made into a heating application to keep you and your loved ones warm. Consider the windows in your home - you wouldn't leave them open during the winter months, would you?  One of the simplest things you can do to improve the efficiency of your heat source is to add or update fireplace glass doors!

  • We all know that heated air rises. Even after your fire has gone out, your chimney will continue to allow the warm air inside your hearth and the surrounding living space to float up, up, and away! As a rule of thumb, when heated air if pulled out of your home from the inside, cold air from the outside will take its place. A fireplace door creates a barrier between the living space and the chimney, preventing this unwanted temperature exchange.
  • When fireplace glass doors keep temperate air inside where it belongs, your furnace or central air conditioning unit will have less space to maintain, thus reducing the negative effects that heating and cooling costs can have on your checkbook!

Back to top


Is the glass in the fireplace doors safe?

Yes! Fireplace door glass is made from heat resistant tempered or ceramic glass, depending on the type of heating application that you have.

TEMPERED GLASS

  • Most wood burning fireplace doors use tempered glass. This high temperature material is regular glass that has been subjected to a treatment of heated chemicals to achieve its tensile strength. Regular glass would crack and/or shatter under extreme heat. Tempered glass is resistant to constant temperatures up to 500°F. It also has a maximum thermal shock rating of 400°F. (Thermal shock occurs when a variation in temperatures causes the glass to expand and contract.) If it were to fracture, it would break into tiny pieces, versus jagged shards like regular glass. This safety glass option is perfect for wood burning fireplaces, which produce significantly lower temperatures as compared to gas fireplaces or pellet stoves.

CERAMIC GLASS

  • Also called pyroceram glass, this heat resistant glass-ceramic material is more suitable for stoves and fireplaces capable of producing temperatures in excess of 1000°F. It is a transparent product with a subtle amber tint that transmits light and radiates heat, making it an ideal material for gas fireplaces and heating stoves. Pyroceram possesses the astonishing strength of ceramic and the sealing properties of glass. This combination ensures tensile and elastic strength, fracture resistance, shear and compression-stress tolerance. 

Back to top


Is there a universal or standard door?

While the world may be much easier for manufacturers if there were such a thing, a universal fireplace door does not exist.

This is actually good news for you! Just like your home, a fireplace is unique in it's design. Whether you have a masonry fireplace that was constructed along with your house, or a factory-built unit that was installed more recently, your fireplace was made according to the layout and structure of your home. Therefore, your fireplace doors are one-of-a-kind as well. Obtaining a “universal” door (if it existed) would mean that you would get a “one-size-fits-most” model, and nine times out of ten, your fireplace opening would not fall into that minuscule size category.

There is, however, such a thing as a standard door. These custom fireplace doors are available in the most common sizes for masonry fireplace openings and are designed to be exact fits. They are overlap style doors, and most can be customized by finish, glass tint, spark protection, and handle style. There are some replacement fireplace doors that have limited features to personalize, but are no less beautiful and functional than those with more design options.

Back to top


What makes a fireplace door safe?

There are many benefits to adding a glass door to your fireplace! The aesthetic factor alone is enough for some people, but fireplace doors offer a sense of safety above their good looks.

  • As your fire burns, the wood tend to shift and generate flying sparks. Doors protect your home and loved ones from rolling logs, cinders, and embers that dwell in the open hearth. 
  • Fireplace doors keep our feline friends and other pets out of the all-too-tempting ashes!
  • Glass doors can reduce or eliminate the instance of downdrafts pulling smoke and carbon monoxide into your home. Doors on your fireplace also keep other hazards that accompany downdrafts at bay, such as hot cinders.
  • If your chimney does not have a damper, a fireplace door will stop cold air from entering your home via through the hearth.

Back to top


Why are fireplace doors better than mesh screens?

Fireplace screen vs glass doors. Both of these fireplace accessories are important when it comes to safely enjoying your application. However, they are meant to serve two different purposes.

SCREENS

  • Mesh curtain fireplace screens are barriers that stand guard between your fireplace and your living space. Supported by a metal frame, the mesh curtain or panel is usually fabricated from woven wire.
  • They can enhance your hearthside experience with a decorative appeal, while protecting you and your loved ones from the flames and embers when an active, heat generating fire is on display.

DOORS

  • Fireplace doors are much sturdier than mesh screens, and are made from thick pyroceramic glass. Rolling logs and flying sparks are more effectively contained within your firebox by these ceramic doors. 
  • Glass doors not only provide a more solid barrier against smoke and embers, but they go the extra mile when it comes to efficiency. When closed, these doors block warm air from escaping through the chimney, which makes your fireplace a more efficient heat source during the winter months.
  • Of course, in the summer, they prevent cool air from escaping, which helps with the cost of cooling your home.

Back to top