Things to Consider When Selecting the Right Glass Doors for Your Fireplace

Short description: Fireplaces are known to be fire hazards, hence the need for glass fireplace doors. Glass fireplace doors are ideal for preventing escaping embers that can jump to your rug. However, there are some things you have to consider before you buy them.

Though it sounds like a good idea, roasting chestnuts in an open fire is not a very good idea even if it is holiday season. Fireplaces are known to be fire hazards and one of the leading causes of household fires. Embers can jump from the fireplace to your rug. Inquisitive children and playful pets might get burned if they get too near. That is why it is important that you install glass doors on your fireplaces to minimize risks.

Before you start shopping for your glass fireplace doors, there are some things that you need to consider. Careful planning is important so that you will not end up wasting time, money and effort in selecting and installing your glass fireplace doors.

Doing Research

The first step in your search for the perfect glass fireplace doors is to do your research. Take note of what your needs are. Crack open the yellow pages, pick up the phone and call companies that manufacture glass fireplace doors. Go online and browse the Internet to check out prices, types of glass used and sizes. The more informed you are, the better because you know what questions to ask to the salesperson once you start your shopping.

Types of Glass

There are actually several types of glass used for glass fireplace doors. Each type has its own pros and cons; the key to your selection is to choose the glass type that has the most advantages for you. Glass fireplace doors are made from safety glass, or glass that has been toughened to prevent it from splintering when it gets broken. They are also heat-resistant. Here are some of the glass types used for fireplace doors: 

• Tempered Glass – this type of glass is made to be tougher than standard glass. It also has enhanced thermal resistance which makes it suitable for glass fireplace doors. When it breaks, tempered glass does not shatter in shards but rather in small beads. The weak points of tempered glass are located at the edges due to point-fixed glazing and thermal breakages.
• Laminated Glass – this type if glass has a layer of polyvinyl butyral that bonds the two layers of glass together. Laminated glass is very tough and just like tempered glass, it does not shatter into shards if it breaks.
• Ceramic Glass – ceramic glass is not really glass but rather, it is a transparent ceramic material that only looks like glass. It has high resistance to heat so they are suitable materials for glass fireplace doors. When it breaks, ceramic glass will only crack and will not fall apart like tempered glass.

Measurements

An important consideration when you shop for glass fireplace doors is the size. As you do your measurements, determine the type of fireplace you have. Some pre-fab fireplaces have glass fireplace doors available in different sizes; however, if you have a masonry fireplace, you may have to order a custom-made glass door to make sure it will fit. Make sure that your measurements are accurate: measure to the nearest 1/16 of an inch and write these down.

Budget

Glass fireplace doors are available in a wide price range so there is one that will surely fit your budget. The factors that can affect the price include the materials used, the brand name, how it is constructed and manufacturer warranties. However, you should not go immediately for the cheapest glass door you can find. The key here is getting value for your money.

McIntyre Masonry provides stone masonry services all over Scotland and in areas north of England. This article is written by one of their regular contributors.

GUEST POST BY Robert Kirk - RFK Solutions Ltd

Fireplace and Home Fire Safety

Article by USFA Fireplace and Hearth 

More than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the fire risks when heating with wood and solid fuels.

Heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages you to practice the following fire safety steps to keep those home fires safely burning. Remember, fire safety is your personal responsibility ...Fire Stops With You!

Keep Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean

• Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.
• Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
• Leave glass doors open while burning a fire. Leaving the doors open ensures that the fire receives enough air to ensure complete combustion and keeps creosote from building up in the chimney.
• Close glass doors when the fire is out to keep air from the chimney opening from getting into the room. Most glass fireplace doors have a metal mesh screen which should be closed when the glass doors are open. This mesh screen helps keep embers from getting out of the fireplace area.
• Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces that do not have a glass fireplace door.
• Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures.
• Keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Otherwise you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
• Use fire-resistant materials on walls around wood stoves.

Safely Burn Fuels

• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
• Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, moist wood accelerates creosote buildup.
• Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.
• Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your fireplace or wood stove.
• When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting grate.
• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside your home.

Protect the Outside of Your Home

• Stack firewood outdoors at least 30 feet away from your home.
• Keep the roof clear of leaves, pine needles and other debris.
• Cover the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester.
• Remove branches hanging above the chimney, flues or vents.

Protect the Inside of Your Home

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside and outside of sleeping areas. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year. Consider installing the new long life smoke alarms.
• Provide proper venting systems for all heating equipment.
• Extend all vent pipes at least three feet above the roof.

PLEASE VISIT THE USFA FOR MORE FIREPLACE SAFETY
Also Check out these great Fireplace Glass Doors - Safety for your Fireplace

Fireplace Safety

Aesthetics can mix safely with functioning fireplace

When renovating or installing a fireplace, homeowners should be aware of the many options they have and planning required for each type of option.

For example, it’s possible that your fireplace will be used in an air conditioned home in Scottsdale, Ariz. mainly for aesthetic purposes since it rarely gets cold enough in Scottsdale to require a blazing fire. Plus, the owners have envisioned the fireplace area as a place to place pictures of family and other treasured heirlooms. As the fire place is to be used primarily for aesthetic purposes, an enclosed or other kind of has supplied or fire log fed fireplace will do fine, even if it is not what people who live near ski resorts would think of as a “real fireplace.” A real fireplace used to warm the home brings the potential for real danger and each year in the U.S. thousands of homes are destroyed by careless fireplace fires or chimney fires.

So before planning a renovation, ask yourself how much of the purpose of the fireplace is decorative and how much functional. How many irreplaceable valuables do you want near the fireplace. Check your homeowners policy for any provisions against loss for accidental loss due to fireplace malfunction, and language regarding the effect of comparative negligence on the part of the homeowner if a fire causes loss of personal property.

If tackling an installation for the first time, make sure your project is up to code. Otherwise, failure to maintain a proper fireplace could impair your ability to recover under your policy should a fire result.

Also, determine right away whether you intend to be the installer of the project, or whether you would rather hire out to a contractor the choice of a system, i.e., wood burning, gas heating, or whether you have the skills to do the job yourself.

If this is your first experience with installation of an HVAC system of any kind, figure in the time and effort necessary to get up to speed, and whether you necessarily want your first such project to be the family fireplace. On the other hand, someone who is handy and used to working with systems around the home, whether they be electrical plumbing and the like, might find fireplace installation right up their alley. If you’re a DIY, check with the local authorities, including homeowner associations and city county licensing types to make sure you are installing something that is up to code so that you don’t run into problems later on.

To avoid chimney fires, keep the chimney swept at least once annually. In a wood burning fire place, creosote and soot can combine into a combustible coating that can be lit by a spark and a subsequent chimney fire. The upward air draft inside the chimney supplies oxygen to the fire, so chimney fires spread rapidly. 

That’s why an industrial strength fire extinguisher should part of every decor scheme. Fire extinguishers and other fireplace accessories can be found at toolhq.com.au.

In short, before undertaking an installation or renovation, think about whether you want the fireplace for heat warming or aesthetic purposes. Consider whether you want to do it yourself or contract out the job and make sure the installation is up to code, and covered in your homeowners insurance.

Knowing the answers to these questions in advance will mean a smoother installation and greater enjoyment from your fireplace system.

Jay Preston is Author and Brand Manager at ToolHQ, Australia's premiere source for power tools.

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