How Important Are Glass Fireplace Doors?

One of the more common questions we receive in our daily jobs as Chicago’s best chimney sweep is “Do you recommend glass fireplace doors?” Our answer is always an overwhelming Yes!

As we’ve discussed in the past, properly fitted glass screen doors can improve your fireplace experience in many ways, including improved aesthetics, efficiency, and safety. In terms of aesthetics, glass doors give a fireplace a finished look that complements the hearth. When the fireplace is not in use and the doors are closed, glass doors also can serve to hide the mess left by your last fire.

When it comes to efficiency and safety, it’s important to remember that a fireplace draws in large quantities of your heated room air. Some air is used to complete the combustion process but more air is driven up the flue in a draft. A draft is a good thing.

Nobody wants the face-work and mantle area to overheat and cause a house fire. The overdraft into the firebox cools this area and prevents a smokey living room. When the fire starts to die and you want to leave the room, your heated room air is still being drawn up the chimney.

You can’t close the damper until the next morning. So, all night long your furnace is heating the air being wasted up the chimney. Some estimates put this at over 1000 cubic feet of air per hour. Once the draft starts, you should have a safe way to close off this waste. Waiting up for hours to close the damper is one alternative. Closing a properly fitted set of glass doors is a better, more convenient option. You don’t have to come into a cold room the next morning to close the damper.

Hearth Craft Manufactured Fireplace Glass Doors

At Valley Chimney Sweep & Restoration we exclusively recommend and install Hearth Craft Fireplace Glass Doors, which are made here in the U.S.A. Though Hearth Craft manufactures and sells several models, we rely upon the Rainbow model.

The Rainbow model is made of an anodized, heat-resistant, aluminum frame that is 5/8″ thick and 1 and 1/16′ wide. This is a slanted, square frame door that ensures a snug fit in prefabricated box openings.

Full-fold doors open 180 degrees for an enhanced viewing experience. The design of this door provides air gaps between each glass panel to ensure proper airflow. The Rainbow is sold in common sizes and can be ordered to fit custom-sized openings, as well.

Available finishes included polished brass, antique brass, flat black, satin nickel, gloss black, and polished chrome. Glass options include clear, gray, bronze, and bevel.

All Hearth Craft fireplace enclosures are sold with a five-year manufacturer’s warranty and take 7 to 10 days for delivery.

If you would like to add a glass door to your fireplace, you need to call the experts at Fox Valley’s leading chimney company Valley Chimney Sweep and Restoration. We’ve installed hundreds of these models since our founding in 1978, and that makes us experts in ordering and fitting the perfect glass door for your fireplace. Contact us today about installing your new glass fireplace door.