![]() BEST FOLDING: Amagabeli 4-Panel Wrought Iron Fireplace Screen.BEST GLASS: Clearly Innovative Glass Fireplace Screen.BEST FLUSH-FITTING: Pleasant Hearth Alpine Glass Fireplace Door.BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Panacea Products 3-Panel Arch Screen.BEST OVERALL: Fire Beauty Fireplace Screen With Doors.Shopping suggestions follow for the best fireplace screens for a variety of different settings. ![]() ![]() In this article, all the key features are explained. In addition to aesthetics, we also considered materials. They range from the purely practical to those that are highly decorative. The range of fireplace screens is enormous, and more than 60 were researched when putting together this review. It’s not stretching the imagination too far to say they could even prevent a serious house fire. They prevent sparks and embers from jumping out, potentially leaving unsightly burn marks on carpets and furnishings. But the effect is that it seems fine one minute (we even scrapered ice off it that morning), and next thing you know it is just bits and pieces.Fireplace screens are an essential piece of safety equipment for anyone who has an open fire. "Happens all the time" they said, explaining that it is just a terrible coincidence of stresses and wear and whatever, combined with old glass, possibly a tiny defect from the manufacturing, a hairline crack spreading slowly over time, or whatever. The glass repair company wasn't surprised at all. It was a pretty old window - probably 22 years or so. No cars were going by (to throw a stone), not under any trees (something to drop), very few people around on sunday morning (to throw or shoot something), no one was touching the window at the time or for at least an hour prior, not a very cold or hot day (for temp stress), not windy at all (?). Just buckling my son in his carseat in the back after church one Sunday, my wife is standing next to the car talking to some people, and BOOM, the entire back window shatters into a million tiny pieces. Had that happen to me once, scary as anything. It may not make sense for you if you're in a slab floored house as you may have to cut out an opening in your floor to pour a footing that thick. If you do decide to build your own, I believe a footing of 12" thick that extends 6" beyond the footprint of the fireplace is necessary. I'm building a fireplace now outdoors and have no combustibles near it at all so I really haven't paid much attention to the clearances required. minimum above the opening, and wood members shouldn't come within I think 2" of the fireplace masonry but you really should check that. I do know that for a built fireplace, you need 8-8.5" behind the firebox of nothing but masonry or air (I see different opinions on whether it's 8 orĨ.5" and whether or not to leave an air space), the mantle should be 12" in. Fireplace clearances and dimensions are pretty specific but for the pre-built units, I'm not sure what they are. On the install, it's hard to say what you've got. ![]() I can get my fire going pretty hot (never measured it but I would think it's above 550 degrees easily). If you have a choice, you might consider replacing them with a 'll allow more heat to pass as well. Not sure if you're fire got too hot or not but I would think the glass would trap a lot of the heat with little escaping to the outside. Using standard wood for fuel, could I cause the fire to get so hot that it catches something on fire inside the wall, like some studs or drywall or insulation? Is it really that easy for a residential fireplace to get so hot with traditional fuel that it is a hazard to surrounding material used that is "to code" in all respects? If I were to replace the glass, should I simply get thicker tempered glass? Or is there some other product that is the same thickness (3/16" or 1/4" I don't know for sure) that has extra heat protection?ģ) Assuming a correct installation (the home builder installed it so you never know, but assume for the moment). My choices are a) get rid of them, b) never close them, c) rebuild a *real* fireplace or woodstove, or d) get better doors.
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