A fireplace without the right glass door can compromise the safety of your home. It can also leave you with a massive clean-up job the morning after you enjoy the fire. Ideally, you want something that’ll block out both debris and smoke, and glass doors are that something.
A good fireplace door results in a warmer room because more heat is absorbed and radiated. It can lead to lower utility costs and energy efficiency, and glass doors accentuate a fireplace. You even have options in terms of shape, style, and color.
If you already have a glass door for your fireplace then you already know all this. However, it might be time for you to consider a replacement. But first, there are some things you need to know.
Can you Add Glass Doors to a Fireplace?
You may be worried about getting the right size and shape of glass for your fireplace doors. Luckily, it’s not that difficult to fit glass even if it didn’t come with the fireplace as it doesn’t matter how old the fireplace is. Just how well it fits will of course depend on the skill level of your installer.
How Fireplace Glass Doors are Installed
It all starts with removing the screws behind the door. They’ll be safely placed nearby to be later reattached. Where the top screws were is where you’ll have clamps placed and where the bottom ones were, you’ll have brackets. Now for the reattachment of the clamps and brackets.
Your clamps have a space in between, and that’s where your screws will go. This space will help you make sure you shift the clamps high or low enough to be in line with the lintel. Your floor brackets will then go at the bottom, where you’ll screw them in as well. As you go about doing all of this, take care not to lay the glass unit on the front-facing side.
From there, your door will be aligned to the firebox opening. This has to be done slowly and carefully so that no scratching occurs. The goal is to go for a tight fit, a loose one is a no-no. After that, markings will be made to show where your brackets meet the firebox floor.
With markings set in place and the door set aside, drilling will follow. A professional will typically drill strictly into brick and do so in a straight manner. A masonry bit will be attached to the drill and equally deep holes will be drilled at the bracket marks.
Since there’ll be drilling, there will also be dust, and it has to be removed. Both on the surface of the floor and inside the holes, all dust must be eliminated. Your brackets will need screws to fix them in, and your screws need lead anchors. A lead anchor will be softly hammered into each hole until it aligns with the surface of the stonework.
Fireplace insulation will then need to be applied. This is to make sure your door is airtight and smoke doesn’t escape. It’ll also help to protect the door’s components from excessive heat. The insulation will be torn into pieces big enough to line the sides and the top of the door.
Once it’s time to get the doors attached, make sure to fit the door perfectly to the firebox, twist the screws, and tighten them into the level anchors. Going for the top part now, screws will be twisted into the clamps. In all the tightening of screws, it’s important not to overdo it, otherwise, it’s back to square one.
Can I Replace the Glass in my Fireplace Insert?
If you don’t have a problem with the frame that you currently have for your fireplace door, then you don’t have to replace it. It’s perfectly possible to have the glass replaced on its own. As long as you measure the dimensions of your insert, you can have glass specifically made for it.
How Do I Install Glass in a Gas Fireplace?
Depending on the state of the glass in your doors, you’ll either go for a full replacement or a partial one. If the glass has sustained some damage, the entire door has to be replaced. Glass will have to be sealed in the facing frame so as to prevent toxic fumes from entering the room. Gas fireplaces need to be more heat resistant than normal ones, so neoceram and pyroceram glass is used.
How Do You Replace a Prefab Fireplace Door?
It begins with removing the prefab door, and for that, the door must be open and the tension clips found. Tension clips are what hold the door in place. If you’ve got some at the top and bottom, both must be removed. The top clip is pushed and the door pins are slid out. The old doors are then removed and the new doors are installed in place of them.
The first step is to locate your model number on the door so you know what door to order. The height and width of your firebox is then determined by way of measuring tape. When all that is done, you can go ahead and contact a seller. A drill and screwdriver is what’ll be used to attach the door when it arrives, it really is that simple.
How Do You Install Glass Doors on a Brick Fireplace?
Squared-off brick fireboxes are easier to work with when installing glass doors, any installer will tell you that. All it takes is for you to get a standard door and the key is to let it overlap at the edge of the opening. Older brick fireplaces require more care, and you’ve got to be gentle so that it doesn’t crumble. A screwdriver, drill, pliers, clamps, and a ratchet wrench and sockets will probably be enough to get the job done.