Thread: are glass doors required

This is a meltal flue, metal box and solid fuel burning fire place. There was the metal skirt but no glass doors. It looked alittle odd, but i am not sure about the need or requirement. It seems like i always have noted glass doors present on these type units.
Thanks!
Jerome

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Not required, but a good idea to have for energy conservation.

Jerome,

This is a factory built fireplace and if its location is the state of California, and if it was install since 1988, glass doors would be required. This was a California Energy Code requirement in 1988 aimed at energy conservation. That being said, any glass door would have to listed and tested for use with this specific fireplace model. That is to say, just any glass door can not be installed as it may block important cooling vents or alter the venting in some way.

In Florida, it is: (underlining is mine)
13-606.1.ABC.1.3 Additional Infiltration Requirements. The following additional requirements shall be met:
- 1. All exhaust fans vented to the outdoors shall have dampers. This does not apply to combustion devices with integral exhaust ductwork, which shall comply with NFPA 54 or the locally adopted code.
- 2. All combustion space heaters, furnaces, and water heaters shall be provided with adequate combustion air. Such devices shall comply with NFPA or the locally adopted code.
- 3. All fireplaces and wood stoves shall have flue dampers.

Jerry?

Glass doors = flue dampers??

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

Jerry?

Glass doors = flue dampers??

Jim,

No. Presumably (like, yeah, right) the owners will close the damper when they do not have a fire in the fireplace / wood stove, thereby reducing heat gain / heat loss through air infiltration through the chimney / vent.

Glass doors help even more (of course, though, with fresh air from outdoors sufficient enough to feed the fire) by restricting the amount of conditioned air which goes up the chimney / vent when the fireplace / wood stove is in use. Provided, of course, the unit is new enough to have come with a make up combustion air intake.

Our vented gas fireplace has a damper (which I never close - Oh no, don't send the energy police! - just like *most* people probably do not close their damper), it has no real outside combustion make up air (although there is a large vent grill through the back of the wood frame chimney enclosure to outdoor air and one vent at the top of the shelves on each side of the fireplace ... see photo ... which are probably there to provide make up combustion air, doubtful as to how good it is though - glass doors would simply cut that off anyway, if that is the intent).

The fireplace in question appears to be a factory built model that is tested to UL standards. in the test standard only doors that have been tested for this manufacturer and model are allowed to be used.
they were intended as an accessory by the manufacturer.
the screens on the other hand are a requirement.
in some jurisdictions, such as New York the local energy code requires door so as to comply with enregy conversation code but are not required for safety.
you made need to check your local code

Jerry, I dont understand your connection to flue dampers. How can you make the connection that glass doors = flue damper? I didnt really understand your response. Could you elaborate? Could you reference the specific requirement to glass doors?

Jerry,

That decorative broom is combustible material on your hearth is it not?

Be careful with those fires.

rick

Originally Posted by imported_John Smith

Jerry, I dont understand your connection to flue dampers. How can you make the connection that glass doors = flue damper?

I was not making that connection.

I was making the connect that the Florida energy code ONLY requires a "damper".

Then I explained (obviously not very well) what difference dampers and glass doors do.

Could you reference the specific requirement to glass doors?

To my knowledge, there is none, which is why I did not reference one. At least not unless the manufacturer requires a glass door or, like CA, an energy code requires them. The Florida Energy Code ONLY requires a damper.

Originally Posted by Rick Hurst

That decorative broom is combustible material on your hearth is it not?

So are those "stockings hung on the chimney with care".

That broom is one of those cinnamon brooms which made it all smell nice for the holidays, it does not reside there all the time.

Be careful with those fires.

Rick,

Yes, but is a gas fireplace so I don't have any logs to worry about rolling out. In fact, we will be replacing the log set and burner soon ... or, should I say 'we will be replacing the burner soon, and because the log set and burner together as a set are not much more than just a replacement burner, so we are getting new ceramic logs too'. I will clean up the old ceramic logs and stack them outside the fireplace like you would keep a stack of wood logs - what to heck, I will have them, might as well use them for something.

Stop by for a visit, you will be 'in good hands' ...

Jerry,

Did you pay money for those chairs?

Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist

Jerry,

Did you pay money for those chairs?

Yessiree!

And we have a right hand one and a left hand one.

By the way, they are each carved out as a single piece of wood.

Jerry P; I was going to ask what Gunner did and now that I know that those are actually your chairs when do you think you will be able to afford the rest of them? Also, it appears one must be careful when sitting down?

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

Also, it appears one must be careful when sitting down?

Jerry Mc.,

Actually, they are quite comfortable. The top of the thumb serves as an arm rest for one side. Now, if only they are carved the little finger bent over, there would be an arm rest for the other side.

They are also quite heavy.

Which is your sock?

California Energy Code
10/7/97 - Energy Efficiency Standards for
Residential and Non Residential Buildings
July 1992 - California Energy Commission
Subchapter 7 (Section 150):
(e) Installation of Fireplaces, Decorative Gas Appliances, and Gas Logs
1. If a masonry or factory-built fireplace is installed, it shall have the following:
A. Closable metal or glass doors covering the entire opening of the firebox;
B. A combustion air intake to draw air from the outside of the building directly into the firebox, which is at least 6-square inches in area and is equipped with a readily accessible, operable, and tight-fitting damper or combustion air control device; and
EXCEPTION to Section 150(e)1.B: An outside combustion air intake is not required if the fireplace will be installed over concrete slab flooring and the fireplace will not be located on an exterior wall.
C. A flue damper with a readily accessible control.
EXCEPTION to Section 150(e)1.C: When a gas log, log lighter, or decorative gas appliance is installed in a fireplace, the flue damper shall be blocked open if required by the manufacturer's installation instructions or the State Mechanical Code.

Jerry P.

I dunno... I think I would feel like I was in an Allstate commercial.