r/Fireplaces

This one looks amazing in my opinion

We want to get some gas logs in our old fireplace. There is about a 0.6 inch gap between the box and the brick on the top edge. The fireplace salesman said it isn’t safe to use a fire with the gap. We sealed all the other gaps with fireproof caulk, but this one is too wide for caulk. What do y’all recommend for a home DIY fix? Is he right that it isn’t safe? Be kind plz I am new to this stuff 😀

We are in the process of getting quotes to install custom cabinets and bookshelves on both sides of our fireplace. Hoping to get ideas from Reddit what we can expect to pay and if they like my examples I have received from AI on different examples of the projects. I really hate putting the tv over the fireplace but if I build into the cabinet it will be hard to see the tv, if we build it in to the cabinets

Below are pics of the current room, we will also be removing rug and Wil be putting in wood floors with a area rug.

Thanks for all feedback. However no one is responding to actual estimate of the cost. Thank you

We are sick of being very cold in our 1925 bungalow. Due to size restrictions on our fireplace in the bedroom (picture attached), we are looking at two different small wood fire heaters.

Our first is the Masport Westcott 1000 - https://www.masportheating.com.au/en-au/masport-westcott-1000

And the other is the Charnwood aire 3 - https://pivotstove.com.au/catalogue/wood-heater/charnwood-aire-3/

(These are just random links not where we intend to buy from, but just so you can click to see them if you wish it)

We want to keep the structure of the fireplace because it's interesting and quite frankly I just like that the bricks inside go up the way they do.

Wondering if anyone has an opinion on either or both of these before we make a purchase!

Thank you!

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I think I'm looking to add a fireplace insert to my round freestanding stone chimney column with a curved masonry opening. The opening is approximately 23" tall, 42" wide (chord, not arc length), and 24" deep, with a 2" hearth lip. The stone face is rough fieldstone so getting a clean straight edge against it is basically impossible.

Had an installer out who only recommended a freestanding stove with no surround which would leave an ugly gap and exposed stovepipe. I'm not satisfied with that answer.

I'm open to custom fabrication, masonry modification, anything really. Just looking for ideas to enclose this/add some heating efficiency that I may not have considered.

Has anyone dealt with a round/curved opening like this? What worked?

Our contractor just installed this block fireplace and used regular cement for the top of the firebox. There is 0 clearance or extra height inside the firebox and it's only 18 inches high. We are using a 24" NG H burner. I have some concerns about the concrete needing a heat shield of some kind. The contractor is saying the ceiling concrete is thick enough to be safe without any other heat barrier material.

Is the contractor correct or should I look for a refractory mortar to coat the top of the firebox? They already built the firebox shorter than I had planned, so I'm trying not to lose another 2inces of height for more firebrick.

Thank you in advance for your advice, much appreciated.

I have this beautiful fireplace / hearth in my 1950s cape cod home. The basement is unfinished and is something I’m working on I want to really make this hearth the star of the show.

Looking for ideas on how to make it safe to put an insert in and in general how to convert this into a cozy den.

Fireplace help

Hi I live in a 1930’s semi and really want to expose the bedroom fireplace and wondered if anyone could suggest what steps to take next

I’ve pulled the plaster board away but I’m not quite sure what I’m looking at

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Howdy ladies and germs. I've been installing, servicing, and training for a while and I'd like to try a new angle, even if just once or twice. Id like to figure out how/where to travel for contracts. I've had a few mid tier, other side of the state sized things. But I'd like to aim for a whole town in rural Alaska, or National Park, or even a different country for a few weeks. Thoughts?

UPDATE: It sounds like the manufacturer is likely responsible for some of these issues (the warped back liner panel and the wrong size baffle), while the dealer/installer is likely responsible for at least some of them (crucially, fastening the warped back liner panel to the unit's back with a screw and causing the resulting chips.) Still, very disappointing.

[Original post:]

I'm a homeowner and recently purchased a Mendota gas insert from an authorized dealer. Mendota's fireplaces are marketed as superior products. But the issues I've encountered with the unit I received -- including some shoddy workmanship and multiple quality assurance misses -- leave me seriously concerned with Mendota's quality.

I purchased an FV44i direct vent gas insert with the "full view" "premium fiber oak" log set and porcelain reflective liner, totaling more than than $10,000 with the liner kit, surround, sales tax, and shipping fees (but excluding installation). When the dealer initially installed it, we immediately noticed the following defect:

• Chipped Side Liner Panel: The front edge of the side liner panel, right up against the glass, had a 1- or 1.5-inch long chip in the porcelain finish. See photo.

When the dealer returned to replace that side panel, we discovered the following issues:

• Warped Back Liner Panel: The back liner panel was warped. (I don't have a photo of this.) This is significant because the back panel is intended to sit flush against the back of the unit's interior, providing adequate room for the side panels, which also sit up against the glass front.
• Two Chips in the Back Liner Panel: There were two roughly dime-sized chips in the porcelain finish of the back liner panel, in opposite corners. See photo. One was hidden by the adjacent side panel, and one was visible, but obscured by the logs.
• Screw Through Back Liner Panel and Back of Unit: At least one of those chips in the back liner panel was (and likely both were) caused by a screw that someone had shot through the panel and through the back of the unit, in order to force the panel to sit flush against the back of the unit. See photo of the resulting screw hole in the unit's back. ...It looks like they made two attempts at fastening the back liner panel like this. I have confirmed with the manufacturer that the back panel is designed to merely sit against the back of the unit; not to be screwed to it.
• Wrong Thickness Baffle: Additionally, the dealer discovered that the baffle panel that was shipped with the unit was the wrong thickness. It was something like 3/4 of an inch, but it should have been something like 5/8 of an inch. This is not just a tolerance issue. Instead, there are two different baffle part numbers. They are very similar, but slightly different thicknesses. And that difference is significant because the thicker baffle was crushed during the initial installation and was somewhat broken and flaking. (I don't have a photo of this.)

That Mendota shipped this unit without QA spotting the chip in the side panel is disappointing. It's also disappointing that whoever picked parts grabbed the wrong thickness baffle. But the decisions to (1) use a warped back panel, (2) force it into place by shooting a screw through the back of the unit, and then (3) ship the unit with the resulting chips in the porcelain finish are simply unacceptable.

Has anyone else noticed these sorts of manufacturing issues or QA misses with Mendota? When did you discover them? Did your dealer and/or Mendota cover them under warranty?

Had a wood stove that we didn't use and got rid of it. The chimney was the metal type that cut in through the wall and vented out of the roof (not a brick chimney).

We're looking at sealing it off and I want to know what the best way to go about it is for both inside and outside. Inside we would have to cut it back a bit - am I good to just shove some insulation in it, or should we silicone a cap of some sort on?

For outside, is there a cap I can purchase or would I have to fabricate something? Not sure on measurements for the outside as I haven't made the trip up to the roof yet.

Photos of what's visible inside the house:

https://imgur.com/a/T6LnsG7

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Just moved into a place with a heat and glo fireplace. I tried pressing the little button (red arrow) and can see a spark (near the blue arrow), but nothing happens.

I've also put in fresh batteries in the box on the right.

There is no wall switch anywhere either.

Also, in the pics, the main gas is off, but obviously, when i tried playing around with it, i did turn it On.

Thanks for any help.

Just bought this house and I'm looking to modernize this fireplace. Ignore the TV, furniture, and flooring. They're all being replaced during the renovation.

I'm thinking of replacing the current tile with something lighter, adding a raised hearth and a wood mantel.

My biggest question is the doors. Can these older bi-fold doors be replaced with something more modern, or are they specific to this fireplace?

What would you do? Any ideas or inspiration would be appreciated!

As title states I am trying to cover this gas fireplace. We never use it and it’s more of a safety/hygiene issue. We have tried 2 magnetic covers but there’s not enough in the surrounding areas to snag on. It is 21” x 37” from outer measurements.

Any recommendations would be great!

Hi everyone.
We just moved to the new house and I never had a fireplace in my life and don’t know too much about it.
I’m remodeling the house and soon I will be replacing the floor but I was wondering if this is a gas shutoff and if this is normal to have it on the floor like this or if it’s possible tonight remove or relocate?