Although fireplace doors have been sealing fireplace openings for more than 60 years, recent advances have changed their functionality, appearance and structure. Changes in manufacturing and shipping processes have also created better, more efficient fireplace doors—a growing concern following recent energy crises and skyrocketing fuel costs.



Fireplace Doors 101

There are typically two kinds of fireplace doors today: those for masonry fireplaces, and those for prefabricated fireplaces (also called factory built and zero clearance fireplaces), according to Ray Repasky, Vice President of Thermo-Rite, a manufacturer of glass fireplace doors. "They don't use the same kind of door," he explains, but adding that each uses tempered glass that won't break, even at temperatures up to 700 degrees. "A zero-clearance fireplace door requires a specific size door that adheres to the manufacturer's opening and the (required) air flows that it was tested against. … A masonry fireplace can chosen to fit on the outside of the fireplace opening or sometimes it will fit on the inside of the opening. This gives you more flexibility in choosing the right door" Repasky says homeowners also choose fireplace doors for direct-vent, or sealed, fireplaces to dress up single plates of glass.

Fireplace Doors Create Energy Savings

In the wake of energy shortages left by Hurricane Katrina, homeowners are fast turning to fireplace doors to keep rooms warmer. "Most people are already anticipating the shortage of gas and the expense of gas, and are trying to get more heat out of fireplaces as an alternative option," explains Repasky. "Fireplace doors reduce air flow from the heated room making them more energy efficient."

Last year more people are also turned to wood-burning fireplaces to avoid high gas prices, but that they? alone aren't energy efficient. "If there are not glass doors on the fireplace … all of your heated air goes up the chimney," he says, adding doors are Perfect for vented gas logs, too. "If you use glass fireplace doors, you can make the room feel warmer than normal."

Fireplace doors also save energy by preventing cold air from radiating into a room through an unused fireplace. "If you have a glass door on that fireplace, it acts like a storm door", Repasky says. "It makes that part of the room warmer than it would be. It's proven."

Fireplace Doors: Industry Trends

According to Repasky, style is just as important to homeowners who are creating very distinct fireplace door trends. "The most popular finishes seem to be natural iron, black—earthy-toned colors", he says. "You also see a lot of stainless steel, pewter and brushed nickel. This is compared to polished brass which used to be very popular, (although) antique brass still has a following in certain parts of the country. It has to do with furniture, carpets, drapes—people making it blend with the rest of the house. Polished brass isn't the thing to do."

Repasky says trackless fireplace doors with thin frames, folding doors and bronze glass are most popular. "A lot of people use bronze glass, so that when you aren't burning a fire, you don't see into a dirty fireplace," Repasky says, gray, mirrored and beveled glass continues to top plain, clear glass in popularity.

Fireplace Doors: An Outlook

According to Repasky, the trend for 2006 is custom fireplace doors. "Today, people have a choice of the glass color, frame finish and how wide the frame is", in the past dealers would stock doors in just a few colors, sizes and models. ?The change in preference has had a direct impact on manufacturing and shipping processes? Dealers now have to anticipate "just-in-time" delivery; adjust inventory to accommodate custom orders; and create new shipping systems to accommodate single orders?. Repasky says, for all the changes, however, fireplace doors have come full circle. "Thermo-Rite was the first company to ever make a glass door, in 1943", he says. "Back then, glass fireplace doors were used to keep squirrels and animals from coming down chimneys. They just used to be a glass door. Now they are a decorative part of the home. That's how far glass doors have come.!"