Learn More About Fireplace Glass Doors

Fireplaces lend great beauty, warmth, and ambiance to your home. Accessories like mesh screens, hearth tools, or ceramic logs make fireplace usage more convenient and enjoyable. More and more homeowners opt for a particular accessory that increases fireplace safety and efficiency. Learn more about glass doors for your fireplace.

What Are Fireplace Glass Doors?

Fireplace doors are a set of double glass doors that cover the opening of a fireplace. Some doors open and close like traditional double doors, while others unfold in a track system to open and then shut flat again.

While some gas fireplaces come standard with glass doors, you can add these doors to any type of existing fireplace. For example, a wood-burning fireplace you convert to gas can still accommodate glass doors. You can also install glass doors onto electric fireplaces as well.

Glass doors have tempered glass that can withstand fireplace temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. This feature allows glass to retain its physical properties and not melt, distort, or emit fumes in high heat. Tempered glass is safer because it will not break into large, dangerous shards. Instead, tempered glass shatters into many tiny pieces that are easier to handle and much less likely to cut someone.

Why Install Fireplace Glass Doors?

Glass doors improve the appearance of many types of fireplaces. For instance, a fireplace with dark burn marks around its opening will benefit from a set of doors that help hide these types of flaws.

Different styles of doors allow you to create a more unifying feel to a room. Some doors are simple or modern in appearance, which appeals to a minimalist sense of style. Other door styles are more ornate and better suited to classic or rustic décor. Additionally, glass door frames come in a variety of metal finishes like iron, copper, or tinted aluminum.

Most importantly, glass doors offer several benefits beyond the aesthetics.

Safety

Glass doors are an important safety feature. A fireplace not in use should remain with doors tightly closed to keep pets and children safely away. For example, gas fireplaces contain moveable components and gas jets that children should not touch. Those doors also serve to help keep debris within the firebox and not all over your hearth.

Efficiency

Fireplace doors help improve the heating efficiency of a fireplace. Much like your home’s exterior doors that keep cold air outside and trap warm air indoors, these doors work very much the same. When your fireplace is not in use, tightly shut doors prevent cold air from entering your home via the damper. This method works well if a damper is too hot to close manually right after a fire or for older fireplaces prone to drafts.

Additionally, glass doors can better control heat retention in a room after you’re finished enjoying a fire. When shut tight, fireplace doors prevent all the lovely warm air from being sucked up the chimney and out of your home. When this happens, the temperature of a room can drop noticeably.

How Do You Care for Fireplace Glass Doors?

Glass doors are easy to maintain. Occasionally clean the inside and outside of the glass with vinegar and water or an orange citrus-based cleaner to remove any residue from gas fires. Never use abrasive cleaners that may leave scratches. Tempered glass is very strong, but scratches weaken their integrity and can lead to breakages. Try to prevent accidental bumps and strikes against the glass, which can also weaken tempered glass.

Does your fireplace need glass doors, or do you have an older set of doors you want to replace? For ways to make a fireplace look amazing, check out the options at Alpine Fireplaces.