Zero clearance fireplace

[Donley]

Hello all, quick easy question.

With my ZC FP, do i get better heat to the room with the doors open or shut?

In other words with the doors shut am i reducing the draft enough to keep the room warmer or do i get more heat to the room with the glass doors open. This whole wood burning fiasco is new to me.

 

[willis09r]

Is it better to leave your fireplace doors open or closed? Not sure,
when I had a fireplace it didn't have glass doors, just a screen.

 

[Donley]

DANG, and here I thought i'd get an immediate answer. The jury must stihl be out on this one.

 

[wampum]

I would say that you would get more heat with the doors closed. That is why an air tight wood stove is more efficient then an open fireplace. The larger the air take opening the more draft,the more draft the more air (and heat)you are pulling up the chimney.

 

[mga]

my doors are closed 90% of the time.

the only time i open them is to get a hot fire going.

leaving the doors wide open is like opening a window. all that air rushing up the chimney has to be replaced somehow...or else you'd suffocate or the fire would, but i doubt your house is that air tight.

the trick is being able to grab enough heat from your burner/fireplace to overcome the air being replaced.

 

[Wood Doctor]

+1 to MGA's post. That's also true for stoves as well as a ZC FP. The only time I leave the doors open is prior to cooking a thick, juicy steak using a grill I designed and built to do exactly that:

The rest of the time the doors are closed--even when I'm eating the steak.

 

[mga]

dang......i'm coming over for dinner!!

 

[Donley]

great thank you. appreciate it