Glass doors on fireplace

[daemon2525]

I have a regular fireplace in my kinda new to me home. Its large and made of stone, with thick steel walls on the sides and back.

I have burnt many fires in it but have never known whether there was any case where you were suppose to close the glass doors while a fire is burning.

I just use it with a screen and the glass wide open.

I only burn for fun, but it would be nice to get some heat out of it in the process. Yes, it goes through a LOT of firewood.

So, how are the glass doors suppose to work?

thanks
LLA

 

[mga]

i have the exact same set up and i'm heating my 2000 sq. ft. ranch. this morning was the first time my boiler kicked on this year because it was like 6 degrees outside, but only the furthest part of the house kicked on.

anyways, i keep my glass doors shut all the time. there is enough air leakage to keep a fire burning red hot and i never use the vents on the bottom of it.

my glass gets too hot to touch and sometimes the handles are even hot. but, i have added additional sealers around the frame and the bottom. i'm also using an Arvin heat stream which blows out hot air. plus, the vents on the sides convect some decent hot air into the room. keeping that room 80 degrees no matter what the outside temp is not a problem.

keep the doors shut, and seal as much of the glass framing as possible where it rests against the bricks.