Fireplace with glass door?

[cidley69]

Looked at a house yesterday that had a wood burning fireplace with a big glass door on it. It was not a high efficiency wood burning insert. Looked like a regular wood fireplace, made of masonry blocks, but with a large (4' x 4') single pane glass door. It appeared that the entire piece of glass needed to be lifted out of the way to access the fireplace.

House was build in 2010. It seems like a terrible setup. Our 1994 house has a wood fireplace, and there is little to no draft from it when damper is closed.

Anyone seen this before? What is the purpose of the glass? Is this some kind of code requirement?

[ExtraSlow]

Lot of freestanding wood stoves have glass doors that seal. Haven't seen that on a fireplace. Fireplaces are overall a poor way to heat a building.

[killramos]

My fireplace has something similar except it’s more of an accordion glass door.

Pretty sure the glass is there to help insulate the house from the stone fireplace for the 99% of days you aren’t burning wood.

I’m sure you could replace the big single piece with something easier to open?

[cidley69]

Lot of freestanding wood stoves have glass doors that seal. Haven't seen that on a fireplace. Fireplaces are overall a poor way to heat a building.

Yeah totally agree, using them to heat building not efficient. They do cast noticeable amount of heat into the room they are in, and is toasty warm in front of them, more for ambiance than utility.

[ThePenIsMightier]

My fireplace has something similar except it’s more of an accordion glass door.

Pretty sure the glass is there to help insulate the house from the stone fireplace for the 99% of days you aren’t burning wood.

I’m sure you could replace the big single piece with something easier to open?

Did someone vaccinate the chimney flue?

[killramos]

Did someone vaccinate the chimney flue?

I’m personally riding dirty.

See my comments re how my house burning down is extremely helpful to me.

[ThePenIsMightier]

I’m personally riding dirty.

See my comments re how my house burning down is extremely helpful to me.
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