Fireplace help

[Groundman]

I’m not sure if I’m in the right place but I have a fireplace I need advice and information on.

My house was built in 1961 and I cannot find a serial number on this “insert?”.

Below it there’s an “ash pit” that I have no idea how to access besides the hole at the bottom of the fireplace. I’m unsure if it needs to be emptied with a shop vac or why it’s only accessible here.

The view from the crawl space and outside

My chimney is pretty wide, I’ve tried getting a wide brush myself and cleaning it but no debris came out on the brush. The inside of the place and chimney. I did put a cap on the chimney. I’m unsure if there’s other cleaning I need to do.

I’m not sure if whatever this is functions or just decoration since it doesn’t move at all.

I would love some guidance on what I have. I’ve made a few fires in it already but there’s a lot to this fireplace i would like to learn more of before using regularly.


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[webby3650]

It’s not an insert. It’s what was called a heat-form Fireplace. It’s considered a masonry fireplace they just used this metal box rather than lay up a firebrick firebox.

 

[Simonkenton]

Great photos! There is a little black door about 12 inches wide, right at ground level on the outside.
That is probably where you can access the ashes.

However you don't need to use this. You can just do what I do with my wood stove, let the fire go out, and scoop out the ashes from the fireplace with a little shovel. Be sure to put them in a metal bucket. And don't set the bucket on a wooden porch there could be hot coals there, that could catch the porch on fire.

That grate is found in some fireplaces. I also have a fireplace and I don't use a grate. However a grate does come in handy when lighting the fire, just put the kindling on the grate and put newspaper below it and light it up.
Since you can't move it, go ahead and use it.

You ought to get a professional chimney sweep to come out and sweep it and he can inspect it and tell you if it is in good shape.

 

[webby3650]

Great photos! There is a little black door about 12 inches wide, right at ground level on the outside.
That is probably where you can access the ashes.

However you don't need to use this. You can just do what I do with my wood stove, let the fire go out, and scoop out the ashes from the fireplace with a little shovel. Be sure to put them in a metal bucket. And don't set the bucket on a wooden porch there could be hot coals there, that could catch the porch on fire.

That grate is found in some fireplaces. I also have a fireplace and I don't use a grate. However a grate does come in handy when lighting the fire, just put the kindling on the grate and put newspaper below it and light it up.
Since you can't move it, go ahead and use it.

You ought to get a professional chimney sweep to come out and sweep it and he can inspect it and tell you if it is in good shape.

I thought that was a clean out to, but looking closer it’s another area of decorative brick like above it. It’s not uncommon around here to see an ash dump that has no access. Most people couldn’t fill the area beneath the fireplace in their lifetime. Hearth.com people may be able to, but not normal people.
I quit using a grate as well, I liked how it burned with out it. I miss my old fireplace.

 

[Groundman]

I thought that was a clean out to, but looking closer it’s another area of decorative brick like above it. It’s not uncommon around here to see an ash dump that has no access. Most people couldn’t fill the area beneath the fireplace in their lifetime. Hearth.com people may be able to, but not normal people.
I quit using a grate as well, I liked how it burned with out it. I miss my old fireplace.

When I look down the access it looks awfully big in there about 2/3 full and in the crawl space I see no way of accessing this pit. I was assuming it was never meant to be emptied in a lifetime due to its size but if I did need to I imagine I’d need some serious heavy duty vac.


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[billb3]

We had one in an old house. The little plate in the floor lifted up, it didn't hinge. There was an access door outside but as others have said it would take a lifetime to fill that box. Kids would open the door just to look inside and then not close it. Man would that cause a draft !
I piled rocks up against it.