Ok, so I've done lots of reading and know the knee jerk response will be to buy only prefab glass doors that are model specific to my fireplace. I would like, however to dig a little deeper and have some of you guys help me think through this. It might open me to more options for nicer glass doors.
I have an FMI 42C fireplace. There are holes for glass doors, but no rail or door guides installed. I understand the prefab fireplaces have air vents to keep them from overheating. My dilemma is this: If I put the "prefab" bi fold doors that are designed for this fireplace, they will cover the two large air vents (one on either side down low). If I were to buy masonry glass doors, they also would be covering the vents. In other words, the vents will be running wide open and fresh, cool air will be sucked in from outside to fuel combustion. That won't change a bit with masonry or prefab doors. So what gives? Other than a slightly larger gap in the doors themselves (shouldn't make a difference), why wouldn't masonry doors work just the same? There is no blower, and no other exterior vents on the outside of the metal or brick. I'll try to attach a couple pics. I built my first fire in our recently purchased house yesterday. Everything draws great and vents stayed cool due to outside air flow. Please help me think through this. If I were able to use masonry doors that mount inside the brick, there are many more options with cabinet style doors. If somebody can explain why masonry doors are a bad idea, or how the airflow would be different with prefab doors, I'll stick to prefab. I certainly want to be safe, I just can't see the difference between them on my fireplace. Thanks!
I have an FMI 42C fireplace. There are holes for glass doors, but no rail or door guides installed. I understand the prefab fireplaces have air vents to keep them from overheating. My dilemma is this: If I put the "prefab" bi fold doors that are designed for this fireplace, they will cover the two large air vents (one on either side down low). If I were to buy masonry glass doors, they also would be covering the vents. In other words, the vents will be running wide open and fresh, cool air will be sucked in from outside to fuel combustion. That won't change a bit with masonry or prefab doors. So what gives? Other than a slightly larger gap in the doors themselves (shouldn't make a difference), why wouldn't masonry doors work just the same? There is no blower, and no other exterior vents on the outside of the metal or brick. I'll try to attach a couple pics. I built my first fire in our recently purchased house yesterday. Everything draws great and vents stayed cool due to outside air flow. Please help me think through this. If I were able to use masonry doors that mount inside the brick, there are many more options with cabinet style doors. If somebody can explain why masonry doors are a bad idea, or how the airflow would be different with prefab doors, I'll stick to prefab. I certainly want to be safe, I just can't see the difference between them on my fireplace. Thanks!
