Freestanding 1950's fireplace

[jr195]

Hi, Just bought a house with this freestanding fireplace, which I'm guessing is from the 1950's since that's when the house was built. I don't see any identifying marks on it. The front grate lets most air through, so I believe you wouldn't call this a wood stove. The box is about 1/8" thick steel all around, with some bricks on the bottom (no grate) and some sort of concrete or stone back wall.

It doesn't heat the house very well, even burning what I think is well-seasoned hardwood. From reading other posts here I guess it's because it's essentially an open hearth fireplace, which isn't efficient at all. Question is whether there's anything to be done to improve it, like getting a glass front, adding additional bricks to the sides, closing the pipe damper part way, etc.

 

[xman23]

Cool looking fireplace. If the Jetsons had a fireplace that could be it. I guess you could try controlling the burn rate by putting on glass doors. My brother did this to his fireplace, but he kept having the glass break. I think the stove police here will say your messing with a stove. I don't know if there was any testing of stoves when that was made. If the location is good, the chimney chase is done. Probably a new stove will need a new chimney.

 

[theora55]

View attachment 269381

Hi, Just bought a house with this freestanding fireplace, which I'm guessing is from the 1950's since that's when the house was built. I don't see any identifying marks on it. The front grate lets most air through, so I believe you wouldn't call this a wood stove. The box is about 1/8" thick steel all around, with some bricks on the bottom (no grate) and some sort of concrete or stone back wall.

It doesn't heat the house very well, even burning what I think is well-seasoned hardwood. From reading other posts here I guess it's because it's essentially an open hearth fireplace, which isn't efficient at all. Question is whether there's anything to be done to improve it, like getting a glass front, adding additional bricks to the sides, closing the pipe damper part way, etc.

People like that era, you might be able to get some cash for it and get a more useful wood stove.