Chimney question

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CDeRoss

New Member
Nov 16, 2020
1
Pittsburgh
Hello, new to using a fireplace! Inside my fireplace there is what looks to be insulation just in the inside of the gate? Is this normal or something i should address before i start using it? Attaching a picture for reference.
[Hearth.com] Chimney question
 
The insulation looks like fiberglass, which may have been used to stuff a crack between an old glass door and the brick maybe?

Fiberglass melts around 600°F; don't use it for high temperature applications.

The first things to do before using the fireplace are to visually inspect the inside of the flue using an inspection camera, sweep it out, and read up on wood burning.

Open fireplaces are big heat losers and will cost you oil/gas/electrons every time you open the damper, whether or not you light a fire in them.

It is possible to heat a house with just fireplaces, but it is a whole different definition of "heat a house" than people are used to today (ie below freezing in the far bedrooms, 120 degrees on the hearth). :)
 
It is relatively normal but it is now required to be covered with masonry by code