Yes, generally, the glass doors on a wood-burning fireplace should be kept open while a fire is actively burning. This practice is crucial for maintaining a healthy and efficient fire.
Why Keep Fireplace Glass Doors Open While Burning?
For long, healthy burning fires, it is recommended to keep your wood-burning fireplace glass doors open. The primary reason for this is to ensure a steady flow of oxygen. Oxygen is a vital component for combustion, and a fire requires a consistent supply of air to burn efficiently and sustain its flames.
- Optimal Airflow: Keeping the doors open allows an unimpeded flow of air directly to the fire, fueling the combustion process.
- Healthy Flame: Adequate oxygen promotes a brighter, more robust flame, indicating efficient burning of the wood.
- Longer Burn Times: A well-oxygenated fire can burn more completely and for longer durations.
- Common Misconception: It's a common misconception that closing the doors helps a fire burn longer. In reality, restricting oxygen can cause the fire to smolder, produce more smoke, and eventually die out due to a lack of fuel for combustion.
When to Keep Glass Doors Closed
While the doors should be open during active burning for airflow, there are specific times when closing them is beneficial for safety and efficiency:
- When the Fire is Out or Dying Down: Once the flames have subsided and only embers remain, or when the fireplace is not in use, closing the glass doors helps prevent drafts from entering the room and pulling heat up the chimney. This can significantly improve your home's energy efficiency by retaining warmth.
- For Safety: Even with the glass doors open during burning, it's crucial to ensure a sturdy mesh screen or metal curtain is closed. This acts as a barrier to prevent sparks, embers, or rolling logs from escaping the fireplace and posing a fire hazard to your home. Once the fire is completely extinguished and the ashes are cool, the glass doors can be fully closed to seal off the fireplace opening.
- Overnight or When Unattended: If you leave the house or go to bed and the fire is still active, it's safest to ensure the mesh curtain is closed. Once the fire has died down completely, closing the glass doors can help contain any lingering odors and improve indoor air quality.
By understanding the role of oxygen in combustion and differentiating between active burning and the aftermath, you can safely and efficiently manage your fireplace.
