What Type of Fireplace Do I Have? A Quick Identification Guide

Today, we’re diving into the world of fireplaces to help you figure out exactly what kind of fireplace you have. This may not be as exciting as choosing the perfect doors for it, but it's a crucial step in the process. With the right information, you’ll be able to make the best decision for your home. Let’s make this simple and straightforward!

Step 1: Be Your Own Fireplace Detective

Grab your flashlight, a notepad, and get ready for some investigative work! Peek inside your fireplace—yep, right into the soot and shadows. You’re on the hunt for a metal tag or manufacturer’s label. It might be hiding in sneaky spots like under the lintel or near the gas valve. If you find it, congratulations—you’ve uncovered your fireplace’s secret identity! It’s like being Sherlock Holmes but with fewer suspicious characters and way more soot.

Step 2: No Tag? Let’s Play "Guess the Fireplace!"

Didn’t find the tag? No worries! Now we play "Guess the Fireplace!"

Shows the two different style of fireplaces for fireplace glass doors

• Masonry Fireplace: If your fireplace looks like it was built with bricks or stone, congrats! You’ve got a classic masonry fireplace. These are usually found in older homes and have a certain “I belong in a castle” vibe. If you knock on the back and it sounds like solid rock or brick, you’ve got yourself a winner.

• Zero Clearance Fireplace: Zero Clearance fireplaces are factory-made metal fireboxes that come with a metal flue pipe. Some are easy to spot because they have metal vents (called louvers) at the top and bottom.

  Other types, known as “Clean Faced” units, are trickier to identify because they don’t have those visible vents. These fireplaces usually have a manufacturer’s tag or model number near the front, which makes it easy to find the right doors.

  A simple test to check if you have a Zero Clearance fireplace is to knock on the back or side walls. If it sounds metallic or hollow, it's likely a Zero Clearance insert. These units are made of metal and have a hollow space behind them to help manage heat.

  And a quick tip: Just because your fireplace has a brick or stone facade doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a masonry fireplace—it could still be a Zero Clearance unit!

Step 3: Bust Out the Measuring Tape

Now comes the part where you get hands-on. You’ll need to measure the height, width, and depth of your fireplace so you don’t end up with doors that are either laughably too big or comically small. Think of it like ordering jeans online—accurate measurements are the difference between “wow” and “what?!”

• Measure the height from top to bottom.

• Measure the width across the front.

• Measure the depth from front to back.

Step 4: Phone a Friend (or the Internet)

Still not sure? Don’t sweat it. Snap a dramatic photo of your fireplace and post it online for a crowd-sourced guessing game—or better yet, Reach out to Fireplace Doors Online – they’re the experts when it comes to anything related to fireplace glass doors!. There’s a whole community of fireplace fanatics out there, including me! Feel free to contact me for help—I’m always happy to solve the fireplace mystery with you.

Step 5: Get Those Gorgeous Doors!

Once you’ve cracked the case and know whether you’ve got a masonry or Zero Clearance fireplace, it’s time for the fun part—shopping for doors! Whether you’re going for sleek glass doors or a rustic iron look, just make sure they fit your fireplace. Measure twice, order once!

And hey, if all else fails, just bribe your neighbor with cookies to help figure it out. You’ve got this—happy fireplace door shopping!