Firebacks

[Miles86]

I wanted to post this for those who use a regular wood burning fireplace, not a woodstove.

My house, due to the floorplan, unfortunately cannot fit a woodstove so I have been using my two factory built fireplaces to supplement my heating. Each pre-fab has it's own 12" round flue pipe. It's a early 70's contemporary type and most of the flue is outside the house (painted to match the color of the roof).

Anyway, I recently bought two cast iron firebacks for the fireplaces, each one weighs 55 lbs, and is painted black. You can choose a variety of cast designs.

First I swept the flues with my poly brush, then installed at the rear wall of the firebox and reinstalling the grate, I lit up a fire and wow-the claims about increasing the efficiency and heat out into the room are true! Even after a short time (1 hour) the difference is very noticible. I love these firebacks! Just wanted to share, wish I had bought these a long time ago.

They are often seen in historic colonial homes, just shows that our pioneers had many good ideas that still work today.

Firebacks | WoodlandDirect.com: Fireplace Accents & Decor, Fireplace Firebacks, Pennsylvania Firebacks, Cast Iron Fireback

 

[Chris-PA]

I agree - I have beautiful one my wife got me years ago. They work very well, as do most thing developed when people relied on them to survive! Now get rid of the fire grate and burn the wood right down on the hearth. This will keep the coals from burning up in the excessive airflow up through the grate, and when you build up a good bed of coals you'll really get some heat to reflect off that fireback.

 

[Miles86]

I agree - I have beautiful one my wife got me years ago. They work very well, as do most thing developed when people relied on them to survive! Now get rid of the fire grate and burn the wood right down on the hearth. This will keep the coals from burning up in the excessive airflow up through the grate, and when you build up a good bed of coals you'll really get some heat to reflect off that fireback.

Great idea! Thanks for this tip, I never thought of that either.

 

[Chris-PA]

Great idea! Thanks for this tip, I never thought of that either.

Hey, let me know if you notice a difference without the grate - I sure think it makes an improvement. When we burn the fireplace and people stop over I often get comments on how much heat it puts out, but those area casual comments and I'm curious to see what another wood heat nut thinks!

Of course fireplaces are inefficient at heating the room, but nowhere else to you get direct radiant heat off the coals to heat you, and man can you feel it.

 

[Dr. Hackemoff]

I wanted to post this for those who use a regular wood burning fireplace, not a woodstove.

My house, due to the floorplan, unfortunately cannot fit a woodstove so I have been using my two factory built fireplaces to supplement my heating. Each pre-fab has it's own 12" round flue pipe. It's a early 70's contemporary type and most of the flue is outside the house (painted to match the color of the roof).

Anyway, I recently bought two cast iron firebacks for the fireplaces, each one weighs 55 lbs, and is painted black. You can choose a variety of cast designs.

First I swept the flues with my poly brush, then installed at the rear wall of the firebox and reinstalling the grate, I lit up a fire and wow-the claims about increasing the efficiency and heat out into the room are true! Even after a short time (1 hour) the difference is very noticible. I love these firebacks! Just wanted to share, wish I had bought these a long time ago.

They are often seen in historic colonial homes, just shows that our pioneers had many good ideas that still work today.

Firebacks | WoodlandDirect.com: Fireplace Accents & Decor, Fireplace Firebacks, Pennsylvania Firebacks, Cast Iron Fireback

Always wondered about a fireback...two kind of related questions:

1. Will the increased heat throw be extra hard on the door glass (reducing its life) and

2. The glass in my Kozy Heat is over twenty years old...am I on borrowed time with it? FYI I clean it (when it's cool/warm, never hot) every other day with blue can Easy Off oven cleaner and Windex (works great).

Thanks,
Da Hack

 

[Chris-PA]

I have the "North Star" fireback. Cast iron sure is pricy anymore!

 

[Bushmans]

I agree - I have beautiful one my wife got me years ago. They work very well, as do most thing developed when people relied on them to survive! Now get rid of the fire grate and burn the wood right down on the hearth. This will keep the coals from burning up in the excessive airflow up through the grate, and when you build up a good bed of coals you'll really get some heat to reflect off that fireback.

I often wondered about the darn log grate. All those nice hot coals under it and the wood above it. many times I slide a skinny piece under the grate to help things out.
So take out the giant cast iron monstrosity and let er rip right on the fire brick huh? What about using regular plate steel for a fire backer? I can get lots of that at work for "free"? I also heat my house with a fireplace and have had a pretty good go of it so far. Of course I have to use the furnace a bit when it gets real cold but it is a fireplace after all and in the bottom floor of a bi-level house.

 

[ponyexpress976]

Other than regular plate steel warping...and maybe not lasting as long?

 

[Chris-PA]

Other than regular plate steel warping...and maybe not lasting as long?

Yeah, but it should reflect the heat.

EDIT: BTW, has anyone noticed just how much heat the screen blocks? The heat transfer method from a traditional fireplace is entirely radiant. Any hot air goes up the flue. So I try to arrange the logs such that the coals are exposed to the room, not hidden behind a log. But when you put the screen in the way it's like the heat gets cut in half!

I think I'm going to go light a fire in the fireplace.

 

[Bushmans]

My fireplace has heat tubes in the back and on top so it blows hot air but I thought I could put a couple plates behind those to help out. Not really looking for looks as I plan on replacing with a wood stove by next winter

 

[Chris-PA]

I was looking at their catalog a bit more and saw this one - the original is in our Township building:

I would very much like to have one of these copies, but damn that's expensive. I'm looking at a getting a large iron floor grate to allow better hot air movement through the house, but they're awful pricy too.

 

[Miles86]

I was looking at their catalog a bit more and saw this one - the original is in our Township building:

I would very much like to have one of these copies, but damn that's expensive. I'm looking at a getting a large iron floor grate to allow better hot air movement through the house, but they're awful pricy too.

Wood:

Yes, that's a really nice one, I opted for the "Hopewell" design, they look great and actually function, I think money well spent.

I alway leave the screens open unless I leave the area for a bit. No glass doors on my fireplace. The screens really act as a damper, a lot more than you would think.

I noticed prices can vary a lot from seller to seller.

 

[Chris-PA]

Wood:

Yes, that's a really nice one, I opted for the "Hopewell" design, they look great and actually function, I think money well spent.

I alway leave the screens open unless I leave the area for a bit. No glass doors on my fireplace. The screens really act as a damper, a lot more than you would think.

I noticed prices can vary a lot from seller to seller.

I liked the Hopewell too. I noticed the Hereford one I showed is gone since the time I posted it! Oh well, I can't afford a $334 fireback I don't need anyway.

I also don't use the screen unless I leave the room - and our fireplace room has a stone floor, so that helps.

 

[bbxlr8]

Miles86 - Thanks for posting this & the link. I am on the second winter here in PA and running a stove on the lower level but have a traditional FP in family room that I throw wood in for fun rather than heat! This may get me off the fence for next winter plus some of those look pretty nice & reasonable.

BTW - My old house had a huge masonry FP in the center with a heatilator (sp?) set up and it cranked out the heat so no need for a back.

 

[Del Conner]

I was looking at their catalog a bit more and saw this one - the original is in our Township building:

I would very much like to have one of these copies, but damn that's expensive. I'm looking at a getting a large iron floor grate to allow better hot air movement through the house, but they're awful pricy too.

Hi Chris, I know it's been awhile but my company Pennsylvania Firebacks makes this reproduction of a stove plate now used as a fireback. The original I borrowed from Joe Stokes had a big crack. I filled it in with wax and made the pattern. The original is now in the Rittenhouse Museum in Philadelphia. Still cast in Pennsylvania, the price has only gone up a little sine you posted. A beautiful fireback and very popular, they do make a big difference in heating. I did the pattern work while living in Awbury Arboretum in Philadelphia for thirty years. Endless firewood.

 

[Chris-PA]

Hi Chris, I know it's been awhile but my company Pennsylvania Firebacks makes this reproduction of a stove plate now used as a fireback. The original I borrowed from Joe Stokes had a big crack. I filled it in with wax and made the pattern. The original is now in the Rittenhouse Museum in Philadelphia. Still cast in Pennsylvania, the price has only gone up a little sine you posted. A beautiful fireback and very popular, they do make a big difference in heating. I did the pattern work while living in Awbury Arboretum in Philadelphia for thirty years. Endless firewood.

Hey, thanks for the update! I checked out your web site and you have a lot of nice stuff. My wife got me a North Star fireback years ago, although I don't know if it's exactly the same as the one you carry.

EDIT: It looks like the North Star we have must be the same. We've had it for about 15 years and always loved it.

 

[Del Conner]

Hey, thanks for the update! I checked out your web site and you have a lot of nice stuff. My wife got me a North Star fireback years ago, although I don't know if it's exactly the same as the one you carry.

EDIT: It looks like the North Star we have must be the same. We've had it for about 15 years and always loved it.

Thanks for the reply Chris. The North Star is my favorite of all my firebacks. I think it the most original. We have a new site we just put up with some new designs and a price list with discounts, www.fireplacefirebacks.com

May your hearth and holidays be warm.