Heating and Air Guide » fireplace grates

Cast Iron Fireplace Grates

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:44:07 +0000

Fireplaces can be simple and functional, artistic and functional, or somewhere in between. Even with simple fireplace designs, one of the easiest ways to accentuate the overall appearance is by adding accessories. One of the main accessories required for a proper functioning fireplace is a fireplace grate. One of the most efficient and durable pieces available is a cast iron fireplace grate.

What Is A Fireplace Grate?

The grate is a essential component of the fireplace that sits within the fireplace opening. It is designed to hold the burning logs and keep the embers off of the floor of the fireplace. This allows a larger amount of air to pass below the fire, improving its efficiency. A grate can also ensure that the burning logs stay in place and decrease the risk of one rolling out of the front of the fireplace or falling into the rear.

Why Cast Iron?

Cast iron is most frequently noted for its use in cookware. Extremely heavy and thick, cast iron is not exactly easy to handle. Cast iron is, however, popular for the fact that is can essentially last for generations. It is also known for its excellent heat conduction. Primarily because of its durability and ability to handle high heat, cast iron makes an ideal material for fireplace grates. The weight of the cast iron also makes it more likely to stay in place within the fireplace, eliminating the need to constantly readjust its position.

Design Options

A cast iron fire grate come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit nearly any fireplace. Most commonly, they are square or rectangular, flat in the center, and slightly angled or curved up on the front and back sides. Cast iron grates are also available in round designs, primarily used for outdoor fire pits or circular indoor fireplaces located in the center of a room. Cast iron grates can also be found in expandable designs that can be extended in size when larger fires are needed.

Cast iron fireplace grates are durable, affordable and can be found in a variety of designs that are functional as well as attractive.

The Fireplace Grate Heater

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 08:40:24 +0000

In the Winter months, nothing is more pleasant than sitting in front of a warm, crackling fireplace. The heat that emits from the burning logs sitting atop the fireplace grate warms the entire room, or at least most of the room, actually it really just warms the area directly in front of the fireplace itself. Most of the time, its your air conditioner that is actually warming the entire room, using up an unnecessary amount of electricity and wasting money that will have to be spent on the increased electric bill at the end of the month. There is an alternative, however, in the form of a fireplace grate heater.

What Is a Fireplace Grate Heater?

A grate heater functions first as a fireplace grate. This is nothing more than a metal rack designed to place logs on that prevents them from rolling out of the fireplace and also keeps them up off the floor of the unit to provide a longer and hotter burning time. A grate heater, however, uses the excess heat being created by the fire that would normally pass up into the chimney to heat the entire room. At the base of the grate heater is an intake mechanism that pulls the cold air from the room. The unit cycles the cold air through the burning fire on the grate and passes it through to a fan unit. Instead of being wasted up the chimney, the warm air is pushed back into the room by the grate heater fan.

Benefits of a Grate Heater

The obvious benefit of a grate heater is the amount of money you can save each month on electric costs. By taking advantage of the heat produced by your fireplace, you will see an immediate drop in your monthly bill. Another benefit of fireplace grate heaters is the fact that you can control the speed of the fan which, essentially, acts like a thermostat allowing you to increase or decrease the temperature in the room. Grate heaters are easy to install and don't usually require any professional assistance. They can also be adapted for use with most glass door or mesh screen fireplaces enclosures.

If you have a fireplace you use regularly and want to save money on your monthly heating bills, a fireplace grate heater is essential. If you don't use your fireplace that frequently, purchasing a grate heater might actually encourage you to do so more often.

Fireplace Grates

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 01:21:51 +0000

One of the most vital accessories needed to use a fireplace is the fireplace grate. Designed to sit within the fireplace housing, the grate is used to keep the burning logs off of the floor of the fireplace. By raising the logs up off the ground, the grate allows a larger volume of oxygen to pass through from underside, creating a hotter burning and more efficient fire. Because fireplace grates are such an essential accessory to have in your fireplace, they are available in a large variety of metals, designs, shapes, and sizes.

What Metals Can Be Used For Fireplace Grates?

Cast Iron Grates

Cast iron is perhaps one of the most common metals that fireplace grates can be made from. It is extremely durable and able to withstand incredibly high temperatures. Cast iron requires very little maintenance and is extremely heavy, making it much less likely that the grate will slide around easily within the fireplace. One of the main benefits of a cast iron grate is that they created as one solid piece. This means they are able to have very narrow spaces between the air slats which prevents the ember bed from falling to the floor of the fireplace. This lets the fire burn longer as well as hotter. The heavier and thicker the cast iron is, the longer it will last.

Steel Fireplace Grates

Steel is one of the strongest materials that fireplace grates can be made from. Steel fireplace grates have such a high level of resistance to wear and tear that they often come with lifetime warranties. The two most common types of steel used in fireplace grates are flat bar steel and diamond bar steel. Of these two, diamond bar steel is thicker and more durable. Since steel grates are made from bars of steel as opposed to being solid pieces, the spaces between the bars are slightly larger than those of cast iron grates. Because of this, some steel grates are also fitted with a metal mesh screen on the bottom to prevent the embers from falling. The thicker the bars in a steel grate, the longer the grate will last.

Stainless Steel Grates

Stainless steel is the third metal choice for fireplace grate construction and is the preferred metal of choice for outdoor fireplaces or fire pits. Stainless steel is known for being non-corrosive, which gives it an excellent ability to withstand the elements that an outdoor grate would be exposed to. Interior grates can also be found made from stainless steel, but are somewhat rare.

What Types Of Fireplace Grates Are There?

Standard Grate

A standard fireplace grate is essentially flat in the center and turned up slightly on the two longest ends. It rests on four legs and comes in a variety of sizes, designed to fit any typical square or rectangular fireplace. Standard gates are also referred to as non-tapered grates. They are preferred for fireplaces that are open on both sides, usually placed in the center of a room instead of built into a wall. Because a standard grate has ends that are the same height on either side, they provide a more symmetrical appearance when viewed from either side.

Expandable Grate

An expandable grate appears similar to a standard grate at first glance, however, they can be lengthened by adding one or more extension pieces onto each side. Each expansion piece is also fitted with legs to help accommodate the extra length. Expandable grates are often used in larger fireplaces. When a small fire is desired, the grate will be used at its standard size. If the full area of the fireplace is desired for a larger fire, the extension pieces can be added to accommodate the additional wood.

Self-Feeding Grates

Self-feeding fireplace grates are ideal for consumers who want to have to do as little as possible to keep a fire going for a long period of time. Similar to a standard grate, each of the longest ends is elevated upwards at an angle or curve. A self-feeding grate, however, will have one side that is much higher than the other. This allows fresh wood to be stacked up in excess on one side. As each log at the base of the grate burns down, the new logs slowly pass down the higher side to feed the fire.

Regardless of the material or design of grate you are interested in, within each group of metals or grate types are also a wide array of sizes and designs to choose from.