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Small door in back wall of fireplace

11:01AM | 10/01/03

Member Since: 02/13/03
4 lifetime posts

Small door in back wall of fireplace

Tags: HVAC

Hi,

I just bought a 45 year old house and am starting to winterize the house. The house has an original wood fireplace which has been converted to gas, there is a chimney with a working flue. In the back wall of the fireplace there is a small sliding metal door. It is about 2 inches tall and 10 inches wide. It is located about 8 inches from the floor. What is this door for? Is is a vent of some kind or it is to deposit ashes from the original wood fireplace? I'm asking because quite a bit of cold air is coming in through the little door and I'm hoping I can seal it up.

Thanks,
Greg

CIWS

02:00AM | 10/03/03

It is a door to access the ash. By opening this, you have access to the unburned junk without having to drag it through your house to dispose of it. There is usually a small fiber rope type gasket you replace on the surface of the door. You may even be able to remove the door and take it to a fireplace outlet and they will install a new seal in it for you. This should help with the draft. Good luck.

ksdesigns

09:01PM | 11/20/03

Member Since: 01/13/03
26 lifetime posts

typically ash doors are lower on the wall or even on the fireplace floor and are more square than 2x10. i may be wrong but that's been the case for all the ash doors i've seen. Some fireplaces have make-up air vents to provide outside vent/combustion air when burning a wood fire so that the fire doesnt eat up and draw air from the house. this is what that door may be.

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Small door in back wall of fireplace

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