|
Who
would have thought a fireplace grate could have
so many options. With our large selection
believe us when we tell you that anyone could
get confused if you didn't know what you were
looking for. Here we will try to answer
any questions you may have as well as inform you
about the different types of grates, why you
should use a grate, and how to get the most out
of your fireplace grate. See our selection
of over
90 Fireplace
Grates.
Why do I need a fireplace grate:
-
Better quality burn - The wood
is lifted off of the floor allowing air to be
pulled in from underneath the wood, your fire
will be supercharged with air making it hotter
and more efficient.
-
More complete burn - Burned
pieces of wood fall to the fireplace floor through
the spaces in the grate creating a bed of super
hot coals. This allows the wood above
to be burned from the bottom up so you don't
need to adjust and move the wood once placed
on the grate.
-
Protection of your fireplace
floor - The grate keeps the real heat up off
the floor protecting your concrete from the
extreme heat of the fire. This will add
life to your fireplace.
-
Better drafting - When you lift
the fire off of the floor you do two things,
lift the fire closer to the chimney and allow
air to move under the fire. By doing this
you not only supercharge your fire but you also
help it draft smoke and fumes out the chimney
instead of into your home. Sometimes a
smoking fireplace can be cured by the use of
a grate.
-
Less work - Most fireplace
grates have a front and back that curl up.
This helps to cradle your firewood to keep it
in one location and also helps to continuously
force the wood to the middle of the grate.
Instead of having to move the wood around all
the time you simply add more when needed.
This can help reduce hot embers from popping
out and burning your floor as well.
-
Easier to light - Using a grate
allows air to get under the wood making the
fire much easier to start.
What grate is right for me:
There are
three main types of fireplace grates, steel bar
used for wood, cast iron generally used for wood
or coal, and grate heaters for wood which produce
heat back into the home. Coal cannot be used
on the steel bar grates simply because the bars
are spread too far apart and the coal would fall
through. Wood on the other hand can be burned
on a steel grate or a cast iron grate, however they
have a tendency to hold the embers on the grate
blocking the air from reaching the wood. Cast
iron grates tend to last longer than the average
steel bar grate with the exception of very heavy
steel bar grates. Grate heaters are tubular
(hollow) grates that once hot will blow warm or
hot air back into the home. While not quite
as efficient as a fireplace insert they are about
one forth the price and do a great job of pumping
heat into your home.
 |
Lets start out by looking at the steel bar
grate. Steel bar grates are generally
separated by the thickness of the bars used
for constructing the grate. The general
rule of thumb is the thicker the bars the
longer it will last. The main things
you want to look at are how often you plan
on using the fireplace and what type of
wood you will be burning. Lets look
at the different users:
-
Rare - If this will
be used on a rare occasion only, holidays,
birthdays, and special occasions then
a lighter duty grate will do just fine.
-
Frequent - If you are
burning once a month or more then a
middle to high grade grate should be
considered. Also consider the
type of wood, hardwoods like, Maple,
Oak, Beachwood, etc. burn hotter than
softer woods adding stress to your grate.
Thicker steel will last longer.
-
Daily - If this is you
then you probably already know that
you need the thickest, heaviest grate
you can afford. We now offer a
Lifetime Grate for those who burn all
the time.
|
 |
Now lets take a look at the cast iron grate.
Cast iron grates have small gaps on the
bottom to allow your coal or wood chunks
to stay on the grate longer burning more
completely. The bottom line with cast
iron is weight. The heavier the grate
the stronger. Again you can determine
what is right for you by the amount you
plan on burning.
-
Rare - If this will
be used on a rare occasion only, holidays,
birthdays, and special occasions then
a lighter duty grate will do just fine.
-
Frequent - If you are
burning once a month or more then a
middle to high grade grate should be
considered.
-
Daily - If this is you
then you probably already know that
you need the thickest, heaviest grate
you can afford.
|
 |
Grate heaters are another alternative that
we highly recommend. While much more
costly a grate heater can pay for itself
quickly from the heat it produces back into
the room. There are various types
of these heat exchangers but the basic principle
is the same. The hollow tubing gets
hot from the fire and a fan blows heat through
the hollow tubes into the room. Some
are thermostatically controlled so the fan
turns on and off automatically once the
tubing gets hot. You can expect to
get 10,000 to 40,000 BTU's of heat back
into your home from these units which is
enough to heat a large room and other parts
of the home.
|
How do I make my fireplace grate last:
The bottom line
here is to start with a quality product. You
can get a grate at almost any store that sells fireplace
equipment these days. The problem is the construction
and materials used are generally less than optimum.
You will find that with these grates you are lucky
if they last you a season. Once you replace
one or two you go looking for something better.
Below is a list of things to watch out for:
| Steel Bar Grates |
Cast Iron Grates |
- Watch for poor welds where the top
bars meet the legs. The welds
should be on the diagonals not on the
flats. These welds are going to
be the most likely places for the grate
to break.
- Thin steel bars result in short
life span, generally 1/2" bars are used
and for even the rare user they may
not last long if you are burning hardwoods.
I always suggest upgrading to at least
the 5/8" grate.
- All grates are going to rust due
to heat and moisture. A good chimney
cap may help to keep moisture out of
the firebox. Our grates are powder
coated for initial protection but after
several burns this will wear down as
well.
- Last but not least the # of bars
in relation to the width are important.
One less bar means less heat distribution
meaning more stress on the welds.
|
- Weight, weight, weight, it's all
about the weight. Weigh the grates
at you local hardware store and compare
it to the weight of our grates on line.
The heavier the better.
- As for design, it is really personal
preference. No one style is necessarily
better than the other. Be aware
some cast iron grates are now being
made to burn wood so watch for large
gaps in the bottom if you are using
it to burn coal.
|
|
