- You don’t HAVE to use a grate, but it does come with some worthwhile advantages
- They have grill or mesh features that help with airflow and ash clean up
- Benefits of having a grate include increased ventilation, decreased smoke production, and easier fire starting
- One con of owning a grate is that it may not improve the heating efficiency of a fireplace
I was on the fence about installing a grate in my New England home. I wasn’t sure if it would really make that much of a difference. I knew that grates helped with airflow and decreased smoke, but I wasn’t sure if it was worth the hassle.
After doing some more research, I found that grates can also help contain the fire and make it much more manageable. They also help the fire reach up toward the chimney, which reduces the amount of smoke that escapes into the room.
I decided to go ahead and install a grate in my fireplace and I’m so glad I did! It has definitely improved the efficiency of my open fire and made it much easier to manage. Not to mention, it just looks nicer with the grate in place.
When installing a fireplace into your home, the question might come into your mind of whether or not a grate is necessary for your fireplace. The answer to that question is simply, no.
You do not have to have a grate in order to have a fireplace in your home. However, while it is not vital, there are a lot of benefits to having a grate for your fireplace. Some of these benefits include things such as airflow, and easier maintenance and clean up.
It is up to you whether or not it is better for you to purchase a grate for your fireplace.
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What Are The Benefits Of A Fireplace Grate?
One of the main benefits of having a grate for your fireplace is increased airflow. This is especially true if you use a wood burning fireplace. Most grates have legs that allow them to stand up off of the floor.
This is what allows air to flow underneath the fire and keeps the heat directly off of the hearth. Grates are typically made from a mesh or have features that are similar to a grill. All of these features contribute to helping airflow.
Features of a Fireplace Grate
The mesh or grill-like features of a fireplace grate also allow ash to fall through on to the hearth of the fireplace. Getting a pan or tray that sits beneath the grate can help minimize the mess caused by the ash and can make for an easy clean up process.
Who doesn’t love that? Grates range from many different sizes and materials they are made of.
Additional Benefits
As stated above, though it is not a necessity to own a grate for your fireplace, there are many benefits to fireplace grates. Some of these benefits include increased airflow from beneath the fire as well as protecting the hearth of the fireplace from temperatures produced by the fire that can become pretty intense for fireplace walls.
The increased ventilation that comes from the airflow can also decrease the amount of smoke that the fire produces which can be harmful for children and pets. Fireplace grates can even make it easier to start fires with less issues.
Grates may also help to contain fires which makes them much more manageable. They also help fires reach up toward the chimney which, again, reduces the amount of smoke that gets to escape into a room.
In many ways, fireplace grates increase the efficiency of maintaining an open fire in a fireplace. Grates allow you to newspaper underneath whatever logs or kindling you choose to use to start your fire because of the legs that lift them off the floor of the fireplace.
This also aids in preventing the firewood or other kindling from moving or shifting around.
Pros and Cons
There is one con that we can mention about owning a fireplace grate. If your sole need in a fireplace for your home is for heating purposes, grates may not necessarily help that factor. Grates do not, unfortunately, help in allowing a fire to heat up a room.
However, if your only goal of a fireplace for your home is adding ambiance and relaxation to your space, then this may not be a worry of yours.
If you are just looking to to improve the efficiency and ease of maintaing your open fires and are not concerned about the heat output, then you may want to consider purchasing a grate for your open fireplace.
Different Types of Grates
If you are considering purchasing a fireplace grate, you may want to look into your options as far as the many types of fireplace grates there are on the market.
Grates are typically made from either steel or cast iron, just be mindful that steel fireplace grates are usually intended for the use of only wood-burning fireplaces. Cast iron grates are typically can be used with either wood or coal.
Overall, it is not a necessity to use a fireplace grate. Not owning a grate does not mean you cannot install a fireplace into your home. There are many benefits to consider, though, that fireplace grates may bring to your home that could just make your life just a little bit easier.
Hi, my name’s Eugene Duke and I love sitting by my fireplace reading a book and sipping on an adult beverage. Do you have a fireplace in your house? I’ll help you figure out the best type and style of fireplace for your home.
