# Fireplace / Heatilator Question



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

We've just purchased a new home and on the wife's list of upgrades / projects for me to do is sprucing up the fireplace with a mantle and surround. The existing fireplace has vents and blower turned on by a switch on the wall (a heatilator?). Now I haven't had the chimney or the firebox inspected yet to determine the functionality of it and we don't plan on using it until our little guy gets a bit older and he can grasp the idea of "hot" but I don't want to render my fireplace unusable just in case. So my question is, can I cover up these vents or will I be causing myself a bunch of trouble? I could probably work removable panels / plinth blocks into the design if I needed to. FYI - the house was built in 1988.

Here's the pic:


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

Curious to see where you go with this. I'm along for the ride.


----------



## 7Footer (Jan 24, 2013)

I'd probably just make a jig for my router….... ;-)

That's an interesting setup though…. Some dressing up is much needed.


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Hmm, I found this diagram which makes me think that I have a steel firebox and not your typical firebricked fire place. This leads me to believe that if the blower isn't running I could overheat the steel box and possibly cause some harm to it or would all the heat escape up and out the chimney like a regular fireplace?


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

I am sure the firebox insert is strong enough to withstand the fires it was built for, heatilator running or not.


----------



## ToddJB (Jul 26, 2012)

Interesting design. I wouldn't cover them up, but man, they definitely need something. Maybe a mantel directly below the top ones and some properly placed props to obscure the view of the bottoms ones. And maybe find some wrought iron covers to tone it down?


----------



## 7Footer (Jan 24, 2013)

You might want to build a fire and see how much heat comes out of those vents naturally when the blower isn't turned on (if any).

I've got a somewhat similar fireplace, but my blower is different, it's one little vent and it comes out of the side of my fireplace. Yours looks more serious, mine is a bit jenky, but it has rectangular steel 'pipes' that are mounted to the back of the fireplace and from what I can tell they absorb heat and the blower just circulates air from the heat off those two pipes in the back of the fireplace. It almost seems like you'd have to have some sort of steel pipes that go to the upper vents or a bunch of smoke would come out of them.


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

"… It almost seems like you'd have to have some sort of steel pipes that go to the upper vents or a bunch of smoke would come out of them." - Hahah. Pretty sure the chimney pipe attached to the fire box (not pictured in diagram) will prevent the smoke from being pumped back into the house. Bless your heart.


----------



## theoldfart (Sep 9, 2011)

Stef, I cover mine with magnetic sheets. When there's no fire the vents spit out old air in winter. I'll post a pic later. My vents are on the side of my fire place.


----------



## 7Footer (Jan 24, 2013)

Lol T, I can see how that may sound stupid. But my house doesn't have chimney pipe attached directly to the firebox, because the brick structure it's in extends from my basement which also has a fireplace up to the attic. The chimney pipe connects to the top of the brick where it meets the attic and there are 2 shared smoke chambers that meet up in the main floor, if I start a fire on the main floor and the damper isn't closed on the basement it will make the basement all smoky, so it's very possible that the chimney pipe is a few feet above the brick and it has steel pipe attached to the brick to absorb heat.


----------



## theoldfart (Sep 9, 2011)

pics









vents









covered









covers









Also, the vents should not get too hot if you don't run the fan. Mine vents are convection only, no fan. I don't think the fireplace needs to run the fan.


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

I would center the fireplace between the speakers and light a fire, and than dare the kid to touch it, which he wont..cuz it's hot..


----------



## Sodabowski (Aug 23, 2010)

That heatilator business is exactly what I was aiming for when the parents rebuilt the chimney (alas they never listen). Keep it, you really get a lot of heat and great air distribution from such a system. While the kid grows up, you can always build a sawdust press to make pellets and pile them up in the ceiling for when the time will come to fire up the chimney again


----------



## theoldfart (Sep 9, 2011)

BTW, get rid of the BRIGHT BRASS ;-(


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

… so it s very possible that the chimney pipe is a few feet above the brick and it has steel pipe attached to the brick to absorb heat. - 7Footer -They'd put a heatilator in an active smoke chamber? The hell you say?

.

I would center the fireplace between the speakers and light a fire, and than dare the kid to touch it, which he wont..cuz it s hot..- widdle - Gospel.


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

Oldfarts living room smells like weed…


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

...and spilled wine.


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

So we're all assuming that the vents don't really do anything besides recirculate air around the firebox and can safely be covered up while not rendering the fireplace unusable. With that said it would be wise to keep the vents operable for added warmth if the situation ever arose that I needed to heat the house with fire.

Kevin - give me your address nd ill hook you up with the sweet brass surround. Ive also got tons of brass wall plates for ya 

Widds = John Wooden.


----------



## 7Footer (Jan 24, 2013)

God damn T you've really got a hard on for me today. When did you become the fireplace authority?


----------



## theoldfart (Sep 9, 2011)

I appreciate the offer Stef but ….....


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

oh..sorry wrong thread..


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

I friggin' love you 7'.


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

Oh, and I'm no authority, I just enjoy mucking up Stef's threads.


----------



## 7Footer (Jan 24, 2013)

Southern California Fireplace Authority. Heatilator specialist


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

Hahah!


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

So sensi today.


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

Jokes aside..Why wouldn't you want to use the fireplace ? i dont have kids..is that standard procedure if one has kids ?


----------



## 7Footer (Jan 24, 2013)

I was a little BH but got over it quick. I'm not gonna let you break me down. Until today I thought your specialty was soiling those giggly japanese girls you work with!


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

You need a hug bro?


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Its not that I don't want to use it, I just wouldn't use it on an everyday/ week basis. Maybe just a couple times a year ya know. My kids kind of an animal and without a doubt he'll either touch it, pee on it, climb it or throw toys in it. Ive gone through the burning wood for heat phase and it aint for me. Its a gang of work and its messy as hell.

My overall goal of the thread was to find out if blocking the vents with a mantle and surround would be detrimental to the firebox itself. It'll be one of the projects in the near future and wifeys on a design kick so I needed to let her know what would fly. Basically, I would have designed and built the mantle and surround to incorporate the vents if I had to, if I didn't have to, it would save me some headaches.


----------



## 7Footer (Jan 24, 2013)

No need for a hug… Too far? 
Sorry about polluting your thread with banter Stef. Back to business. You'll cover all the brick with stone as well as building the mantel right? Tough call covering the vents permanently, even if you are only using it a couple times per year. I like Todd's Idea of the wrought iron.


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

your probably fine, if the vents are outside of the box,( pull a vent cover and look ).but i would probably call a fire place guy , and tell him your thinking of remodeling and steal some free info..


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

Alright but the offer stands 7'.

Not sorry for the pollution but I too like the idea of iron and not covering them in a permanent way.

My overall goal of the thread was to find out if blocking the vents with a mantle and surround would be detrimental to the firebox itself. - Isn't the removal of options always detrimental?


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

You guys are a trip lol.

7 - Id leave the brick itself, no addition of stone work. Im Italian but I aint no mason. I would just like to add a mantle, a wood surround below it, and replace the bitchin brass face cover or eliminate it completely.

Widds - Ill definitely pop a cover, check the guts and call a fireplace guy. Loves me some free professional opinion.

Tony - I agree but its all going to depend on what design we go with. Its going to end up mostly decoration. If we burn it 5 times a year id be surprised so the loss of it blowing heat isn't a deal killer but is a loss of function which sucks.

This saga will continue with many more design iterations im sure. Hang around the train wreck will continue.


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

Looks like Magoo is in for the ride too, that's a cool pooch.

It will be fun to see what the design half of your outfit decides she wants it to look like.

Thanks, Stef. Sorry for all of 7''s superfluous nonsense, he can't help himself.


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

yeah..maggo's down..game day..
Stef, get a 4' 4" x 8' that is convex and swap out those upper square for circles..


----------



## Sodabowski (Aug 23, 2010)

Chris, did you consider a design for the mantle into which you would have doors facing these openings, that would be seamlessly integrated in the design when closed? That way you could have, say aluminium boxes going through the mantle into the wall and keep all the possibilities of heating, while insulating the mantle enough.

About that too-shiny-brass, well, it could really use a patina, toss it in the garden and let the magic happen!


----------



## 7Footer (Jan 24, 2013)

Just a thought, if Tony permits, if you do end up going with some sort of cover for the vents, you should hit up Super Dave Bardin. Remember those sick drawer pulls he made for another LJ (drawing a blank on who it was) a few months back. I guess it depends on the look you're going for, but you don't need to be a mason to pimp that thing out in a weekend, get some of those dry stack stones with no mortar joints and bust it out.


----------



## john2005 (Jun 8, 2012)

Here's my 2 bits.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/76326

Stuff a gas unit in the old wood box. You can get them to run on just about anything anymore. You want it on once a year around Christmas, you hit a button. No mess. Blows hot air (like everybody else on this thread) but doesn't get burn hot. There's no place to put the toys as the flame is behind glass, unless you get on that's exposed, but then it's on you anyways. You wrap it in wood to look pretty (pic) and wala.


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

That's the ticket John! Wife and I were talking it over last night and that's the exact route we plan on heading. You did a mighty nice job on that one for your folks.


----------



## john2005 (Jun 8, 2012)

Thanks. I told them I couldn't do it with my old crapsman TS, so they got me a Grizzly 1023. Made that job a lot easier as well as most after that. Fingered that was pretty good payment.

The other nice thing is I was able to build it at my house and just haul pieces over to install. Yours may be more elaborate, but your shop is there so I think it'll be easy for you.


----------



## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

Most of the heatilators I have seen that were rigged with that type of vents had the blower motor installed in
the bottom vents, one was even set up so you could access the blowers from the basement for service and
replacement, one had the motor set up variable speed, so you could regulate the airflow according to the 
size of the fire and the amount of heat provided. This type kept the fans and motor away from the heat.
John2005 has a good idea also. Missoula is in a valley with too many inversions and had too many people
who did not want to burn wood without causing too much smoke, so wood stoves except for a few special
clean burning pellet stoves are prohibited. The house I now have had a wood stove and I remodeled that
area of the living room and installed a nice gas fireplace that is super efficient. The only problem in the 
installation would be that the intake air is pulled in around the outside of the exhaust vent, but the stove
people might have an answer for that.


----------



## 489tad (Feb 26, 2010)

Steff my brother in law had the same fireplace set up and never used the blower. Hated it for some reason. Cover them with removable raised panels or something, or not. As far as child safety a screen will keep the Manzo away. I'd worry more about him chasing his sibling and one of them doing a face plant on the blue stone hearth. Did I say sibling? Rumor has been started.


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Dan - I think weve come up with a plan of what the new fireplace is going to look like. I found this for inspiration:










We may not go with the stark white mantle but a reclaimed timber instead but its still up for debate. Eventually id like to put a gas insert in as well. Im thinking that I can use the existing electrical from those blowers to accommodate a wall outlet for a television. I plan on having sparky over to take a look at that as well as give me costs on wiring up the shop.

Rumor starter lol.


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

"_Just a thought, if Tony permits, if you do end up going with some sort of cover for the vents, you should hit up Super Dave Bardin._" - Ha! Speaking the truth about Super Dave though, his work I have seen is phenomenal: Door Pulls for Lysdexic, here and here are some pics. He has a bunch of examples of his work there.


----------



## ToddJB (Jul 26, 2012)

We have our TV on the mantel over our fireplace but it's a non-functioning fire place. Do you have to have any special considerations (heat wise) if you intend on putting your TV up against the chimney?


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

None as of the moment Todd. If we swap it over to gas we'd most likely get one with a blower on the bottom and that would eliminate any of the heat concerns. Its probably a good question to ask the fireplace people when the time comes though.


----------



## duckmilk (Oct 10, 2014)

Stef, late to the party as usual.
We had an identical recirculation system for the fireplace at our last place (even had the horrible brass doors in front which we eventually replaced).
The vent system does NOT exhaust smoke at all, but is isolated behind and around the steel firebox. It provided a lot of, otherwise wasted, heat into the room when we turned it on. It circulates around the metal, picks up heat, and returns it into the room. Ours was reasonably quiet.
Even if you convert yours into a gas fireplace, the blower system will still function to circulate wasted heat to the house. We loved ours.
I was unable to find any pictures, but it looked very similar to yours with the exception of the placement of the lower vents, which were located below the hearth. The upper vents were brick turned vertically with spaces between, thus were not very noticeable.
Hope you see this before you make any major changes.
Mike


----------



## Rehabaddiction (Jan 17, 2016)

Does anyone have some heatilator vent covers they want to get rid of? I'm in the market for four…


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

I ended up painting the existing ones rehab. Good luck on the search.


----------



## vonfalken (Feb 29, 2016)

ive built over 300 fireplaces some where with a heatilator, they were popular back in the late 70s, the cheaper ones tend to rust out. you might consider an insert


----------



## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

^ Good call vonfalken, this dude LOVES the inserts.


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

This guy ^ lol

Ill keep it in mind vonfalken, appreciate the info. We ended up white washing the brick and installing a mantle just above the existing blowers so until the wife changes her mind again about the design, I should be all right.


----------

