Do you use a fireback in your fireplace?

[Tussiemussies]

Just wondering, never heard of a firebacks, but in reading some frugal articles it was written that they produce a lot of heat and help save on energy costs. It also mentioned you need a rod iron bed that is above the floor for your logs, which we do have.

Does anyone have any experience with using one of these? Thanks!:):)

[CathyA]

I think this is a new house for you, right? I can't answer your question about a fireback (never heard of it) but be sure to have a chimney person check out your chimney to make sure all the liner is intact and there's no creosote build up. And be sure to heat up your chimney well with burning newspaper before you start your fire, or your house will fill with smoke. And have a really good starter fire with dry twigs and newspaper before you add any logs. Oh.....and make sure your flue is open! And wait until the next day after the fire is totally out to close it. I know its probably overkill, but we have a CO detector because sometimes a smoldering fire can give that gas off without making your smoke alarms go off.
Sorry if I've given you too much info! :)

[Merski]

We lived for 21 years in an old house and had 2 working fireplaces and used firebacks. DH says if you have a very deep fireplace, it probably wouldn't be worth it. They also function to keep the bricks and mortar at the back of the fireplace from degrading from the heat of burning wood. Yes it is important to get the wood off the floor of the fireplace. It will burn better if it gets air from underneath. Sigh! Our fireplaces are one of the only things we miss from our old house that we couldn't fit into our very efficient new house. Enjoy those fires. They may not be great at warming your house but we know they do warm your soul.

[Float On]

Dad has an insert in his fireplace that is pipes that run under the grate up the back wall and then open out towards the room (above the fire) and it has a blower attached (pluged into close outlet), it pushes fire warmed air out into the room (can get quite warm and prevents the fireplace from sucking heat out of the room)...is that the same thing as a 'fireback'?

[Merski]

A fireback is a cast iron slab that sort of leans againstthe back wall of the fireplace. When people see it they used to ask "why is there a door in your fireplace?" They can be very simple to quite ornate.

[herisf]

<snip> be sure to have a chimney person check out your chimney to make sure all the liner is intact and there's no creosote build up. <snip>+1 on having a professional check the integrity of your chimney and ensuring your flue is working properly. You really don't want to have a chimney fire right after you move in!

And a fireback could well be worth it, depending on the size/shape of your fireplace. You can get fireback supports that hold them upright, so that heat will radiate more directly into the room. They can be very expensive (the set at Plow & Hearth are $80!) so I would look on Craigs List or eBay first.

[CathyA]

I can't believe we've had a fireplace for 30 years and never heard about a fireback! I'll have to look into that.