Fireplace Accessories: Fireplace Grates

Chances are that your fireplace will be among the first items to attract your visitors' attention. Interior designers are well aware of this, so you can expect to find a variety of models for every accessory you want to add to your fireplace. The accessory we're going to have a look at in the following paragraphs is the metallic frame that holds the logs in the fireplace, usually called a fireplace grate. Apart from their practical use for maintaining a good flow of air to keep the fire burning, fireplace grates are also designed so as to appeal to our aesthetic sense.

Fireplace grates can be made of steel or cast iron. Cast iron is generally preferred due to its higher durability and the possibility of using such fireplace grates with coal in addition to wood. The use of steel fireplace grates is restricted to wood, since coal can easily slip through the bars. Fireplace grate heaters are also available, enabling you to save costs by using more of the heating power of the fireplace. Lets have a brief look at each of these types, to help you decide which is the most suitable for you.

1. Steel fireplace grates consist of bars for supporting the wood. Because these bars are not so close to one another, steel fireplace grates is not recommended for coal. There are various degrees of bar thickness. The choice should be made according to the frequency with which you use the fireplace and the quantity of wood you expect to be using. For a fireplace that's used a lot, you should take a fireplace grate with thicker bars.

2. Cast iron is often a better choice, for the reasons we have already stated. Again, the weight should be chosen according to how much you use the fireplace. You're safer with the heavier models of fireplace grates, of course, but they will be more expensive, so it might be worth it to make an estimation of how much wood you will be burning before purchasing a fireplace grate.

3. Fireplace grate heaters are more complex, because they not only serve as support for the wood, but also direct the heat towards the room. Fireplace grates consist of tubes that blow the heat generated by the burning wood into the room. It is generally known that as much as 90% of the heat goes up the chimney, so anything that will direct some of that energy where you need it is worth the money. Thermostats are usually included, to give you more control.

The chimney can also influence the life span of the fireplace grate. If the chimney doesn't draw well enough as to keep the fireplace dry, that can have a bad impact on the fireplace grate. As long as everything is working fine, however, you will not only enjoy better heating, but you'll also be spending less money in the long run.

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