how to remove an attached fireplace grate

Step 3. Finish the job by screwing a brass cap onto your gas line so you can turn your gas back on and it won't leak out of the line. Last Updated: March 12, 2020 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS. Rinse with water and wipe dry. Not me. How do you remove a gas fireplace insert? Maintain the natural curve of your back and try not to twist your torso to avoid injuring your back. Build up the fire directly on the ash bed. Keep in mind that whatever you use may get dirty or torn. Cleaning wood fireplaces. What it looks like is that you have a wood fireplace that has had a gas log burner installed in it. X Except for the left one which has a gas line punched through. Also remove the fireplace grate. Then use the wire brush to clean away smaller clumps of ash and debris clinging to the grate. If you are planning on using one of our reflective firebacks with the grate, the gas starter may need slightly more than 6" of clearance behind it. The fireplace expert goes on: ''Begin with about one inch of ashes on the fireplace floor. Cold air is heavier than warm air, so if the outside is too cold, it can create a river of cold air flowing down the chimney, into the fireplace, and trapped there by the doors. Take a crowbar and remove the trim around the insert. You may have to use a crowbar to loosen the insert enough to be able to move it by hand. By using our site, you agree to our. Once it's loosened, pull out on the shelf to remove it. Our fireplace has a trapezoidal shaped base, so the back of the grate is shorter than the front of the grate. If your fireplace has glass doors, open the doors 15 to 20 minutes before lighting your fire. Keep the damper open until the fire is completely out. Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. To remove a wood-burning or electrical fireplace insert, first remove all of the trim from around the fireplace, including any brick, rockwork, or drywall that is covering the insert. Once you've taken out the fireplace surround, you might find there's a fireback. The carpet should be at least 5 foot (1.5 m) longer and wider than the insert so you can easily grab the edges when you're moving the insert. You will probably need to have someone help you move the insert if you're not used to lifting heavy objects on your own. Teflon tape is usually yellow, as opposed to basic plumber’s tape, which is white. The burner will then be located in the area just below where the grate's front legs are attached. For tips on disassembling a gas insert, read on! wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 74,252 times. Step 4: Set it off to the Side References. That's OK to do. At this point, you can safely and completely remove the fireplace insert. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Slide the grate out toward the edge of the fireplace. See what to do with those ashes. Absolutely. With your pry bar, pry the insert and disconnect it completely. Start by knocking off any chunks of ash with the handle of a wire brush. The first step was to measure the fireplace. If your fireplace is on a second floor, you’ll probably need the help of professional movers to get the insert down the stairs. When you can access the gas line, remove it as well. However, you may only need to have a partial removal in order to have the fireplace insert taken out. In this case, call the gas company and have them turn off your gas for you. This is a prefab builder-installed wood / gas fireplace of unknown manufacture, mid 2000s. Pry the insert free with a crowbar, then slide it onto a piece of carpet so you can easily move it across your floor. Remove the old logs from the fireplace. This article has been viewed 74,252 times. Then, place three logs on the top at an angle. How much does it cost to remove a fireplace insert? Take out all the things from the mantle, the surrounding floor, and walls and clear the fireplace. No additional power tools, nozzles required to remove fireplace mantel. 1. You'll need the overlap so you'll have something to grab onto when you're moving the insert. Scrub them with a nylon brush to remove soot. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. [1] Put on a pair of gloves and invite your lifting assistant to do the same. Remove the top grate of the fireplace (if applicable). If you don't have an old scrap of carpet handy, try piling up some old pillows or thick blankets on the floor. Here are the guidelines for the process. Obviously, or else I might have taken this gold feature to the curb last June. A fireplace with a good draft also generates less ash than a fireplace whose air flow is choked off by ash build-up. Once the fixings have been removed, take the weight of the surround, remove the piece of wood supporting the surround and pulling the surround forward, lower on to the floor. Cleaning the Grate. We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. Remember to use your legs to bear most of the weight when you're lifting something heavy. Learn How to Remove an Outdated Fireplace Surround - YouTube Grab the head of each nail with the hooked end of your hammer and pry it free. Look for the fireplace damper. You can purchase a brass safety cap and Teflon tape from any home improvement store. If there is any flashing nailed to the framing, remove the nails holding the insert in place, then disassemble as many parts of the insert as possible, including any pipes or vents which you might see. You can also place small logs over the electric candles so only their flames can be seen. Step 6 % of people told us that this article helped them. Removing a fireplace cover like ours was actually a lot easier than I expected. Disconnect the burner and gas line. Remove the log grate from the firebox. Open the doors of the fireplace, if it has them. wikiHow's. Lifetime Fireplace Grates are guaranteed by the factory to last a lifetime and will be the last grate that you will ever buy. Allow the fireplace to cool down completely before attempting to remove the fireplace grate. It can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,500 for the project to be completed by a professional. Use a metal polish for extra shine. FIG. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. However, restoration work can be done effectively even with the fireplace attached to the wall. The insert may be considerably larger than it appears at first, since it is hidden behind this framing. Remember that whatever you use beneath the fireplace insert is likely to get stained or torn. For tips on disassembling a gas insert, read on! Clean the grate with hearth cleaner outdoors over a tarp to remove creosote buildup. Use a wire brush to remove rust and loose material on the surround. Shake a can of spray-on rust neutralizer for one to two minutes. Keep the pry bar at the point where the mantle is attached to the wall. Some homes, especially older ones, do not have a house-side valve. Research source Turn off the gas valve to the fireplace. This will allow the inside of the fireplace to come to room temperature. This is known as a street-side valve, and should only be operated by someone from the gas company. Remember that these inserts can be quite heavy. How are fireplace mantels attached to brick? Although this is a job best done by professionals, especially if you have a gas insert, it is possible to remove your fireplace insert yourself. The best steel bar grate available is a Lifetime Fireplace Grate. Remove the andirons and grate from your fireplace and take them outside. This keeps the draft against the back wall of the fireplace and eliminates smoke puffs into the home. Note: Some of … Ours attached from within using a series of 4 clamps to lock it in place (one in each corner), and there were no unsightly screw holes or damage to the stone to speak of. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Tap it gently, but with enough force to pull the nails from the wall. The grate (the centre piece going back into the fireplace) may be fixed to the surround with screws or bolts, but there is no need to separate them as the surround and grate will come out together. If there is any flashing nailed to the framing, remove the nails holding the insert in place, then disassemble as many parts of the insert as possible, including any pipes or vents which you might see. Following the manufacturer's instructions, finish the metal with black stove grate polish and burnish with a brush or soft cloth. Use extreme caution when you're working with gas. I used a bench top vice grip to hold the rebar while I pulled on the free end to get a 90 degree bend. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. Push or pull the insert so that it slides across the floor as you remove it from your house. I'm not really looking to "mess around" with the design, the panels are prefab panels which normally come out, they are just held by top clips. Come join the discussion about tools, projects, builds, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! For the best protection, it should be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Ideally, you should have about 3" on all sides of the grate to ensure proper function & air flow. Don’t lift it and carry it as you are liable to injure yourself carrying something so heavy; you want to just slide it out of the way. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Remove all the soot and ashes from the body, and take off as much as you can from the beginnings of the pipe. Move anything out of the way that would impeded the removal of the fireplace grate. There is usually a valve located just before the meter that must be opened and closed with a wrench. At the onset, remove the fireplace from the wall, if possible. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Access Fireplace Controls Remove the front screen or open the bottom grate of the fireplace. Now that you have your depth measurement, subtract 6 inches from this measurement. A fireplace grate should have at least four legs, but six or more is better. Removing a Wood-Burning or Electrical Insert, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/80\/Remove-a-Fireplace-Insert-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Remove-a-Fireplace-Insert-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/80\/Remove-a-Fireplace-Insert-Step-1.jpg\/aid9841519-v4-728px-Remove-a-Fireplace-Insert-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"