How to Dismantle Fireplace Doors

Over time, the quality of your existing fireplace doors can diminish, meaning you're likely losing inside air through your chimney. If you shut the doors after lighting a fire, poor-quality doors could put you at risk if ash can penetrate the fireplace doors and enter your home. When you notice them deteriorating, it's best to remove fireplace doors and replace them with a new set. The process of dismantling fireplace doors removes both the doors and the insert that holds the doors in position.

Drill
Towel or blanket
Work gloves

Instructions

- 1
  Open the doors to your fireplace and look inside. Note two floor brackets at the bottom and two lintel clamps at the top of the fireplace doors. This is what secures the fireplace doors insert to the fireplace.
- 2
  Unscrew the screws in the floor brackets that secure the fireplace doors to the bottom of the fireplace. If you want to re-install these doors later, make sure you save the screws.
- 3
  Ask a friend to hold the fireplace doors steady while you unscrew the screws in the lintel clamps at the top of the doors. Once you release the final screw, the doors could fall out. That's why it's best to have your friend there---to make sure the doors don't fall over and break.
- 4
  Pull the glass doors and their surrounding hardware out from your fireplace gently. Wear work gloves when you pull them out because there is fiberglass insulation surrounding the fireplace doors. If you need to set the glass fireplace doors down, set them on a towel or a soft blanket so the doors don't break or scratch.

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Fireplaces