Fire Box Construction

ELM

Fireplace construction is not my area but... I have a fireplace with a cast iron fire box and I was wondering what this is rated for. There us a brick surround and block chimney but the wall above the fireplace gets really hot and in my feeble opinion there is not enough behind the fire box to insulate the surrounding walls. I can look into the side vents and see romex wire with no kind of conduit, sheetrock extends too close to the fire etc.
This is a real firplace but not real beefy. Opinions on usage?

stacker

i wouldnt smoke a cigarette in it.

__________________
life is short,do your masonry naked!!
http://ok.local.yahoo.biz/knabemasonry/index.html

tkle

http://www.fireplaceplug.com/[/IMG]

ELM

Are you saying plug it up and never use it?

K2

Romex running to a blower fan was common in my area and I do not know of any problems. I did metal, not cast fireboxes in the 70's and know of no problems with them. How the throat was built and by whom would be the question. It would be hard to look at what can be seen of a throat and tell too much but you say the wall above is getting hot?? You think the heat is transferring directly from the throat?? That would be rare in my opinion without the house already burning down.

If it were my house I would just tear into any wood sheetrock wall above the fire box and see what is going on. Then I would replace it with solid masonry to the ceiling. If there is something bearing and a header is required then I would use a steel angle or other non combustible.

tkle

I'm just being a smarty.If the wall you're talking about getting hot is wood though,you should quit using it until you find the problem.This is not normal.

hurricane hogan

Can you post some photos?

boman47k

Wonder if anyone has ever forgotten about the plug being in place and started a fire. Be bad to have hot embers blown all over the room especially if no is there or during the night

jshuatree8

have someone come look at it op close and personal better to pay alittle now than alot later