Remove or Cover Up Old Heatilator Vents

[nextoblivion]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this site and new to fireplaces, but I'm hoping somebody can help me out. I just moved into my home and it has what I think are old heatilator vents. I believe the fireplace was once wood burning (because I just cleaned a ton of ash out of it), but was converted to gas. I would like to remodel the fireplace and place some faux stone over it, but I was wondering if I can remove or cover up these ugly vents. From what I can tell, they are functioning. The bottom fans are sucking air in and the top is blowing it out. The previous owner had insulation stuffed in the top ones which I assume was to prevent a draft. The current gas logs have both the vented and vent-free standard so I can use them any way I like. TIA for any info!

 

[DAKSY]

I would pull the fans, & cap off the wiring - unless you can pull it out of the masonry
& fit some hardee backer or dura rock in the openings.
Then have at it with your faux stone front.

 

[Kyoufu]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this site and new to fireplaces, but I'm hoping somebody can help me out. I just moved into my home and it has what I think are old heatilator vents. I believe the fireplace was once wood burning (because I just cleaned a ton of ash out of it), but was converted to gas. I would like to remodel the fireplace and place some faux stone over it, but I was wondering if I can remove or cover up these ugly vents. From what I can tell, they are functioning. The bottom fans are sucking air in and the top is blowing it out. The previous owner had insulation stuffed in the top ones which I assume was to prevent a draft. The current gas logs have both the vented and vent-free standard so I can use them any way I like. TIA for any info!
View attachment 197547

There's a few potential issuesI would look into before making any big changes.

One, if you remove your fans and cover it all in you would be making electrical junction boxes inaccessible, so ideally you'd want to disconnect the wires from the box one jump prior to the fans. Where I am this would be an electrical code violation, and also a potential future hazard.

Second, make sure that those vents & fan do not contribute to the cooling of the fire chamber. Heatilators in my area were allowed to use one course of fire brick instead of two, and then the steel box with its air circulating chamber. If you plug up the heat tubes it can be a fire hazard because suddenly you don't have your clearances and the fire chamber is running much hotter. I realize there is a gas log set in there, but there can still be liability concerns with removing those vents (depending on their intended function), as well as that gas log set is likely supposed to be inside of a code compliant fireplace. This is especially important if the fireplace is on an inside wall as there will be framing behind it.

 

[nextoblivion]

There's a few potential issuesI would look into before making any big changes.

One, if you remove your fans and cover it all in you would be making electrical junction boxes inaccessible, so ideally you'd want to disconnect the wires from the box one jump prior to the fans. Where I am this would be an electrical code violation, and also a potential future hazard.

Second, make sure that those vents & fan do not contribute to the cooling of the fire chamber. Heatilators in my area were allowed to use one course of fire brick instead of two, and then the steel box with its air circulating chamber. If you plug up the heat tubes it can be a fire hazard because suddenly you don't have your clearances and the fire chamber is running much hotter. I realize there is a gas log set in there, but there can still be liability concerns with removing those vents (depending on their intended function), as well as that gas log set is likely supposed to be inside of a code compliant fireplace. This is especially important if the fireplace is on an inside wall as there will be framing behind it.

Thank you! Sounds like I need to get a pro in here to take a look at what's going on.

 

[gbarb]

I have the same fireplace in a house I am remodeling. I would like to preserve its functionality, but cover the ugly vents. What I am thinking of doing is knocking out the bricks on the sides of the vents (I only have half bricks on either side), cover the 4 vents with cement board, then the vents would be directed out the sides and stone veneer the walls where they vent out to bring it to code. Is that a good/bad idea? I've never had a fireplace. The photos are whats there now and a photoshop mock up.

 

[Tech Guru]

Those vents are part of the heat form (heatilator) function. I second Kyofu's points. These should not be covered up, as they would alter the way the currently code compliant system works. I have sat in on training and seminars where specifically this was covered - that is improper installation of heat forms leading to fire issues. The two most common problems were the proper clay flue engagement/sizing and the alteration of those circulation vents. Fans can be disconnected or removed, of course, but the vents are not intended to be covered or plugged. May not matter as much in the case of the gas log set, but I would be very concerned about the one that looks like it has a wood insert or door set on there.

 

[gbarb]

Thanks for the feedback. I think we're going to cut the bricks from the sides and vent them that way.