# Cold Air Coming In From Bottom/Underneath of Gas Fireplace Insert



## mark2741 (Aug 17, 2009)

One other thing I wanted to add - 

We never keep the pilot light on. I just assumed it was wasting gas unnecessarily and since it is easy to light this fireplace up we always turn it off. I just read that leaving the pilot light on might help so I'll give it a try, but the pilot light on this insert is pretty damn big (though I've never seen/had a gas fireplace before so I don't know if it is abnormally large). It's about 2.5" x 1.5" - a lot bigger than the 'pilot light' I recall seeing as a little kid in the stove : )


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## diyorpay (Sep 21, 2010)

Not an expert here.

Fireplaces often had a cleanout trap in bottom of fireplace covered by a metal piece (false bottom). Cleanout is on opposite side of fireplace (in my case, in the garage). If you have one, is yours: uncovered? Door on opposite side open?

If you find this so, maybe put insulation into this config, since you don't need to gather embers etc?


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## Odd_Guy (Mar 16, 2008)

Not my area of expertise, but I've looked at a couple. Try removing that grate at the bottom and look under there. Sometimes the electrical or gas are run in through larger knockouts than needed (it's easier to do) and then not sealed up. Some expanding foam may help, but read the labels. Too much expansion can cause damage.

One I looked at was all properly sealed and insulated, just needed the pilot light on to not feel cold.

Hope that helps.


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## Hixheat1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Odd_Guy said:


> Not my area of expertise, but I've looked at a couple. Try removing that grate at the bottom and look under there. Sometimes the electrical or gas are run in through larger knockouts than needed (it's easier to do) and then not sealed up. Some expanding foam may help, but read the labels. Too much expansion can cause damage.
> 
> One I looked at was all properly sealed and insulated, just needed the pilot light on to not feel cold.
> 
> Hope that helps.


You are drafting from flue is it vent free. Insulating under fire place will not stop drafting, if it is is a vented set of logs the only thing you can do is close the damper, there should be a damper stop to prevent from closing all the way do not remove stop. If vent free you can seal the flue. See owners man. For safety limitations.


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## Hixheat1 (Dec 6, 2010)

Hixheat1 said:


> You are drafting from flue is it vent free. Insulating under fire place will not stop drafting, if it is is a vented set of logs the only thing you can do is close the damper, there should be a damper stop to prevent from closing all the way do not remove stop. If vent free you can seal the flue. See owners man. For safety limitations.


From what I see in the pict they are vent free the combustion air comes from bottom. The best way to seal is to pull insert out and seal flue top and bottom this will prevent drafting. I do recommend if you do seal don't make it perm. You may want too sell some day and som people like a functioning fireplace. Ps insulate bottom plate.


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## mark2741 (Aug 17, 2009)

Thanks guys. I did some googling after my original post and it seemed a lot of the solutions were to simply leave the pilot light on, so I tried it. A few hours later I went into the room and put my hands at the bottom and, sure enough, no draft whatsoever - just room temp air.

Not sure why it worked, but it did. So, I guess I learned my lesson - to leave the pilot light on during the winter.


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## Hixheat1 (Dec 6, 2010)

mark2741 said:



> Thanks guys. I did some googling after my original post and it seemed a lot of the solutions were to simply leave the pilot light on, so I tried it. A few hours later I went into the room and put my hands at the bottom and, sure enough, no draft whatsoever - just room temp air.
> 
> Not sure why it worked, but it did. So, I guess I learned my lesson - to leave the pilot light on during the winter.


The pilot warms the chimney so the cold air does not transfer into your house and keeps the draft going up, so it pulls the air from inside the house to the flue. I turn my pilot off in summer.


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## dckidwell (Jan 11, 2018)

mark2741 said:


> Thanks guys. I did some googling after my original post and it seemed a lot of the solutions were to simply leave the pilot light on, so I tried it. A few hours later I went into the room and put my hands at the bottom and, sure enough, no draft whatsoever - just room temp air.
> 
> Not sure why it worked, but it did. So, I guess I learned my lesson - to leave the pilot light on during the winter.


Just wanted to say a quick thanks! After much googling and consternation at our insanely cold floor by our gas fireplace, I patched up some holes around the gas line and electrical outlet, which took care of the draft but I was still experiencing the cold. Turned the pilot light back on and that did the trick. Thanks for posting your result/fix!


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