Mystery (to me anyway) fireplace

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/4fd91b336d163-.jpg

I currently have my TV in front of the fireplace because I have no idea how my fireplace is meant to be used. It’s very small and has a pipe coming through the floor…I have attached a picture…turn the valve and gas comes roaring out. I’m aware that the gas logs are missing, but I have some unanswered questions: 1.) Am I missing a burner, or does the fitting that is perpendicular to the pipe serve as the burner? 2.) Wouldn’t the heat from the flame damage the valve and the pipe since it’s right there in the fireplace? How would you be able to touch the valve handle to turn it off once it’s hot? 3.) There is no pilot…is it meant to be lit by a match? The first floor apartment has its gas logs, and they are in a stand that raises them a good 8 or 9 inches off of the floor, but the gas pipe is capped off so unfortunately I don’t have a functional fireplace to figure this out from. The chimney has great draft and is unobstructed btw, and the building was put up in 1914.   Any info would be appreciated!

drock2750

in Chimney and Fireplace 13 years and 1 month ago

1

Please log in, in order to post replies!

1 replies

Newest Oldest

stevecym | 13 years and 1 month ago

string(1) "1"
object(WP_User)#4863 (8) {
  ["data"]=>
  object(stdClass)#4844 (12) {
    ["ID"]=>
    string(5) "21525"
    ["user_login"]=>
    string(8) "stevecym"
    ["user_pass"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["user_nicename"]=>
    string(8) "stevecym"
    ["user_email"]=>
    string(24) "stevecymbalsky@yahoo.com"
    ["user_url"]=>
    string(30) "/forums/users/thetinkerswagon/"
    ["user_registered"]=>
    string(19) "2017-08-10 14:05:31"
    ["user_activation_key"]=>
    string(20) "xLyD4JX1CSeJzFu7zs4j"
    ["user_status"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["display_name"]=>
    string(8) "stevecym"
    ["spam"]=>
    string(1) "0"
    ["deleted"]=>
    string(1) "0"
  }
  ["ID"]=>
  int(21525)
  ["caps"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["cap_key"]=>
  string(15) "wp_capabilities"
  ["roles"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "subscriber"
    [1]=>
    string(15) "bbp_participant"
  }
  ["allcaps"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["read"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["level_0"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["subscriber"]=>
    bool(true)
    ["bbp_participant"]=>
    bool(true)
  }
  ["filter"]=>
  NULL
  ["site_id":"WP_User":private]=>
  int(1)
}

my guess is this was for an old gas insert, not gas logs.  these inserts were gas grills that stood in the fire place.  Many of the later (by later I mean just before WWI) fire places were made for these and not wood or coal.