Gas Fireplace Glass and Children

How hot the glass gets

The glass front on a gas fireplace is a sealed window into the firebox. It is designed to handle heat, which means it also holds a lot of it.

A 2012 CPSC staff briefing package on this hazard lists the maximum interior glass temperatures allowed by the product standards: 500°F for tempered glass and 1,328°F for ceramic glass. The standards set those limits to protect the glass, and the briefing notes they were not designed to prevent contact burns. One manufacturer's manual, for a Valor direct-vent fireplace, warns that its glass can exceed 500°F at full output.

Compare that with skin. The same CPSC briefing states that skin surface temperatures at or above 149°F take less than one second to produce a partial-thickness burn, and at or above 158°F less than one second to produce a full-thickness burn.

Why small children are the ones hurt

The CPSC staff briefing estimated that more than 2,000 children ages 0 to 5 suffered burn injuries on gas fireplaces between 1999 and 2009. Among the cases staff could confirm involved contact with hot glass, most children were under 3, hands were by far the most common injury, and more than half of the injuries were second-degree burns or worse.

The pattern makes sense. A toddler pulling up to stand, or putting out a hand to steady themselves, reaches for whatever is at their height. The glass on many gas fireplaces sits right there, glows invitingly and gives no warning until it is touched.

What the safety standard now requires

Gas fireplaces sold in the United States are built to voluntary American National Standards, including ANSI Z21.88/CSA 2.33 for vented gas fireplace heaters and ANSI Z21.50 for vented decorative gas fireplaces. After a petition to CPSC, those standards were revised. As CPSC described the change:

• A vented gas fireplace whose outside glass temperature exceeds 172°F must be installed with a protective barrier.
• The barrier must prevent contact with the glass front.
• The barrier itself must not present a burn hazard.

CPSC's 2012 statement said the revised standard was due to become effective in January 2015. Units made before the change may have no barrier at all.

Keeping the barrier on

The barrier is usually a fine metal mesh screen that sits a short distance in front of the glass. It can look like a decorative part that is easy to leave off after cleaning. Manufacturers treat it as a safety component. The Valor manual, for example, says the barrier is provided with the appliance and must be installed for the protection of children and other at-risk people, and that any screen, guard or barrier removed for servicing must be replaced before the fireplace is operated.

• Put the barrier back every time the glass is cleaned or the unit is serviced.
• If the barrier is bent, loose or missing, get the replacement made for your model from the manufacturer or a dealer.
• Do not improvise with a screen that rests against the glass. The standard calls for a barrier that blocks contact and is not a burn hazard itself.

Older fireplaces without a barrier

If your gas fireplace predates the revised standard and has no barrier, CPSC's chairman urged owners in 2012 to retrofit existing glass-front fireplaces with a protective barrier. Ask the manufacturer or a dealer whether a barrier is made for your model; they will need the model and serial number from the fireplace's rating plate.

Until a barrier is in place, treat the glass as an open flame. A hearth gate or freestanding safety gate that keeps young children out of reach is a practical stopgap. The Valor manual itself recommends an adjustable safety gate to keep toddlers and young children out of the room.

The glass stays hot after the flames go out

Turning the fireplace off does not make the glass safe to touch. Manufacturers warn not to touch the glass until it has cooled, and how long that takes depends on the unit, how long it ran and the room. Plan as though the glass stays dangerous for a good while after the flames disappear.

The same goes for the start of a fire. The glass heats quickly once the burner lights, so glass that felt cool a minute ago can be hot enough to burn a few minutes later. Treat the glass as hot from the moment the flame appears until the manual's cool-down guidance has been met, and keep the barrier and any safety gate in place for that whole stretch.

This matters most in the moments people relax: the fireplace is switched off at bedtime, a child gets up early, or a guest's toddler wanders over after the party winds down.

Other hot parts of a gas fireplace

The glass is the obvious hazard, but it is not the only hot surface. The metal frame around the glass, louvers above and below the opening, and the surround close to the unit can all get hot during use. The Valor manual also warns against placing furniture or other objects within 36 inches of the front of the appliance, which keeps a clear zone that children and pets are less likely to play in.

Freestanding gas stoves and inserts have hot metal bodies or faces as well. Whatever the appliance, the manual's warnings describe its hot areas.

Switches, visitors and sitters

The U.S. Fire Administration advises keeping fireplace on switches and remote controls out of children's reach. Some remotes have a child-lock feature; your manual will say whether yours does. A wall switch at toddler height is worth relocating or covering.

Families who live with a gas fireplace learn its habits. Visitors do not. Grandparents babysitting, guests with toddlers, and short-term renters may not know the glass is dangerous or that it stays hot after the flames go out.

• Tell sitters and guests about the glass, the barrier and where the switch or remote is kept.
• If the house is rented to guests, keep the manual or a short written note near the fireplace and make sure the barrier is in place before each stay.
• When children are visiting, simply leaving the fireplace off is the easiest precaution.

Annual service and the barrier

A gas fireplace should be serviced according to its manual, including the glass gasket, burner, logs and vent. That visit is a natural time to confirm the barrier is present and secure. Our gas fireplace service page describes what we look at, and gas logs vs. gas inserts explains how the different gas appliances work.

Questions homeowners ask

Sources

1. CPSC: Statement of Chairman Tenenbaum on vented gas fireplace safety (2012)
2. CPSC: Staff briefing package on Petition CP 11-1, protective barriers for glass-fronted gas fireplaces (March 2012)
3. CPSC: Record of Commission action on the glass-front gas fireplace petition
4. Valor: Direct Vent Zero Clearance Gas Fireplace Installation Manual, models 1800KN/1800KP
5. U.S. Fire Administration: Fireplace and Wood Stove Safety (handout)

This guide is general information. It can't diagnose a specific chimney; an inspection can.