I’ve made a few changes to my wood-burning fireplace over the last few weeks that will make it more efficient and effective at heating my house. While my fireplace won’t get as much use here in Arizona compared to other parts of the country, it is still a nice feature to have.

Many years ago I used to scoff at the notion of having a fireplace in Arizona but over the years I have come to appreciate the wisdom of having one.

A fireplace serves several practical purposes. It can provide heat on a cold day, cook food, provide light, and serve as a social gathering point for families. There is something primal that draws people near to a fire and the warmth it provides, which is probably why so many houses have them. The problem is that most fireplaces are more decorative than they are functional since the thought of a fire is easier than actually having and sustaining a fire. What I have done is made my humble fireplace both more efficient and aesthetically pleasing with a few items.

The first thing I purchased was a reflective fireback to more effectively dissipate heat. It works by absorbing heat from the fire and radiating it out into a room via convection. They can also protect the back of your fireplace from damage due to fatigue. I selected a steel one from Woodland Direct because it is not prone to cracking like cast iron ones are. Mine is also Made in America so I trust the workmanship more than a no-name Chinese import. Once I got the fireback, I installed it and enjoyed a nice fire. It worked as promised and I could feel the additional heat coming from the fireplace.

But here is where the story takes a bit of a twist. Originally, I was going to get a heavy-duty grate to compliment the fireback. However, I entered the wrong dimensions in my order and got the wrong size grate. I had to return it and get a new one but this time I wanted to get the right size. I called customer support, gave them my (re-measured) fireplace dimensions, and discussed the options.

Instead of purchasing a normal grate, I eventually opted for the Grate Wall of Fire. All of the customer service people recommended it so I decided to give it a try. This is a welded, powder-coated steel grate that works with a fireback and is self-feeding. The design allows for logs to be loaded at the top and slowly slide down and burn as they get towards the bottom. The open design uses convection to draw cool air in to the fire, which helps sustain a clean-burning fire. Since the firewood is set vertically, it has more surface area radiating heat outward rather than vertically like most grates. In my experience, this grate works just…great.

So now I have a new fireback and a grate to go with it. My fires are now warmer and more efficient than before, which is helpful when you have only a limited supply of wood. The ambiance of this configuration is nice too, it looks distinctive while performing better than any other one out there. All told, these items cost me just under $300 total but I am glad I spent the money on them. If you are in the market for fireplace accessories, you could hardly go wrong with this setup.