Why close your open fireplace?
Why close an existing chimney?
There are several reasons why closing and installing a closed hearth in an open fireplace is a very good idea:
- For greater efficiency! The TOTEM insert significantly increases the performance of your fireplace. With an efficiency of between 75% and 80%, you'll gain more than 5x the output of your open fireplace.
- To meet themedium-term obligation to close all existing open chimneys. As in the Arve Valley, all open chimneys will soon have to be closed if they are to continue to be used.
- Secure your home ! by protecting your property and loved ones.
How to close your chimney?
Totem manufactures its own customized inserts. They are available in several versions:
- Front
- Lateral (2 sides)
- 3 Faces
To install a TOTEM insert, you need to know the dimensions of the hearth of your open fireplace (Height x Width x Depth).
Other more specific criteria will also need to be taken into account, so we recommend that you get in touch with our teams via the contact form.
With TOTEM, installing a closed hearth in an open fireplace is the ideal solution: we adapt to the shape of your existing fireplace.
why not use a simple door to close your fireplace?
For safety reasons, an open fireplace cannot simply be closed with a door.
The risks of inadequate closure
Installing a simple door or glass pane on a fireplace designed to operate as an open hearth presents a number of dangers. Without proper ventilation, combustion becomes incomplete, producing more carbon monoxide, an odorless but deadly gas. What's more, the excessive temperature in a fireplace not designed to be closed can damage the structure of your chimney, creating cracks and increasing the risk of house fires.
The importance of a professional solution
A proper conversion requires much more than just a door. You need to recalculate the air intakes, adapt the flue system and install an insulated enclosure to contain the heat. Without these essential modifications, your chimney could become dangerous and inefficient, negating any hoped-for energy savings and compromising the safety of your home.
TOTEM meets all these requirements by creating a unique, made-to-measure insert to the exact dimensions of your open fireplace. Thanks to this, we can once again manage the air circulation and temperature of your fireplace, making it safer to use.
Closing an open fireplace with glass, or closing an open fireplace with a door, is therefore risky for your safety, and won't increase your fireplace's performance.
Renovating an old fireplace
TOTEM offers several solutions for closing and renovating an old fireplace:
The TOTEM custom insert
Renovate your old fireplace with a TOTEM insert , to the exact dimensions of your existing open fireplace
You gain in performance and safety in your home.
See information at the top of this page.
The TOTEM fireplace
You can renovate your old fireplace with a TOTEM fireplace and completely change its design.
In addition to improved performance, you can choose from a wide range of models: Frontal, Lateral (2-sided), 3-sided, Epi, Recto/Verso (between 2 rooms) or 4-sided, equipped with hinged or retractable doors.
The "Essentiel" and "le Box" inserts
Totem offers a range of 9 compact standard inserts; front, side and 3-sided.
Also available is a range of BOXes to be installed (on an existing hearth or created from scratch) in 6 versions.
