Be Modern 100529 fret/ash pan assembly

Fire grates hold the fuel in an open fireplace so air can reach it from below, and ashpans sit underneath to catch the ash and make it easy to carry out. This category covers stool grates, standard and decorative grates with fronts, replacement bottom grates, ashpans with covers and lifters, frets, and grate paint and polish.

Getting the size right

Grates and ashpans are usually named by the fireplace opening they fit, most often 16 or 18 inch, not by their own width. A 16 inch grate is made to sit inside a 16 inch opening, so it is narrower than 16 inches; the actual width and depth are often given in millimetres as well. Measure the width of the opening at the front and at the back, as many fireplaces taper inwards, and measure the depth. Compare these with the stated dimensions, and choose an ashpan that matches both the grate and the space beneath it. Some ashpans and covers are made for one style of fireplace, so check the fit.

Using an open fire safely

• Fuel: in a smoke control area in England, you can only burn authorised fuels on an open fire, and wood is not one of them. Your local council can tell you whether you live in one.
• Ash: let ash cool fully before you empty it. Put it in a metal container with a lid, kept outside and away from the house, and never put hot ash in a wheelie bin.
• Chimney: have the chimney swept regularly by a qualified sweep, more often if you burn wood.

Fit a fireguard where there are children or pets, and a carbon monoxide alarm. For tools and fireside accessories, see fires, stoves and accessories, or fireplace cleaning and maintenance.