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Yes, an outdoor fireplace should use fire bricks. Fire bricks are specially designed to withstand high levels of heat and thus won’t crack as easily as regular bricks when exposed to the intense heat inside a fireplace.

You should not use Windex or any other ammonia-based glass cleaners when cleaning the glass doors or glass front panel of a gas fireplace. Instead, remove the glass and lay it on a soft surface, like a drop cloth or towel. Then clean it using a specialty fireplace glass cleaner purchased at a hardware store or online. If the glass is relatively clean, you can get away with a vinegar and water solution, but tougher stains will require a specialized cleaner.

Ideally, your chimney cap should be at least 8 inches above the top of the flue, though it's better if it's even higher. You want it to sit that high because it won't affect the chimney's draft, which pulls the smoke up and out of your chimney and away from your home.

Chimney crowns should be at least 2 inches thick at their thinnest point. If the crown is thinner than 2 inches, it’s more likely to be damaged and allow water to seep into the chimney.