You survived the incident. Flues are not air tight, so some of the carbon monoxide went up the chimney. There was probably enough air movement to keep the concentration down, at least for the length of time it was happening. You probably had the furnace on also and that helped. Do it all night, and you might wake up dead in the morning.
It is important that you KEEP THE FIREPLACE VENT DAMPER OPEN when you are using it. FAILURE TO DO SO CAN LEAD TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AND DEATH.
just look
In general, open. Doors may be closed when fire has burned down. Even tempered glass may shatter during very hot burns.
This question really can't be answered in a cut and dry fashion, because it truly depends on the specific fireplace, and chimny/stove pipe setup you're dealing with. It is possible that a gas fireplace could be, or could have been built that would allow for safe wood burning, but without knowing the specifics, to be on the safe side, I'd say No. Put simply, I wouldn't recomend it, as it may very well result in a house fire. Someone elses answer: A true gas fireplace does not accept wood. It generally has a closed front and artificial logs or bricks to spread the heat. Some wood-burning fireplaces have a gas assist. Propane or natural gas is used to get the fire started and help smoke exhaust up the chimney. This is highly useful for those who don't have easy access to kindling wood, or for whom are art of building a fire in a fireplace is daunting, or for firewood that is damp. This is the only type of gas fireplace you can put wood into.
It will crack and break and maybe the heated gasses inside will make it explode.
It is important that you KEEP THE FIREPLACE VENT DAMPER OPEN when you are using it. FAILURE TO DO SO CAN LEAD TO CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AND DEATH.
Clogged chimney, closed flue, or wind blowing into the fireplace.
just look
There is a vent that should be open but the door used to put the wood into the fireplace should be closed so burning embers won't fall out.
It's important that an indoor fireplace flue damper be opened before igniting anything in a fireplace. The damper looks similar to a trap door and is located at the bottom of the chimney. When it's open, it provides an opening for smoke from the fireplace to escape. If it is closed while a fire is lit, smoke will enter the room rather than leave via the chimney with possible deadly consequences. If nothing is burning in the fireplace, keep the flue damper closed. This saves money on energy by preventing heat or air conditioning loss up through the chimney.
When there is a fire in the fireplace, the flue should be all the way open. Otherwise, some smoke and unhealthful gases will come out into the room. The damper should be all the way closed to keep out wind or cold air when there is no fire in the fireplace.
when a circuit is closed, electricity can move though it.
Something is preventing your fireplace from drawing. The damper may be closed, or partially closed. Your chimney may have a blockage, or you may have prevailing winds that push smoke back down the chimney. If you have air flow problems, such as a vent fan that draws air out of the house, it can cause that. Bottom line- if the damper is open, and the flue is not blocked, you need a good fireplace/chimney specialist to examine what you have.
because the lid is on ........... der
In general, open. Doors may be closed when fire has burned down. Even tempered glass may shatter during very hot burns.
Virgie M. Ammons of Eglon, West Virginia"Inside the fireplace chimney is a device called a "Damper". The damper is opened and closed to allow smoke from the fireplace to be drawn upward out of the house. The "Fireplace Damper Actuating Tool" designed by Ammons allows the damper to be"locked" in the closed position, preventing cold air and dust from blowing down the chimney back into the house."Patent No. 3,908,633 September 30, 1975 Source: Black Facts Online
I would have a gas applaince service rep examine the fireplace, and insure that no parts were damaged due to high heat- and leave a note for self to remember to open damper next time.