Proudly American
Look at the pattern of the gap
From outside the cold firebox, describe whether the mesh itself is torn, the carrier has slipped off a track or a group of rings cannot travel to the end. An image showing the full opening and one close view of the failed edge can be more helpful than a width alone. Do not hold a screen shut by hand during a fire. It is intended to limit escaping sparks, not to support a log that rolls forward.
Identify the assembly that belonged there
A model-specific firescreen can include rods, guides, handles and two curtains with a particular overlap. The correct replacement includes the components required for that design. A seller advertising “fireplace screen” may instead mean a freestanding ornament or a guard that keeps hands away from gas fireplace glass. Ask how the product mates with this opening and whether it is intended to take the place of the original assembly.
Check movement before returning the hearth to use
Ask the person fitting the replacement to explain how full coverage is obtained, that it can travel without binding, and which position the actual model requires for the screen and any glass doors. Older Heatilator instructions, for example, give the mesh its own operating direction. If a hearth has been refaced and the new material blocks travel, replacing the curtain alone may leave the original problem in place.