We are looking to panel over our wood burning fireplace and replace the hearth but there are these weird open slats/vents that we're not sure if we can cover. We use the fireplace 1-2x a week during the winter and have never noticed heat coming out of them - the heat is only felt if you're standing directly in front of the fire and does not even heat the entire room. If I shine a flashlight in the slats all you see is dust and cobwebs. Anyone with experience on this and is it okay if we panel over?

Thank you!