Simple and Sophisticated Fireplace Mantel Ideas

Ancient fire pits were sometimes built from the floor, within caves, or in the middle of a hut or home. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires exists on all five inhabited continents. The drawback of premature indoor flame pits was that they produced toxic and/or irritating smoke inside the dwelling.Fire pits developed into raised hearths in structures, but venting smoke relied on open windows or openings in roofs. The great hall typically had a centrally situated hearth, where a open fire burnt with all the smoke climbing into the vent in the roof. Louvers were developed during the Middle Ages to allow the roof vents to be coated so snow and rain wouldn't enter.

Additionally throughout the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to stop smoke from dispersing an area and vent it outside through a wall or roof. These can be placed against rock walls, instead of taking up the center of the room, and this allowed smaller rooms to be heated.Chimneys were devised in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th centuries and mostly fixed the issue of fumes, more reliably venting smoke outside. They made it feasible to provide the fireplace a draft, and made it feasible to put fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings conveniently. They did not come into general usage instantly, however, as they were expensive to develop and maintain.

The 18th century saw two important developments in the history of fireplaces. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection room for the fireplace that greatly enhanced the efficacy of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting out a lengthier area at the very top. In the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox that has been better at drawing the smoke up and from the building. The shallow design improved greatly the quantity of radiant heat projected to the room. Rumford's design is the basis for modern kitchens.

Instead it relied on simple layouts with small unnecessary ornamentation. In the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way to the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was placed on supplying quality stone. Stone fireplaces now have been a sign of wealth, which to some degree remains the idea today.A fireplace is a structure made from brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are utilized for its relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a space. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending upon the plan.

Historically they were utilized for heating a home, cooking, and heating water for domestic and laundry uses. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows exhaust to escape.

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On the exterior there is frequently a corbeled brick crown, where the projecting courses of brick function as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the outside walls. A cap, hood, or shroud functions to keep rainwater from the exterior of the chimney; rain at the chimney is a much larger problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metallic liners than with the standard masonry chimney, which soaks up all but the rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor incorporated into the crown or cap.

The EPA writes"Smoke may smell great, but it is not good for you.

Types of fireplacesArtificial fireplaces are made with sheet glass or metal flame boxes.Electric fireplaces could be built-in replacements for either wood or gas or retrofit with log inserts or electric fireboxes.

In the United States, some states and local businesses have laws limiting these types of fireplaces. There are also air quality management problems due to the quantity of moisture they discharge in the room air, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are safety essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed from the place that is heated, and vent all exhaust gasses to the outside of the structure.

Fireplace Mantels and Surrounds

AccessoriesFor the inside, common in recent Western civilizations comprise grates, fireguards, log boxes, andirons, pellet baskets, along with fire dogs, all which cradle gas and quicken burning. A grate (or fire grate) is a frame, usually of iron bars, to retain fuel to your fire. Heavy metal firebacks are sometimes utilized to catch and re-radiate heat, to protect the back of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metal frames placed before the fireplace to contain embers, soot and ashes.

As time passes, the intent behind fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of visual interest. Early ones were fire pits compared to contemporary fireplaces. They were used for warmth on cold days and nights, in addition to for cooking. They also functioned as a gathering place within the house. These fire pits were generally centered within a room, allowing more individuals to collect around it.

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Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. The most famous fireplace designers of the period were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a kind of fireplace design which has been used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly colored, with an emphasis on the quality of the substances used in their construction, instead of their dimensions.

By the 1800s newest fireplaces were made up of 2 parts, the surround and the insert. The surround comprised of the mantlepiece and sides affirms, typically in wood, marble or granite. The fit was where the fire burned, and was built of cast iron often backed with decorative tiles. In addition to providing warmth, the fireplaces of the Victorian age were thought to add a cozy ambiance to homes.

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Some fireplace units include a blower that transports more of the fireplace's heat to the atmosphere via convection, leading to a more evenly heated area and a decrease heating load. Fireplace efficiency can also be increased by means of a fireback, a piece of metal that sits behind the flame and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally made from cast iron, but are also made from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complicated notion though with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficiency tests consider only the impact of heating of the air. An open fireplace is not, and never was, intended to heat the atmosphere. The ideal method to gauge the output of a fireplace is in case you notice you're turning the thermostat up or down.

Most older fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency rating. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces though have an efficiency rating of 80% (legal minimum necessity such as in Salzburg/Austria). To boost efficiency, fireplaces may also be modified by adding special heavy fireboxes developed to burn cleaner and may reach efficiencies as high as 80 percent in heating the atmosphere. These altered fireplaces are often equipped with a massive fire window, allowing an efficient heating process in two stages. During the first phase the first heat is provided through a large glass window while the flame is burning. During this time the construction, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This warmth is then equally radiated for many hours during the next stage. Masonry fireplaces with no glass fire window just provide heat radiated from its surface. Based on temperatures 1 to 2 daily firings are enough to guarantee a constant room temperature.fireplace mantel ideas