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Ancient fire pits were sometimes constructed from the ground, within caves, or at the center of a hut or home. Evidence of ancient, man-made fires exists on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of early indoor flame pits was that they generated toxic and/or irritating smoke inside the dwelling.Fire pits developed into raised hearths in buildings, but venting smoke relied on open windows or holes in roofs. The great hall typically had a centrally situated hearth, where a open flame burnt with the smoke rising to the port in the roof. Louvers were developed throughout the Middle Ages to allow the roof vents to be covered so rain and snow wouldn't enter.

Also during the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were invented to prevent smoke from dispersing an area and vent it outside through a ceiling or wall. These could be put against rock walls, rather than taking up the center of the room, and this allowed smaller chambers to be heated.Chimneys were devised in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th centuries and largely fixed the issue of fumes, more faithfully venting smoke out. They made it possible to provide the fireplace a draft, and made it feasible to put fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings handily. They did not come into general use immediately, 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 chamber for the fireplace which greatly improved the efficiency of fireplaces and wood stoves. In addition, he enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting a longer area at the top. In the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace using a tall, shallow firebox that was better at drawing up the smoke and from the construction. The shallow design improved greatly the amount of radiant heat projected into the room. Rumford's design is the foundation for modern kitchens.

Rather it relied on simple layouts with little unnecessary ornamentation. From the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way into the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was still placed on supplying quality gems. Stone fireplaces at this time were a symbol of wealth, which to some degree remains the idea today.A fireplace is a construction made of brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance that they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces change in heat efficiency, based upon the plan.

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

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On the exterior there is often a corbeled brick crown, where the projecting courses of brick act as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A hood, cap, or shroud functions to keep rainwater out of the exterior of the chimney; rain in the chimney is a far greater difficulty in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metallic liners than with the standard masonry chimney, that soaks up all but the rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor integrated into the crown or cap.

Organizations like the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology warn that, according to various studies, fireplaces could pose a significant health risk. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell great, but it is not great for you.

Types of fireplacesManufactured fireplaces are made out of sheet metal or glass fire boxes.Electric fireplaces can be built-in replacements for either gas or wood or retrofit with log inserts or electric fireboxes.

Ventless Fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by either gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas. In the USA, several states and local businesses have laws limiting these kinds of fireplaces. There are also air quality control problems due to the quantity of moisture they release into the room atmosphere, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are security essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by either liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed in the area that's heated, and vent all exhaust gasses into the exterior of the structure.

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AccessoriesFor the interior, common in recent Western cultures include grates, fireguards, log boxes, andirons, pellet baskets, along with fire dogs, all of which cradle fuel and accelerate burning. A grate (or flame grate) is a frame, usually of iron bars, to retain fuel to your fire. Heavy metal firebacks are sometimes utilized to capture and re-radiate heat, to protect the back of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metallic frames set in front of the fireplace to contain embers, soot and ash. For fireplace tending, tools comprise pokers, bellows, tongs, shovels, brushes and instrument stands.

Over time, the intent behind fireplaces has transformed from one of requirement to one of visual interest. Early ones were fire pits than 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 based within a room, allowing more people to collect around it.

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Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. The most renowned fireplace performers of the time 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 level of the substances used in their construction, instead of their dimensions.

From the 1800s most new fireplaces were made up of two components, the surround as well as the insert. The encircle consisted of the mantlepiece and sides affirms, usually in wood, granite or marble. The fit was fire burned, and was built of cast iron frequently backed with decorative tiles. As well as providing heat, the fireplaces of the Victorian era were thought to bring a cozy ambiance to houses.

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Some fireplace components include a blower which transports more of the fireplace's heat to the air via convection, leading to a more evenly heated space 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 concept though with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficacy tests consider just the impact of heating of the atmosphere. An open fireplace isn't, and never was, designed to warm the air. The best method to estimate the output signal of a fireplace is in case you detect you are turning the thermostat up or down.

Most elderly fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency score. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces though have an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum requirement for example in Salzburg/Austria). To boost efficiency, fireplaces may also be modified by adding special heavy fireboxes developed to burn cleaner and can reach efficiencies as large as 80% in heating the air. These altered fireplaces are often equipped with a large fire window, allowing an efficient heating process in two phases. During the first phase the first heat is provided through a large glass window while the flame is burning. During this time period the construction, built of refractory bricks, absorbs the warmth. This warmth is then evenly radiated for many hours during the second phase. Masonry fireplaces with no glass fire window just offer heat radiated from the surface. Depending on temperatures 1 to two daily firings are sufficient to ensure a constant room temperature.fireplace set