Ancient fire pits were sometimes built from the floor, in caves, or in the center of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires is present on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of early indoor flame pits was that they produced toxic and/or irritating smoke inside the house.Fire pits developed into elevated hearths in buildings, but ventilation smoke depended on open windows or openings in roofs. The medieval great hall typically needed a centrally located hearth, where an open fire burned with all the smoke rising to the port in the roof. Louvers were developed during the Middle Ages to enable the roof vents to be covered so snow and rain wouldn't enter.
Additionally during the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to prevent smoke from dispersing a room and vent it out via a ceiling or wall. These could be put against rock walls, rather than taking up the middle of the room, and this allowed smaller chambers to be warmed.Chimneys were invented in northern Europe from the 11th or 12th centuries and mostly fixed the problem of fumes, more faithfully venting smoke out. They made it possible to give the fireplace a draft, and also made it feasible to place fireplaces in numerous rooms in buildings conveniently. They did not come into general usage instantly, however, since they were more expensive to build and maintain.In 1678 Prince Rupert, nephew of Charles I, increased the grate of the fireplace, improving the airflow and venting system. The 18th century saw two major developments in the history of fireplaces. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection chamber for the fireplace that greatly enhanced the efficacy of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a cellar and venting out a lengthier area at the very top. At the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace using a tall, shallow firebox which has been better at drawing up the smoke and from the building. The shallow design also improved greatly the quantity of radiant warmth projected into the space. Rumford's layout is the basis for modern fireplaces.
The Aesthetic movement of the 1870s and 1880s took on a more traditional spectra based on rock and also deflected unnecessary ornamentation. Instead it relied on simple designs with little unnecessary ornamentation. In the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way into the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was placed on providing quality stone. Stone fireplaces now have been a sign of prosperity, which to a degree remains the notion today.A fireplace is a structure made of brick, stone or metal designed to include a fire. Fireplaces are utilized for the relaxing ambiance that they create and for heating a space. Modern fireplaces change in heat efficacy, based on the design.Historically they have been used for heating a dwelling, cooking, and heating water for laundry and domestic 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, in which the projecting courses of brick function 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 outside of the chimney; rain in the chimney is a much greater difficulty in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metallic liners than with the standard masonry chimney, which divides up all but the rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor integrated into the cap or crown.
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 threat. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell great, but it is not good for you.Types of fireplacesManufactured fireplaces are made with sheet glass or metal flame boxes.Electric fireplaces could be built-in replacements for gas or wood or retrofit with log inserts or electric fireboxes.
Masonry and prefabricated fireplaces can be fueled by wood, natural gas, biomass and gas fuel sources. Ventless Fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas. In the United States, several states and local counties have laws restricting these kinds of fireplaces. They need to be properly sized to the area to be heated. There are also air quality control issues because of the amount of moisture they discharge in the room air, and oxygen detector and carbon dioxide sensors are safety essentials. Direct vent fireplaces are fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed in the place that is heated, and vent all exhaust gasses to the exterior of the structure.
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As time passes, the purpose of fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of visual interest. Early ones were more fire pits than modern fireplaces. They have been used for warmth on chilly days and nights, in addition to for cooking. They also functioned as a gathering place within the house. These fire pits were usually based within a space, allowing more people to gather around it.
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Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. The most famous fireplace designers of this time were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design which was used for generations. It had been smaller, more brightly colored, with a emphasis on the level of the materials used in their construction, as opposed to their size.
From the 1800s newest fireplaces were composed of two parts, the surround and the add. The encircle comprised of the mantlepiece and sides affirms, usually in wood, marble or granite. The insert 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 into homes.Painted Brick Fireplace Makeover howtos DIY Video
Some fireplace components incorporate a blower that transfers more of the fireplace's heat to the air via convection, leading to a more evenly heated area and a lower heating load. Fireplace efficiency is also enhanced by means of a fireback, a sheet of metal which sits behind the fire and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally produced from cast iron, but can also be manufactured from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complex concept though with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficacy tests consider only the impact of heating of the atmosphere. An open fireplace isn't, and never was, intended to warm the air. The ideal way to estimate the output signal of a fireplace is in case you detect you're turning the thermostat down or up.
Most elderly fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency rating. Standard, contemporary, weatherproof masonry fireplaces though have an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum necessity such as in Salzburg/Austria). To boost efficiency, fireplaces can also be modified by adding special heavy fireboxes developed to burn much cleaner and can reach efficiencies as large as 80 percent in heating the air. These modified fireplaces are usually equipped with a large fire window, enabling an efficient heating process in two phases. During the first stage the first heat is provided through a large glass while the fire is burning. During this time the construction, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the warmth. This warmth is then equally radiated for many hours during the next stage. Masonry fireplaces with no glass fire window just offer heat radiated from the surface. Depending on outside temperatures 1 to two daily firings are enough to guarantee a constant room temperature.brick fireplace
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