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Ancient fire pits were sometimes constructed from the ground, in caves, or in the center of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of ancient, man-made fires is present on all five inhabited continents. The drawback of premature indoor flame pits was that they generated hazardous or irritating smoke within the house.Fire pits grown into raised hearths in structures, but venting 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 the smoke rising to the vent in the roof. Louvers were developed throughout the Middle Ages to enable the roof vents to be covered so rain and snow wouldn't enter.

Additionally during the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to prevent smoke from spreading through an area and vent it out through a wall or roof. These can be placed against stone walls, instead of taking up the middle of the room, and this allowed smaller chambers to be heated.Chimneys were invented in northern Europe from the 11th or 12th centuries and largely fixed the issue of fumes, more reliably venting smoke outside. They made it possible to give the fireplace a draft, and also made it feasible to place fireplaces in numerous rooms in buildings handily. They didn't come into general use 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 venting and airflow system. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection room for the fireplace which greatly improved the efficiency of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also improved the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting a longer area on very top. At the later 18th century, Count Rumford made a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox that was better at drawing up the smoke and out of the construction. The shallow design improved greatly the amount of radiant warmth projected into the space. Rumford's design is the foundation 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 still 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 construction made of brick, stone or metal made to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and also for heating a room. Modern fireplaces change in heat efficiency, based upon the plan.

Historically they have been 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 alternative flue allows exhaust to escape.

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On the exterior there's often a corbeled brick crown, in which the projecting courses of brick function as a drip route to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A hood, cap, or shroud functions to keep rainwater from the outside of the chimney; rain in the chimney is a much greater problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metal liners than with the standard masonry chimney, that soaks up all but the most violent rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor integrated into the crown or cap.

The EPA writes"Smoke may smell good, but it's not good for you.

Kinds of fireplacesArtificial fireplaces are made with sheet glass or metal fire boxes.Electric fireplaces can be built-in replacements for gas or wood or retrofit with log inserts or electrical fireboxes.A couple of types are, wall mounted electric fireplaces, electric fireplace stoves, electrical mantel fireplaces and fixed or free standing gas fireplaces.

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 counties have laws restricting these kinds of fireplaces. There are also air quality management issues because of the amount of moisture they release into the room atmosphere, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are safety essentials. Direct vent fireplaces are fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed in the area that's heated, and vent all exhaust gasses to the exterior of the structure.

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AccessoriesA vast range of accessories are used with fireplaces, ranging between states, regions, and historical periods. For the inside, common in current Western cultures comprise grates, fireguards, log boxes, andirons, bark baskets, along with fire dogs, all of which cradle fuel and accelerate burning. A grate (or flame grate) is a framework, usually of iron bars, to retain fuel to your fire. Heavy metallic firebacks are occasionally used to capture and re-radiate heat, to protect the rear of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metal frames placed before the fireplace to contain embers, soot and ash. Other wider accessories can include log baskets, companion sets, coal buckets, cabinet accessories and much more.

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 were used for warmth on chilly days and nights, in addition to for cooking. They also functioned as a gathering place inside the home. These fire pits were usually centered within a space, allowing more individuals to collect around it.

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Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. The most famous fireplace performers of this period were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design that was used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly lit, with a emphasis on the level of the substances used in their construction, as opposed to their size.

By the 1800s most new fireplaces were made up of 2 components, the surround and the add. The encircle comprised of the mantlepiece and sides supports, usually in wood, granite or marble. The insert was where the fire burnt, and was built of cast iron often backed with ornamental tiles. As well as providing warmth, the fireplaces of the Victorian age were thought to bring a cozy ambiance into houses.

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Some fireplace units incorporate a blower which transfers 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 with the use of a fireback, a piece 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 complicated notion though with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficiency 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 gauge the output of a fireplace is if you notice you are turning the thermostat up or down.

Most elderly fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency score. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces still possess an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum requirement such as in Salzburg/Austria). To boost efficiency, fireplaces can also be modified by adding special heavy fireboxes designed to burn cleaner and may reach efficiencies as large as 80% in heating the atmosphere. These modified fireplaces are often equipped with a massive fire window, enabling an efficient heating system in two phases. During the first phase the initial heat is provided through a large glass while the flame is burning. In this time the construction, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the warmth. This heat is then equally radiated for several hours during the second stage. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window just provide heat radiated from the surface. Based on temperatures 1 to two daily firings are enough to guarantee a constant room temperature.how to build a fireplace