Ancient fire pits were sometimes constructed from the ground, in caves, or at the middle of a hut or home. Evidence of ancient, man-made fires is present on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of premature indoor flame pits was that they produced toxic and/or annoying smoke within the house.Fire pits developed into raised hearths in structures, but venting smoke relied 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 climbing into the port in the roof. Louvers were developed during the Middle Ages to allow the roof vents to be covered so rain and snow wouldn't enter.
Additionally throughout the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to stop smoke from dispersing a room and vent it out via a wall or roof. These could be put against rock walls, instead of taking up the middle of the space, and this enabled smaller chambers to be heated.Chimneys were invented in northern Europe from the 11th or 12th centuries and largely fixed the problem of fumes, more faithfully venting smoke outside. They made it feasible to provide the fireplace a draft, and also made it feasible to put fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings handily. They didn't come into general usage instantly, however, as they were more expensive to build and maintain.Benjamin Franklin developed a convection chamber for the fireplace which greatly enhanced the efficiency of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a cellar and venting out a longer area on very top. At the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox that was better at drawing the smoke up and from the construction. The shallow design improved greatly the quantity of radiant warmth projected to the space. Rumford's design is the basis for modern fireplaces.
The Aesthetic movement of the 1870s and 1880s took on a more conventional spectra based on rock and deflected unnecessary ornamentation. Rather it depended on simple layouts with little unnecessary ornamentation. From the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way to the Arts and Crafts movement, in which the emphasis was still placed on providing quality stone. Stone fireplaces now have been a sign of wealth, which to a degree remains the notion today.A fireplace is a structure made of brick, stone or metal made to include a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance that they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the plan.Historically they were utilized 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. A fireplace may have the following: a foundation, a hearth, a firebox, a mantelpiece; a chimney (used in kitchen and laundry fireplaces), a grate, a lintel, a lintel pub, house overmantel, a damper, a smoke room, a throat, a flue, and a chimney filter or afterburner.
Related Images with Fireplace Hearths in Slate and Natural Stone Custom Made
Gas Fireplace Photo Gallery Mendota Hearth

On the exterior there's frequently a corbeled brick crown, where 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 at the chimney is a far greater problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metallic liners than with the traditional masonry chimney, which soaks up all but the rain. A few chimneys have a spark arrestor incorporated 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 can pose a substantial health threat. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell good, but it's not good for you.Kinds of fireplacesManufactured fireplaces are made with sheet metal or glass flame boxes.Electric fireplaces can be built-in replacements for gas or wood or retrofit with log inserts or electrical fireboxes.A few types are, wall mounted electric fireplaces, electric fireplace stoves, electric mantel fireplaces and fixed or free standing electric fireplaces.
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 either gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas. In the USA, several states and local counties have laws limiting these kinds of fireplaces. They need to be suitably sized to the area to be heated. Additionally, there are air quality control issues due to the amount of moisture they release in the room air, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are security essentials. Direct vent fireplaces are fueled by either liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed in the place that is heated, and vent all exhaust gasses to the outside of the structure.
Custom Slate Hearth – Made To Measure Slate Hearths UK Delivery

Over time, 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, as well as for cooking. They also functioned as a gathering place inside the house. These fire pits were usually centered within a space, allowing more individuals to gather around it.
Chic meets Healthy: FIREPLACE HEARTH PT. 1 HERRINGBONE MARBLE TILE HEARTH
Fireplace Hearths in Slate and Natural Stone Custom Made
Many flaws were found in ancient fireplace designs. Together with the Industrial Revolution, came large scale housing developments, necessitating a standardization of fireplaces. The most famous fireplace designers of the time 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 quality of the materials used in their construction, instead of their size.
From the 1800s newest fireplaces were made up of 2 parts, the surround as well as the insert. The surround comprised of the mantlepiece and sides supports, typically in wood, granite or marble. The fit was fire burnt, and was constructed of cast iron frequently backed with decorative tiles. In addition to providing heat, the fireplaces of the Victorian age were thought to add a cozy ambiance to homes.Fireplace Hearths in Slate and Natural Stone Custom Made Video
Some fireplace units incorporate a blower that transports more of the fireplace's heat to the atmosphere via convection, leading to a more evenly heated space and a decrease heating load. Fireplace efficiency is also enhanced with the use of a fireback, a sheet of metal which sits behind the flame and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally made from cast iron, but can also be made from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complicated concept although with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficiency tests consider just the impact of heating of the air. An open fireplace isn't, and never was, intended to heat the air. A fireplace with a fireback is a radiant heater, and has done so as the 15th century. The ideal way to gauge the output signal of a fireplace is in case you detect you are turning the thermostat up or down.
Most elderly fireplaces have a relatively 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 altered by adding special heavy fireboxes designed to burn cleaner and may reach efficiencies as large as 80% in heating the air. These altered fireplaces are usually equipped with a massive fire window, allowing an efficient heating system in two stages. During the first phase the initial 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 heat is then evenly radiated for several hours during the second phase. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window only provide heat radiated from the surface. Based on temperatures 1 to 2 daily firings are sufficient to ensure a constant room temperature.fireplace hearth
No comments:
Post a Comment