Historical fire pits were sometimes constructed in the floor, in caves, or at the center of a hut or home. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires exists on all five inhabited continents. The drawback of early indoor flame pits was that they produced toxic and/or annoying smoke within the dwelling.Fire pits grown into elevated hearths in buildings, but ventilation smoke depended on open windows or holes in roofs. The great hall typically needed a centrally situated hearth, where a open flame burned with all 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 would not 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 could be placed against stone walls, rather than taking up the center of the room, and this allowed smaller chambers to be warmed.Chimneys were devised in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th centuries and largely fixed the problem of fumes, more faithfully venting smoke out. They made it feasible to provide the fireplace a draft, and also made it feasible to place fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings conveniently. They did not come into general usage immediately, however, as they were expensive to develop and maintain.The 18th century saw two major developments in the history of fireplaces. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection chamber for the fireplace which greatly improved the efficacy of fireplaces and wood stoves. In addition, he enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting a longer place at the top. In the later 18th century, Count Rumford made a fireplace using a tall, shallow firebox which was better at drawing up the smoke and out of the building. The shallow design improved greatly the amount of radiant heat projected to the space. Rumford's layout is the foundation for modern fireplaces.
Instead it depended on simple designs with small unnecessary ornamentation. In the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way to the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was placed on providing quality gems. Stone fireplaces at this time were a symbol of prosperity, which to some degree remains the idea today.A fireplace is a construction made from brick, stone or metal made to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance that they create and for heating a space. Modern fireplaces change in heat efficacy, based on the plan.Historically they were used 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 casting courses of brick function as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A cap, hood, or shroud functions to keep rainwater from the outside of the chimney; rain at the chimney is a much larger difficulty in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metallic liners compared with the standard masonry chimney, that soaks up all but the rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor integrated into the cap or crown.
Organizations such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology warn that, according to different studies, fireplaces can pose a substantial health risk. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell great, but it is not good for you.Kinds of fireplacesArtificial fireplaces are made with sheet glass or metal fire boxes.Electric fireplaces could be built-in replacements for either wood or gas or retrofit with log inserts or electrical fireboxes.A few kinds are, wall mounted electric fireplaces, electric fireplace stoves, electric mantel fireplaces and fixed or free standing gas fireplaces.
Masonry and prefabricated fireplaces can be fueled by wood, natural gas, biomass and gas fuel sources. In the United States, some states and local counties have laws restricting these types of fireplaces. They need to be suitably sized to the area to be heated. There are also air quality management issues due to the quantity of moisture they release into the room air, and oxygen detector and carbon dioxide sensors are security essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. They are completely sealed from the area that is heated, and vent all exhaust gasses to the exterior of the structure.
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Over time, the intent behind fireplaces has transformed from one of necessity to one of visual interest. Early ones were fire pits than contemporary fireplaces. They were used for heat on chilly days and nights, as well as for cooking. They also functioned as a gathering place inside the home. These fire pits were generally centered within a space, allowing more individuals to gather around it.
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Many flaws were found in ancient fireplace designs. The most famous fireplace performers of the period were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design that has been used for generations. It had been smaller, more brightly lit, with an emphasis on the quality of the materials used in their construction, instead of their size.
From the 1800s newest fireplaces were composed of 2 components, the surround and the insert. The surround comprised of the mantlepiece and sides affirms, usually in wood, granite or marble. The insert was fire burnt, 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.Wood Fireplace Inserts Regency Fireplace Products Video
Some fireplace components incorporate a blower which transports more of the fireplace's heat to the atmosphere via convection, resulting in a more evenly heated area and a lower heating load. Fireplace efficiency is also 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 made from cast iron, but are also manufactured from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complex notion although with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficacy tests consider just the effect 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 method to estimate the output of a fireplace is in case you notice you're turning the thermostat down or up.
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 inserting special heavy fireboxes developed to burn much cleaner and can reach efficiencies as high as 80% in heating the atmosphere. These modified fireplaces are often equipped with a large fire window, allowing an efficient heating process in two phases. During the first phase the initial heat is provided through a big glass window while the flame is burning. During this time period the structure, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the warmth. This heat is then equally radiated for several hours during the second stage. Masonry fireplaces with no glass fire window only provide heat radiated from the surface. Based on outside temperatures 1 to 2 daily firings are enough to ensure a constant room temperature.wood fireplace inserts
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