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Ancient fire pits were sometimes constructed from the ground, within caves, or at the middle of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of ancient, man-made flames exists on all five inhabited continents. The drawback of premature indoor flame pits was that they produced toxic and/or annoying smoke within the dwelling.Fire pits grown into elevated hearths in buildings, but venting smoke depended on open windows or openings in roofs. The medieval great hall typically had a centrally situated hearth, where an open flame burnt with the smoke climbing into the vent in the roof. Louvers were developed throughout the Middle Ages to enable the roof vents to be covered so snow and rain would not enter.

Also during the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to prevent smoke from dispersing a room and vent it outside via a wall or roof. These can be put against rock walls, rather than taking up the middle of the space, and this allowed smaller rooms to be warmed.Chimneys were devised in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th centuries and mostly fixed the issue 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 use instantly, however, since they were more expensive to build and maintain.

The 18th century saw two important developments in the history of fireplaces. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection room for the fireplace that greatly enhanced the efficiency of fireplaces and wood stoves. In addition, he enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting a longer area on top. At the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace using a tall, shallow firebox that has been better at drawing the smoke up and from the construction. The shallow design also improved greatly the quantity of radiant warmth projected to the room. Rumford's layout is the foundation for modern kitchens.

Rather it depended on simple designs with little unnecessary ornamentation. From the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way to the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was placed on providing quality stone. Stone fireplaces now were a sign of wealth, which to some degree remains the notion today.A fireplace is a construction made of brick, stone or metal designed to include a fire. Fireplaces are utilized for its relaxing ambiance they create and also for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending upon the design.

Historically they have been utilized for heating a home, cooking, and heating water for laundry and domestic uses.

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On the exterior there is frequently a corbeled brick crown, in which 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 from the outside of the chimney; rain at the chimney is a far larger problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metallic liners than with the traditional masonry chimney, that soaks up all but the most violent rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor integrated into the crown or cap.

Organizations such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology warn that, according to various studies, fireplaces could pose a substantial health threat. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell great, but it's not good for you.

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

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. Additionally, there are air quality management problems due to the amount of moisture they release into the room atmosphere, and oxygen detector and carbon dioxide sensors are safety essentials. Direct vent fireplaces are fueled by either liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed from the area that is heated, and port all exhaust gasses to the exterior of the structure.

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AccessoriesA vast range of accessories are used with fireplaces, which range between states, regions, and historical periods. For the inside, common in recent Western cultures include grates, fireguards, log boxes, andirons, bark baskets, and fire dogs, all which cradle fuel and accelerate burning. A grate (or fire grate) is a framework, usually of iron bars, to retain fuel for a fire. Heavy metallic firebacks are sometimes used to capture and re-radiate heat, to safeguard the back of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metallic frames set before the fireplace to include embers, soot and ashes. Other wider accessories may include log baskets, companion sets, coal buckets, cabinet accessories and much more.

As time passes, the intent behind fireplaces has transformed from one of necessity to one of 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 served as a gathering place within the house. These fire pits were generally centered within a space, allowing more people to gather around it.

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Many flaws were found in ancient fireplace designs. The most famous fireplace designers of the period were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design which has been used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly lit, with an emphasis on the level of the materials used in their construction, instead of their dimensions.

By the 1800s newest fireplaces were made up of 2 parts, the surround as well as the add. The surround consisted of the mantlepiece and sides affirms, typically in wood, granite or marble. The fit was where the fire burnt, and was constructed 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 homes.

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Some fireplace units incorporate a blower which transports more of the fireplace's heat to the atmosphere via convection, leading to a more evenly heated space and a lower heating load. Fireplace efficiency is also increased 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 are also manufactured from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complex concept though with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficiency tests consider only the impact of heating of the atmosphere. An open fireplace is not, and never was, designed to heat the atmosphere. A fireplace with a fireback is a toaster, and has done so since the 15th century. The best way to gauge the output signal of a fireplace is if you detect you are turning the thermostat down or up.

Most older fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency rating. Standard, contemporary, weatherproof masonry fireplaces still possess an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum necessity for example in Salzburg/Austria). To improve efficiency, fireplaces may also be altered by inserting special heavy fireboxes developed to burn cleaner and may reach efficiencies as high as 80% in heating the atmosphere. These altered fireplaces are often equipped with a massive fire window, enabling an efficient heating system in two phases. During the first stage the initial heat is offered 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 equally radiated for many hours during the next phase. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window just offer heat radiated from its surface. Based on temperatures 1 to 2 daily firings are sufficient to ensure a constant room temperature.wood fireplace mantels