Gas Logs North Forge fireplaces, inserts, stoves, in Harrisburg, Lebanon, Hershey Ephrata area

Ancient fire pits were sometimes built in the ground, in caves, or at the center of a hut or home. Evidence of ancient, man-made flames exists on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of early indoor fire pits was that they produced hazardous or annoying smoke within the dwelling.Fire pits developed into raised hearths in structures, but venting smoke relied on open windows or holes in roofs. The medieval great hall typically needed a centrally located hearth, where a open fire burnt with all 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 snow and rain would not enter.

Also during the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to prevent smoke from spreading through an area and vent it outside through a wall or roof. These could be placed against stone walls, instead of taking up the middle of the room, and this allowed smaller chambers to be warmed.Chimneys were invented in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th centuries and mostly fixed the problem of fumes, more reliably venting smoke out. They made it feasible to give the fireplace a draft, and made it feasible to place fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings handily. They did not come into general use instantly, however, as they were expensive to build and maintain.

The 18th century saw two important 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. In addition, he improved the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting a lengthier area on very top. At the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace using a tall, shallow firebox which was better at drawing the smoke up and from the building. The shallow design improved greatly the amount of radiant heat projected into the space. Rumford's design is the foundation for modern kitchens.

Instead it relied on simple designs with small unnecessary ornamentation. In the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way into the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was placed on supplying quality stone. Stone fireplaces at this time were a sign of wealth, which to some degree is still the notion today.A fireplace is a construction made from brick, stone or metal made to include a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and also for heating a space. Modern fireplaces change in heat efficiency, based upon the plan.

Historically they have been 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 alternative flue allows exhaust to escape.

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On the exterior there is often a corbeled brick crown, where the casting courses of brick act as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A hood, cap, or shroud serves to keep rainwater out of the outside of the chimney; rain in the chimney is a far greater problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metal liners than with the standard masonry chimney, that divides up all but the most violent rain. A few chimneys have a spark arrestor integrated into the cap or crown.

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

Types of fireplacesManufactured fireplaces are made out of sheet glass or metal flame boxes.Electric fireplaces could be built-in replacements for either gas or wood or retrofit with log inserts or electric fireboxes.A few kinds are, wall mounted electric fireplaces, electric fireplace stoves, electrical mantel fireplaces and fixed or free standing electric fireplaces.

In the United States, some states and local counties have laws limiting these kinds of fireplaces. Additionally, there are air quality management problems due to the amount of moisture that they discharge into the room air, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are security essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. They are completely sealed in the place that's heated, and vent all exhaust gasses to the outside of the structure.

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AccessoriesFor the interior, common in current Western cultures include grates, fireguards, log boxes, andirons, pellet baskets, and fire puppies, all which cradle fuel and accelerate burning. A grate (or fire grate) is a frame, usually of iron bars, to retain fuel to your fire. Heavy metal firebacks are sometimes utilized to capture and re-radiate warmth, to protect the rear of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metallic frames set in front of the fireplace to include embers, soot and ashes. Other wider accessories may consist of log baskets, companion sets, coal buckets, cabinet accessories and more.

Over time, the intent behind fireplaces has changed from one of requirement to one of interest. Early ones were fire pits compared to modern 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 house. These fire pits were generally centered within a space, allowing more individuals to collect around it.

Through the French eye of design: WOODLESS FIREPLACES

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Many defects were found in ancient fireplace designs. Together with the Industrial Revolution, came large scale housing developments, requiring a standardization of fireplaces. The most renowned fireplace performers of the period were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a kind of fireplace design that has been used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly colored, with an emphasis on the level of the materials used in their construction, as opposed to their size.

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

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Some fireplace units include a blower which transfers 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 can also be increased by means of a fireback, a piece of metal that sits behind the flame and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally made from cast iron, but are also made from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complicated notion although with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficacy tests consider only the impact of heating of the air. An open fireplace is not, and never was, intended to heat the atmosphere. A fireplace with a fireback is a radiant heater, and has done so since the 15th century. The best method to gauge the output of a fireplace is if you detect you are turning the thermostat up or down.

Most elderly fireplaces have a relatively low efficiency rating. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces still possess an efficiency rating of 80% (legal minimum requirement such as in Salzburg/Austria). To improve efficiency, fireplaces can also be modified by adding special heavy fireboxes developed to burn cleaner and can reach efficiencies as large as 80% in heating the atmosphere. These altered fireplaces are usually equipped with a large fire window, allowing an efficient heating system in two stages. During the first stage the first heat is offered through a large glass window while the flame is burning. In this time the structure, built of refractory bricks, absorbs the warmth. This warmth is then evenly radiated for many hours during the second phase. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window only provide heat radiated from its surface. Depending on temperatures 1 to two daily firings are enough to ensure a constant room temperature.gas fireplace logs