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Historical fire pits were sometimes constructed in the ground, in caves, or in the center of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made flames exists on all five inhabited continents. The drawback of premature indoor fire pits was that they produced hazardous or annoying smoke within the house.Fire pits developed into elevated hearths in buildings, but venting smoke depended on open windows or holes in roofs. The great hall typically needed a centrally situated hearth, where a open fire burned with the smoke climbing into the vent in the roof. Louvers were developed during the Middle Ages to enable the roof vents to be coated so rain and snow wouldn't enter.

Also during the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to prevent smoke from spreading through a room and vent it outside via a wall or roof. These can be put against stone walls, rather than taking up the center of the room, and this enabled smaller rooms 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 provide the fireplace a draft, and made it possible 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 major developments in the history of fireplaces. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection chamber for the fireplace which greatly improved the efficiency of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting a lengthier place at the top. In the later 18th century, Count Rumford made a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox which was better at drawing the smoke up and out of the construction. The shallow design also improved greatly the amount of radiant warmth projected to the space. Rumford's layout is the basis for modern kitchens.

Rather it relied on simple designs with small 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 gems. Stone fireplaces now were a sign of prosperity, which to a degree remains the notion today.A fireplace is a construction made from brick, stone or metal designed to include a fire. Fireplaces are used for its relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the plan.

Historically they have been used for heating a dwelling, 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 function as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A hood, cap, or shroud functions to keep rainwater from the exterior 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 standard masonry chimney, that soaks up all but the most violent rain. A few chimneys have a spark arrestor incorporated 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 can pose a significant health risk. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell great, but it is not good for you.

Types of fireplacesArtificial fireplaces are made with sheet glass or metal flame boxes.Electric fireplaces could be built-in replacements for gas or wood or retrofit with log inserts or electrical fireboxes.

Masonry and prefabricated fireplaces can be fueled by wood, natural gas, biomass and propane fuel sources. In the United States, several states and local businesses have laws limiting these types of fireplaces. They need to be suitably sized to the area to be heated. Additionally, there are air quality management issues due to the amount of moisture that they release in the room atmosphere, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are safety 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 civilizations include grates, fireguards, log boxes, andirons, bark baskets, and fire puppies, all of which cradle gas and quicken burning. A grate (or flame 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 protect the back of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metal frames set before the fireplace to contain embers, soot and ashes. For fireplace tending, tools comprise pokers, bellows, tongs, shovels, brushes and instrument stands. Other wider accessories can consist of log baskets, companion sets, coal buckets, cabinet accessories and more.

Over time, the purpose of fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of interest. Early ones were fire pits compared to contemporary fireplaces. They were used for heat on cold 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 room, allowing more individuals to gather around it.

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Many defects were found in ancient fireplace designs. The most renowned fireplace performers of the time were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design that has been used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly colored, with a emphasis on the level of the substances used in their construction, instead of their size.

By the 1800s most new fireplaces were made up of 2 parts, the surround as well as the add. The encircle consisted of the mantlepiece and sides affirms, typically in wood, granite or marble. The fit was fire burnt, and was built of cast iron frequently backed with decorative tiles. In addition to providing heat, the fireplaces of the Victorian era were believed to bring a cozy ambiance to homes.

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Some fireplace components include a blower that transports more of the fireplace's heat to the atmosphere via convection, resulting in a more evenly heated space and a decrease heating load. Fireplace efficiency can also be enhanced by means of a fireback, a piece of metal which sits behind the flame 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 concept although with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficacy tests consider only the impact of heating of the atmosphere. An open fireplace is not, and never was, intended to warm the air. The ideal method to gauge the output of a fireplace is in case you detect you're turning the thermostat down or up.

Most elderly fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency score. Standard, contemporary, weatherproof masonry fireplaces still possess an efficiency rating of 80% (legal minimum requirement for example in Salzburg/Austria). To improve efficiency, fireplaces can also be altered by inserting special heavy fireboxes designed to burn much cleaner and may reach efficiencies as high as 80% in heating the air. These modified 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 offered through a big glass while the flame is burning. During this time the structure, built of refractory bricks, absorbs the warmth. This warmth is then evenly radiated for many hours during the second stage. Masonry fireplaces with no glass fire window just provide heat radiated from the surface. Depending on temperatures 1 to two daily firings are enough to guarantee a constant room temperature.fireplace insert wood