Ancient fire pits were sometimes built in the floor, in caves, or in the center of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires is present on all five inhabited continents. The drawback of premature indoor flame pits was that they generated toxic and/or irritating smoke within the dwelling.Fire pits developed into raised hearths in buildings, but venting smoke depended on open windows or holes in roofs. The great hall typically had a centrally situated hearth, where a open flame burned with 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 wouldn't enter.
Additionally throughout the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to stop smoke from spreading through a room and vent it outside via a ceiling or wall. These can be placed against rock walls, rather than taking up the center of the space, and this enabled smaller rooms to be warmed.Chimneys were invented in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th centuries and largely fixed the problem of fumes, more faithfully venting smoke out. They made it possible to give the fireplace a draft, and made it feasible to put fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings handily. They did not come into general usage immediately, however, as they were more expensive to develop and maintain.In 1678 Prince Rupert, nephew of Charles I, raised the grate of the fireplace, improving the venting and airflow system. The 18th century saw two major developments in the history of fireplaces. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection room for the fireplace which greatly enhanced the efficiency of fireplaces and wood stoves. In addition, he enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a cellar and venting out a lengthier area at the very top. In the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox which was better at drawing up the smoke and from the building. The shallow design also improved greatly the amount of radiant heat projected into the room. Rumford's design is the basis for modern fireplaces.
Instead it depended 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 still placed on supplying quality stone. Stone fireplaces now were a sign of prosperity, which to a degree remains the idea today.A fireplace is a structure made from brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and also for heating a space. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficacy, depending on the plan.Historically they were used for heating a dwelling, cooking, and heating water for laundry and domestic uses.
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On the exterior there is often 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 cap, hood, or shroud serves 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 compared with the traditional masonry chimney, that soaks up all but the most violent 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 various studies, fireplaces could pose a significant health threat. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell great, but it's not good for you.Kinds of fireplacesArtificial fireplaces are made with 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.
Ventless Fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by either gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas. In the USA, some states and local counties have laws restricting these kinds of fireplaces. Additionally, there are air quality management problems because of the quantity of moisture they release in the room air, and oxygen sensor and carbon dioxide sensors are security essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by either liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed from the area that's heated, and port all exhaust gasses into the exterior of the structure.
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As time passes, the intent behind fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of visual interest. Early ones were more fire pits than 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 home. These fire pits were usually centered within a space, allowing more individuals to gather around it.
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Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. The most famous fireplace performers of this period were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a kind of fireplace design which has been used for generations. It had been smaller, more brightly colored, with an emphasis on the level of the materials used in their construction, as opposed to their dimensions.
From the 1800s newest fireplaces were composed of 2 components, the surround as well as the add. The surround comprised of the mantlepiece and sides supports, usually in wood, marble or granite. The fit was where the fire burnt, and was constructed of cast iron frequently backed with ornamental tiles. In addition to providing heat, the fireplaces of the Victorian era were believed to add a cozy ambiance into homes.Gas Fireplaces Design Gallery Fireplace Xtrordinair Video
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 area and a decrease heating load. Fireplace efficiency is also enhanced with the use of a fireback, a sheet of metal that sits behind the fire 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 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, intended to warm the air. A fireplace with a fireback is a radiant heater, and has done so since the 15th century. The ideal way to gauge the output signal of a fireplace is if you detect you're turning the thermostat down or up.
Most older fireplaces have a relatively low efficiency score. Standard, modern, wood-burning 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 modified by inserting special heavy fireboxes designed to burn cleaner and may reach efficiencies as high as 80 percent in heating the atmosphere. These altered fireplaces are often equipped with a large fire window, allowing an efficient heating system in two stages. During the first phase the first heat is provided through a large glass window while the flame is burning. In this time period the structure, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This heat is then evenly radiated for many hours during the next stage. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window just offer heat radiated from its surface. Depending on temperatures 1 to 2 daily firings are sufficient to guarantee a constant room temperature.fireplaces
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