Ancient fire pits were sometimes built in the ground, in caves, or in the middle of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made flames is present on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of early indoor fire pits was that they generated toxic and/or irritating smoke within the dwelling.Fire pits developed into elevated hearths in buildings, but venting smoke depended on open windows or holes in roofs. The great hall typically had a centrally located hearth, where an open flame burned with the smoke rising to 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 throughout the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were invented to stop smoke from spreading through an area and vent it out via a wall or roof. These could be put against stone walls, rather than taking up the middle of the room, and this enabled smaller chambers to be warmed.Chimneys were devised in northern Europe from the 11th or 12th centuries and largely fixed the problem of fumes, more faithfully venting smoke outside. They made it feasible to provide the fireplace a draft, and made it feasible to put fireplaces in numerous rooms in buildings conveniently. They didn't come into general usage instantly, 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 airflow and venting system. The 18th century saw two important developments in the history of fireplaces. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection chamber for the fireplace which greatly enhanced the efficacy of fireplaces and wood stoves. In addition, he improved the airflow by pulling air from a cellar and venting a longer area on very top. At 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 building. The shallow design also improved greatly the quantity of radiant heat projected to the room. Rumford's design is the foundation for modern kitchens.
The Aesthetic movement of the 1870s and 1880s took on a more traditional spectra based on rock and also deflected unnecessary ornamentation. 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 still placed on providing quality stone. Stone fireplaces now were a sign of wealth, which to a degree remains 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 efficacy, based upon the design.Historically they were utilized for heating a home, cooking, and heating water for laundry and domestic 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's frequently a corbeled brick crown, where the projecting 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 from the outside of the chimney; rain at the chimney is a much greater problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metal liners compared with the traditional masonry chimney, that divides up all but the most violent rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor incorporated into the crown or cap.
The EPA writes"Smoke may smell great, but it's not great for you.Types of fireplacesArtificial fireplaces are made out of sheet metal or glass fire boxes.Electric fireplaces can be built-in replacements for either gas or wood or retrofit with log inserts or electric fireboxes.
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 limiting these types of fireplaces. They need to be suitably sized to the area to be heated. Additionally, there are air quality control problems due to the amount of moisture that they release into the room air, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are safety essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed from the place that's heated, and port all exhaust gasses into the outside of the structure.
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Over time, the intent behind fireplaces has changed from one of requirement to one of visual interest. Early ones were fire pits compared to modern fireplaces. They were used for warmth on cold days and nights, as well as for cooking. They also functioned as a gathering place within the home. These fire pits were usually based within a space, allowing more people to gather around it.
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Many defects were found in early fireplace designs. Along with the Industrial Revolution, came large scale housing developments, requiring a standardization of fireplaces. The most renowned fireplace designers of the time were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design which was used for generations. It had been smaller, more brightly colored, with a 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 two parts, the surround and the add. The surround comprised of the mantlepiece and sides supports, usually in wood, marble or granite. The fit was where the fire burned, and was built of cast iron often backed with ornamental tiles. In addition to providing warmth, the fireplaces of the Victorian era were thought to bring a cozy ambiance into houses.Quality Craft Traditional 26quot; Electric Fireplace, Espresso Walmart.com Video
Some fireplace components include 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 can also be enhanced with the use of a fireback, a sheet of metal which sits behind the fire and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally produced from cast iron, but are also made from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complex notion though with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficiency tests consider only the impact of heating of the atmosphere. An open fireplace isn't, and never was, intended to heat the atmosphere. A fireplace with a fireback is a radiant heater, and has done so as the 15th century. The best method to estimate the output signal of a fireplace is in case you detect you are turning the thermostat up or down.
Most older fireplaces have a relatively low efficiency rating. Standard, contemporary, weatherproof masonry fireplaces though have an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum requirement such as in Salzburg/Austria). To improve efficiency, fireplaces may also be altered by adding special heavy fireboxes developed to burn cleaner and may reach efficiencies as high as 80% in heating the atmosphere. These modified fireplaces are usually 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 fire is burning. In this time the structure, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This warmth is then equally radiated for several hours during the second stage. Masonry fireplaces with no glass fire window just provide heat radiated from its surface. Depending on outside temperatures 1 to two daily firings are sufficient to ensure a constant room temperature.walmart fireplace
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