Saturday, October 26, 2019

Fireplace Mantels and Surrounds

Fireplace Mantels and Surrounds

Ancient fire pits were sometimes constructed from the ground, in caves, or in the center of a hut or home. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made flames is present on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of premature indoor flame pits was that they generated hazardous or irritating smoke within the dwelling.Fire pits grown into raised hearths in structures, but ventilation smoke relied on open windows or openings in roofs. The medieval great hall typically needed a centrally situated hearth, where a open fire burnt with the smoke rising to the vent in the roof. Louvers were developed throughout the Middle Ages to allow the roof vents to be coated so snow and rain would not enter.

Also during the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were invented to stop smoke from spreading through an area and vent it outside through a wall or roof. These could be put against rock walls, instead of taking up the middle of the room, and this allowed 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 give the fireplace a draft, and also made it possible to place fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings handily. They did not come into general usage instantly, however, as they were expensive to build and maintain.

In 1678 Prince Rupert, nephew of Charles I, increased 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 chamber for the fireplace that greatly improved the efficacy of fireplaces and wood stoves. In addition, he improved the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting out a longer area on top. At the later 18th century, Count Rumford made a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox which has been better at drawing the smoke up and out of the building. The shallow design improved greatly the amount of radiant heat projected into the room. Rumford's layout is the basis for modern fireplaces.

Rather it relied on simple designs with small unnecessary ornamentation. From the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way to the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was still placed on supplying quality stone. Stone fireplaces now have been a sign of wealth, which to a degree is still the notion today.A fireplace is a construction made from brick, stone or metal made to include a fire. Fireplaces are utilized for its relaxing ambiance that they create and for heating a space. Modern fireplaces change in heat efficiency, 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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Wood Fireplace Mantel Cover WoodWorking Projects Plans

Wood Fireplace Mantel Cover  WoodWorking Projects  Plans

On the exterior there's often a corbeled brick crown, in which the projecting courses of brick act as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the outside walls. A cap, hood, or shroud serves to keep rainwater out of the exterior of the chimney; rain in the chimney is a much larger problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metal liners compared with the traditional masonry chimney, which divides up all but the most violent rain. A few chimneys have a spark arrestor incorporated into the cap or crown.

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

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

Ventless Fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by either gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas. In the USA, several states and local businesses have laws restricting these types of fireplaces. Additionally, there are air quality management problems because of the quantity of moisture they discharge in the room atmosphere, and oxygen detector and carbon monoxide sensors are security essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. They are totally sealed from the place that is heated, and port all exhaust gasses into the exterior of the structure.

25 Winter Fireplace Mantel Decorating Ideas

25 Winter Fireplace Mantel Decorating Ideas

AccessoriesA wide assortment of accessories are used with fireplaces, which range between countries, regions, and historical periods. For the interior, common in current Western cultures include grates, fireguards, log boxes, andirons, bark baskets, and fire puppies, all of 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 metal firebacks are occasionally utilized to catch and re-radiate heat, to safeguard the back of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metallic frames set in front of the fireplace to contain embers, soot and ashes. Other wider accessories can include log baskets, companion sets, coal buckets, cabinet accessories and much more.

Over time, the intent behind fireplaces has transformed from one of requirement to one of visual interest. Early ones were more fire pits compared to modern fireplaces. They have been used for warmth on cold days and nights, in addition to for cooking. They also functioned as a gathering place within the house. These fire pits were generally based within a room, allowing more people to collect around it.

Best 25+ Fall fireplace mantel ideas on Pinterest Fall fireplace decor, Fall mantle decor and

Best 25+ Fall fireplace mantel ideas on Pinterest  Fall fireplace decor, Fall mantle decor and

WIP Blog: Autumn Mantel Decor Ideas

WIP Blog: Autumn Mantel Decor Ideas

Many defects were found in early fireplace designs. Along with the Industrial Revolution, came big scale housing developments, necessitating a standardization of fireplaces. The most renowned fireplace designers of the time were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design that was used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly colored, with an emphasis on the quality of the substances used in their construction, as opposed to their dimensions.

From the 1800s most new fireplaces were composed of two parts, the surround and the add. The surround consisted of the mantlepiece and sides supports, typically in wood, granite or marble. The insert was fire burned, and was constructed of cast iron often backed with ornamental tiles. In addition to providing warmth, the fireplaces of the Victorian age were believed to bring a cozy ambiance into houses.

WIP Blog: Autumn Mantel Decor Ideas Video

Some fireplace components include a blower which transfers 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 increased by means of a fireback, a piece of metal that sits behind the fire and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally made from cast iron, but can also be made from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complex notion though with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficacy tests consider only the impact of heating of the atmosphere. An open fireplace is not, and never was, designed to warm the air. A fireplace with a fireback is a radiant heater, and has done so as the 15th century. The ideal way to estimate the output signal of a fireplace is in case you detect you are turning the thermostat down or up.

Most older fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency rating. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces though have an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum necessity such as in Salzburg/Austria). To improve efficiency, fireplaces may also be modified by adding special heavy fireboxes developed to burn much cleaner and can reach efficiencies as high as 80 percent in heating the air. These altered fireplaces are usually equipped with a massive fire window, allowing an efficient heating process in two stages. During the first phase the initial heat is offered through a big glass window while the flame is burning. During this time period the structure, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This warmth is then evenly radiated for many hours during the next stage. Masonry fireplaces with no glass fire window only offer heat radiated from the surface. Depending on temperatures 1 to 2 daily firings are sufficient to guarantee a constant room temperature.fireplace mantel ideas

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