Ancient fire pits were sometimes constructed in the ground, within caves, or in the middle of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires is present on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of early indoor flame pits was that they produced toxic and/or annoying smoke inside the dwelling.Fire pits grown into raised hearths in buildings, but venting smoke relied on open windows or openings in roofs. The medieval great hall typically had a centrally located hearth, where a open fire burned with the smoke climbing into the vent in the roof. Louvers were developed throughout the Middle Ages to allow the roof vents to be covered so snow and rain would not enter.
Additionally during the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were invented to stop smoke from spreading through an area and vent it out through 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 warmed.Chimneys were invented in northern Europe from the 11th or 12th centuries and mostly fixed the problem of fumes, more reliably venting smoke outside. They made it feasible to give the fireplace a draft, and also made it possible to place fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings conveniently. They did not come into general usage instantly, however, as they were more 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 efficiency of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting out a longer place at the very top. At the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox that has been better at drawing the smoke up and from the construction. The shallow design also improved greatly the amount of radiant warmth projected into the space. Rumford's design is the basis for modern kitchens.
The Aesthetic movement of the 1870s and 1880s took to a more conventional spectra based on stone and deflected unnecessary ornamentation. Rather it relied on simple designs with little unnecessary ornamentation. From the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way to the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was still placed on providing quality gems. Stone fireplaces now have been a symbol of prosperity, which to some degree is still the notion today.A fireplace is a structure made of brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for its relaxing ambiance that they create and also for heating a space. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, based upon the plan.Historically they have been used for heating a dwelling, cooking, and heating water for domestic and laundry uses.
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On the exterior there is often a corbeled brick crown, where the casting courses of brick act as a drip route 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 difficulty in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metal liners compared with the standard masonry chimney, that divides up all but the most violent rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor incorporated into the cap or crown.
Organizations such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology warn that, according to different studies, fireplaces could pose a substantial health risk. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell good, but it's not good for you.Types of fireplacesManufactured fireplaces are made with sheet metal or glass flame boxes.Electric fireplaces can be built-in replacements for wood or gas or retrofit with log inserts or electric fireboxes.
Masonry and prefabricated fireplaces can be fueled by wood, natural gas, biomass and gas fuel sources. Ventless Fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by 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 control problems because of the quantity of moisture they release in the room air, and oxygen detector and carbon monoxide sensors are security essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by either liquid propane or natural gas. They are completely sealed in the place that is heated, and port all exhaust gasses into the outside of the structure.
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Over time, the purpose of fireplaces has transformed from one of requirement to one of visual interest. Early ones were fire pits than contemporary fireplaces. They have been used for heat on chilly 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 room, allowing more individuals to gather around it.
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Many defects were found in ancient fireplace designs. Along with the Industrial Revolution, came big scale housing developments, requiring a standardization of fireplaces. The most renowned fireplace performers of the time were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design which has been used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly colored, with an emphasis on the level of the substances used in their construction, as opposed to their dimensions.
By the 1800s newest fireplaces were made up of two components, the surround as well as the insert. The surround consisted of the mantlepiece and sides affirms, usually in wood, granite or marble. The insert was where the fire burnt, and was built of cast iron frequently backed with decorative tiles. As well as providing heat, the fireplaces of the Victorian age were believed to bring a cozy ambiance into homes.Pearl Mantels Crestwood Transitional Fireplace Mantel Shelf Fireplace Mantels Surrounds at Video
Some fireplace units incorporate a blower which transfers more of the fireplace's heat to the atmosphere via convection, resulting in a more evenly heated space and a lower heating load. Fireplace efficiency can also be enhanced by means of a fireback, a sheet of metal that sits behind the flame 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 complicated concept 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, designed to heat the air. The ideal method to estimate the output signal of a fireplace is if you detect you are turning the thermostat up or down.
Most elderly fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency rating. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces still possess an efficiency rating of 80% (legal minimum requirement for example in Salzburg/Austria). To boost efficiency, fireplaces may also be modified by adding special heavy fireboxes developed 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, enabling an efficient heating process in two phases. During the first phase the first heat is provided through a big glass while the flame is burning. In this time period the structure, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This warmth is then equally radiated for many hours during the second phase. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window only offer heat radiated from the surface. Depending on temperatures 1 to two daily firings are sufficient to ensure a constant room temperature.fireplace mantel shelf
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