Ancient fire pits were sometimes constructed from the floor, in caves, or in the middle of a hut or home. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires is present on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of premature indoor fire pits was that they generated hazardous or annoying smoke inside the dwelling.Fire pits developed into elevated hearths in structures, but ventilation smoke depended on open windows or openings in roofs. The medieval great hall typically had a centrally located hearth, where an open fire burnt with all the smoke climbing into the port in the roof. Louvers were developed throughout the Middle Ages to enable the roof vents to be covered so snow and rain would not enter.
Additionally throughout the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were invented to stop smoke from spreading through an area and vent it outside through a ceiling or wall. These could be placed against rock walls, rather than taking up the center of the room, and this allowed smaller rooms to be warmed.Chimneys were invented in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th centuries and mostly fixed the problem of fumes, more faithfully venting smoke outside. They made it possible to provide the fireplace a draft, and made it possible to place fireplaces in numerous rooms in buildings conveniently. They did not come into general use instantly, however, since they were expensive to develop and maintain.In 1678 Prince Rupert, nephew of Charles I, increased 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 that greatly improved 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 on top. At the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace using a tall, shallow firebox which was better at drawing the smoke up and from the building. The shallow design improved greatly the amount of radiant warmth projected into the space. Rumford's layout is the basis for modern fireplaces.
Instead it relied on simple designs with small unnecessary ornamentation. From the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way into the Arts and Crafts movement, in which the emphasis was still placed on providing quality stone. Stone fireplaces at this time have been a sign of wealth, which to some degree is still the idea today.A fireplace is a construction made of brick, stone or metal made to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for its relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a space. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficacy, depending on the plan.Historically they were utilized for heating a home, cooking, and heating water for laundry and domestic uses.
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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 exterior walls. A hood, cap, or shroud serves to keep rainwater from the exterior of the chimney; rain at the chimney is a far larger difficulty in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metallic liners compared with the traditional masonry chimney, that divides up all but the rain. A few chimneys have a spark arrestor incorporated into the crown or cap.
Organizations like the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology warn that, according to various studies, fireplaces can pose a substantial health threat. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell good, but it is not great for you.Types of fireplacesArtificial fireplaces are made with sheet glass or metal fire boxes.Electric fireplaces could 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.
Masonry and prefabricated fireplaces can be fueled by wood, natural gas, biomass and propane fuel sources. In the United States, some states and local counties have laws limiting these kinds of fireplaces. Additionally, there are air quality management problems due to the quantity of moisture they release into the room air, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are security essentials. Direct vent fireplaces are fueled by either 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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As time passes, the intent behind fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of interest. Early ones were more fire pits compared to modern fireplaces. They have been used for warmth on chilly days and nights, in addition to for cooking. They also functioned as a gathering place inside the house. 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. The most famous fireplace designers of the period were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a style of fireplace design which has been used for generations. It had been smaller, more brightly colored, with an emphasis on the quality of the materials used in their construction, as opposed to their dimensions.
By the 1800s newest fireplaces were made up of 2 parts, the surround and the insert. The surround comprised of the mantlepiece and sides affirms, usually in wood, granite or marble. The fit was fire burned, and was constructed of cast iron frequently backed with ornamental tiles. In addition to providing heat, the fireplaces of the Victorian age were believed to bring a cozy ambiance to houses.Amazon.com SEI Antebellum Media Console with Electric Fireplace, Black/ Walnut Smokeless Video
Some fireplace units include a blower that transfers more of the fireplace's heat to the atmosphere via convection, leading to a more evenly heated area and a lower heating load. Fireplace efficiency is also 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 made from cast iron, but are also made 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 isn't, and never was, designed to warm the air. The ideal way to gauge the output signal of a fireplace is if you notice you're turning the thermostat up or down.
Most elderly fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency rating. Standard, contemporary, weatherproof masonry fireplaces though have an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum necessity such as in Salzburg/Austria). To boost efficiency, fireplaces can also be modified by adding special heavy fireboxes designed to burn much cleaner and may reach efficiencies as high as 80 percent in heating the atmosphere. These modified fireplaces are usually equipped with a massive fire window, enabling an efficient heating process in two stages. During the first phase the initial heat is offered through a large glass while the fire is burning. In this time period the construction, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the warmth. This warmth is then evenly radiated for several hours during the second 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 ensure a constant room temperature.amazon electric fireplace
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