Ancient fire pits were sometimes built in the floor, in caves, or at the middle of a hut or home. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires is present on all five inhabited continents. The drawback of early indoor flame pits was that they produced toxic and/or irritating smoke within the dwelling.Fire pits grown into elevated hearths in structures, but ventilation smoke depended on open windows or holes in roofs. The great hall typically needed a centrally situated hearth, where a open flame burnt 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 wouldn't enter.
Additionally throughout the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to prevent smoke from spreading through an area and vent it outside via a wall or roof. These can be placed against rock walls, rather than taking up the center of the space, and this enabled smaller rooms to be heated.Chimneys were invented in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th centuries and largely fixed the problem of fumes, more reliably venting smoke out. They made it possible to give the fireplace a draft, and made it feasible to put fireplaces in numerous rooms in buildings handily. They did not come into general use immediately, however, as they were more expensive to develop and maintain.The 18th century saw two major 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 improved the airflow by pulling air from a cellar and venting out a longer place on top. At 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 improved greatly the quantity of radiant warmth projected into the space. Rumford's design is the foundation for modern fireplaces.
Instead it depended on simple layouts 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 at this time were a symbol of wealth, which to some degree remains the idea today.A fireplace is a structure made from brick, stone or metal made to include a fire. Fireplaces are utilized for the relaxing ambiance that they create and also for heating a room. Modern fireplaces change in heat efficiency, based upon the design.Historically they have been used for heating a home, cooking, and heating water for domestic and laundry uses. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or alternative flue allows exhaust to escape.
Related Images with Cambridge Sienna 37 in. White Electronic Fireplace Mantel with InsertCAM34371WHT The Home Depot
Fireplace Mantel mantle Surround Simplicity Design Cast Stone noncombustible eBay
On the exterior there is often a corbeled brick crown, where the projecting courses of brick function as a drip route to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A cap, hood, or shroud functions to keep rainwater out of the exterior of the chimney; rain at the chimney is a far larger problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metal liners than with the traditional masonry chimney, which soaks up all but the rain. A few chimneys have a spark arrestor integrated into the cap or crown.
The EPA writes"Smoke may smell good, but it's not good for you.Types of fireplacesManufactured fireplaces are made out of sheet metal or glass flame boxes.Electric fireplaces could be built-in replacements for wood or gas or retrofit with log inserts or electrical fireboxes.
Masonry and prefabricated fireplaces can be fueled by wood, natural gas, biomass and gas fuel sources. In the USA, some states and local businesses have laws restricting these kinds of fireplaces. Additionally, there are air quality control issues because of the amount of moisture they discharge in the room air, and oxygen detector and carbon dioxide sensors are security essentials. Direct vent fireplaces have been fueled by either liquid propane or natural gas. They are completely sealed in the area that is heated, and vent all exhaust gasses into the outside of the structure.
Artesian White Cabinet 28quot; Infrared Firebox 28WM426T401 28II042FGL ClassicFlame
Over time, the purpose of fireplaces has transformed from one of requirement to one of visual interest. Early ones were fire pits compared to contemporary fireplaces. They have been used for warmth on chilly days and nights, as well as for cooking. They also served as a gathering place inside the house. These fire pits were generally based within a space, allowing more people to gather around it.
Artesian White Cabinet 28quot; Infrared Firebox 28WM426T401 28II042FGL ClassicFlame
Amazon.com: Pearl Mantels 51048 Newport 48Inch Fireplace Mantel Surround with Medium Density
Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. Along with the Industrial Revolution, came large scale housing developments, requiring a standardization of fireplaces. The most famous fireplace designers of this period were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a kind of fireplace design that 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, instead of their size.
From the 1800s most new fireplaces were composed of two parts, the surround and the add. The surround comprised of the mantlepiece and sides affirms, usually in wood, granite or marble. The fit was fire burned, and was built of cast iron frequently backed with decorative tiles. As well as providing warmth, the fireplaces of the Victorian era were believed to add a cozy ambiance into homes.Amazon.com: Pearl Mantels 51048 Newport 48Inch Fireplace Mantel Surround with Medium Density Video
Some fireplace components 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 is also enhanced by means 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 made from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complex concept although with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficiency tests consider only the impact of heating of the air. An open fireplace is not, and never was, designed to heat the air. A fireplace with a fireback is a radiant heater, and has done so since the 15th century. The best way to gauge the output of a fireplace is if you notice you are turning the thermostat down or up.
Most elderly fireplaces have a relatively low efficiency rating. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces though have an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum requirement for example in Salzburg/Austria). To boost efficiency, fireplaces can also be altered by inserting special heavy fireboxes developed to burn cleaner and can reach efficiencies as high as 80 percent in heating the air. These modified fireplaces are usually equipped with a large fire window, allowing an efficient heating process in two stages. During the first phase the first heat is provided through a large glass window while the flame is burning. During this time the construction, constructed of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This warmth is then equally radiated for many hours during the next phase. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window just offer heat radiated from the surface. Based on outside temperatures 1 to two daily firings are enough to guarantee a constant room temperature.fireplace mantel
No comments:
Post a Comment