Ancient fire pits were sometimes constructed from the ground, within caves, or in the middle of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of ancient, man-made fires is present on all five inhabited continents. The disadvantage of premature indoor fire pits was that they produced toxic and/or annoying smoke inside the dwelling.Fire pits developed 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 rising to the port in the roof. Louvers were developed during the Middle Ages to allow the roof vents to be covered so snow and rain would not enter.
Also throughout the Middle Ages, smoke canopies were devised to stop smoke from dispersing a room and vent it outside via a wall or roof. These can be placed against stone walls, rather than taking up the middle of the space, and this enabled smaller chambers to be heated.Chimneys were devised 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 feasible to place fireplaces in numerous rooms in buildings conveniently. They did not come into general use instantly, however, as they were more expensive to build and maintain.In 1678 Prince Rupert, nephew of Charles I, increased the grate of the fireplace, improving the airflow and venting system. Benjamin Franklin developed a convection chamber for the fireplace that greatly enhanced the efficacy of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also enhanced the airflow by pulling air from a cellar and venting out a longer area at the top. In the later 18th century, Count Rumford made a fireplace using a tall, shallow firebox which was better at drawing the smoke up and out of the construction. The shallow design improved greatly the amount of radiant warmth projected into the room. Rumford's design is the foundation for modern fireplaces.
The Aesthetic movement of the 1870s and 1880s took to a more conventional spectra based on rock and deflected unnecessary ornamentation. Rather it relied on simple layouts with little unnecessary ornamentation. In the 1890s the Aesthetic movement gave way into the Arts and Crafts movement, where the emphasis was still placed on supplying quality gems. Stone fireplaces now were a sign of prosperity, which to a degree is still the idea today.A fireplace is a construction made from brick, stone or metal made to include a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance that they create and for heating a space. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending upon the plan.Historically they have been 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 function as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A cap, hood, or shroud functions to keep rainwater out of the outside of the chimney; rain at the chimney is a much greater difficulty in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metallic liners compared with the traditional masonry chimney, that soaks up all but the rain. Some chimneys have a spark arrestor integrated into the cap or crown.
Organizations like the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology warn that, according to different studies, fireplaces could pose a substantial health threat. The EPA writes"Smoke may smell good, but it is not great for you.Kinds of fireplacesArtificial fireplaces are made out of sheet glass or metal flame boxes.Electric fireplaces could be built-in replacements for wood or gas or retrofit with log inserts or electrical fireboxes.A couple of types are, wall mounted electric fireplaces, electric fireplace stoves, electric 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 United States, several states and local counties have laws restricting these types of fireplaces. Additionally, there are air quality control issues because of the quantity of moisture they release into the room atmosphere, 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 in the area that is heated, and vent all exhaust gasses into the outside of the structure.
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Over time, the purpose of fireplaces has transformed from one of necessity to one of interest. Early ones were fire pits compared to modern fireplaces. They were used for warmth on cold days and nights, in addition to for cooking. They also functioned as a gathering place inside the house. These fire pits were usually centered within a space, allowing more individuals to collect around it.
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Many defects were found in ancient fireplace designs. Along with the Industrial Revolution, came large scale housing developments, requiring a standardization of fireplaces. The most famous fireplace designers of this time were the Adam Brothers. They perfected a kind of fireplace design which was used for generations. It had been smaller, more brightly colored, with an emphasis on the quality 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, typically in wood, marble or granite. The fit was where the fire burned, and was built of cast iron often backed with decorative tiles. In addition to providing warmth, the fireplaces of the Victorian age were believed to bring a cozy ambiance to houses.Salem Wood Mantel Shelves Fireplace Mantel Shelf MantelsDirect.com Video
Some fireplace units include a blower that transports more of the fireplace's heat to the atmosphere via convection, leading to a more evenly heated area and a decrease heating load. Fireplace efficiency can also be increased with the use of a fireback, a piece of metal that sits behind the flame 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 although 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 toaster, and has done so since the 15th century. The best way to gauge the output of a fireplace is if you notice you're turning the thermostat up or down.
Most older fireplaces have a comparatively low efficiency score. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces still possess an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum necessity for example in Salzburg/Austria). To improve efficiency, fireplaces may also be altered by inserting special heavy fireboxes developed to burn much cleaner and can reach efficiencies as large as 80% in heating the atmosphere. These altered fireplaces are usually equipped with a large fire window, allowing an efficient heating process in two phases. During the first stage the initial heat is provided through a large glass window while the fire is burning. In this time period the structure, built of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This warmth is then evenly radiated for several hours during the next stage. Masonry fireplaces with no glass fire window just offer heat radiated from its surface. Depending on outside temperatures 1 to two daily firings are enough to ensure a constant room temperature.fireplace shelf
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