Afireplace orhearth is a structure made ofbrick,stone ormetal designed to contain afire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the design.
Historically, they were used for heating adwelling,cooking, and heating water forlaundry and domestic uses. A fire is contained in afirebox orfire pit; achimney or otherflue allowsexhaust gas to escape. A fireplace may have the following: a foundation, ahearth, a firebox, amantel, achimney crane (used in kitchen and laundry fireplaces), a grate, alintel, a lintel bar, anovermantel, adamper, a smoke chamber, a throat, a flue, and a chimneyfilter or afterburner.[1]
On the exterior, there is often a corbelled brick crown, in which the projecting courses of brick act as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A cap, hood, or shroud serves to keep rainwater out of the exterior of the chimney; rain in the chimney is a much greater problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metal liners than with the traditionalmasonry chimney, which soaks up all but the most violent rain. Some chimneys have aspark arrestor incorporated into the crown or cap.
Manufactured fireplaces are made withsheet metal orglass fire boxes.
Electric fireplaces can be built-in replacements forwood or gas or retrofit with log inserts or electric fireboxes.
A few types are wall mounted electric fireplaces, electric fireplace stoves, electric mantel fireplaces, and fixed or free standing electric fireplaces.
Masonry andprefabricated fireplaces can be fueled by:
Ventless fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by either gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas.[clarification needed] In the United States, some states and local counties have laws restricting these types of fireplaces. They must be properly sized to the area to be heated.[4] There are also air quality control issues due to the amount ofmoisture they release into the room air, and anoxygen sensor and acarbon monoxide detector are safety essentials.
Direct vent fireplaces are fueled by either liquid propane or natural gas. They are completely sealed from the area that is heated, and vent all exhaust gasses to the exterior of the structure.
Chimney and flue types:
Masonry (brick or stone fireplaces and chimneys) with or without tile-lined flue.
Reinforced concrete chimneys. Fundamental design flaws bankrupted the US manufacturers and made the design obsolete. These chimneys often show vertical cracks on the exterior.
Metal-lined flue: Double- or triple-walled metal pipe running up inside a new or existing wood-framed or masonry chase.
Newly constructed flues may feature a chase cover, a cap, and a spark arrestor at the top to keep small animals out and to preventsparks from being broadcast into the atmosphere. All gas fireplaces require trained gas service members to carry out installations.
A fender (colorized) is set in front of the fireplace to contain embers, soot and ashFireplace shovel
A wide range of accessories are used with fireplaces, which range between countries, regions, and historical periods. For the interior, common in recent Western cultures include grates,fireguards, log boxes,andirons andpellet baskets, all of which cradle fuel and acceleratecombustion. A grate (or fire grate) is a frame, usually ofiron bars, to retainfuel for a fire. Heavy metalfirebacks are sometimes used to capture and re-radiate heat, to protect the back of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metal frames set in front of the fireplace to containembers,soot andash. For fireplace tending, tools includepokers,bellows,tongs,shovels,brushes and tool stands. Other wider accessories can include log baskets, companion sets, coal buckets, cabinet accessories and more.
Ancient fire pits were sometimes built in the ground, within caves, or in the center of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires exists on all six inhabited continents. The disadvantage of early indoor fire pits was that they produced toxic and/or irritating smoke inside the dwelling.
Fire pits developed into raised hearths in buildings, but venting smoke depended on open windows or holes in roofs. The medievalgreat hall typically had a centrally located hearth, where an open fire burned with the smoke rising to the vent in the roof.Louvers were developed during the Middle Ages to allow the roof vents to be covered so rain and snow would not enter.
Also during the Middle Ages,smoke canopies were invented to prevent smoke from spreading through a room and vent it out through a wall or roof. These could be placed against stone walls, instead of taking up the middle of the room, and this allowed smaller rooms to be heated.
Chimneys were invented in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th century and largely fixed the problem of smoke, more reliably venting it outside. They made it possible to give the fireplace a draft, and also made it possible to put fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings conveniently. They did not come into general use immediately, however, as they were expensive to build and maintain.
In 1678,Prince Rupert, nephew ofCharles I, raised 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 aconvection chamber for the fireplace that greatly improved the efficiency of fireplaces andwood-burning stoves. He also improved theairflow by pulling air from a basement and venting out a longer area at the top. In the later 18th century,Count Rumford designed a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox that was better at drawing the smoke up and out of the building. The shallow design also improved greatly the amount ofheat transfer projected into the room.
TheAesthetic movement of the 1870s and 1880s favoured a more traditional look based on stone, with simple designs and limited ornamentation. In the 1890s, the Aesthetic movement gave way to theArts and Crafts movement, which still emphasized quality stone and practical features. Stone fireplaces at this time were a symbol of prosperity, as to some degree they remain today.
Over time, the purpose of fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of visual interest.[5] Early ones were more fire pits than modern fireplaces. They were used for warmth on cold days and nights, as well as for cooking. They also served as agathering place within the home. These fire pits were usually centered within a room, allowing more people to gather around it.
Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. Along with theIndustrial Revolution, came large-scale housing developments, necessitating a standardization of fireplaces. The most renowned fireplace designers of this time were the Adam Brothers:John Adam,Robert Adam, andJames Adam. They perfected a style of fireplace design that was used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly lit, with an emphasis on the quality of the materials used in their construction, instead of their size.
By the 1800s, most new fireplaces were made up of two parts, the surround and theinsert. The surround consisted of the mantelpiece and side supports, usually in wood,marble orgranite. The insert was where the fire burned, and was constructed of cast iron often backed with decorativetiles. As well as providing heat, the fireplaces of theVictorian era were thought to add a cosy ambiance to homes.[6] In the US state ofWisconsin, some elementary classrooms would contain decorated fireplaces to ease children's transition from home to school.[7]
Fireplace with tubulargrate heater, with a high surface area in its heat exchanger and a lift out ash tray to simplify cleanup
Some fireplace units incorporate a blower, which transfers more of the fireplace's heat to the air viaconvection, resulting in a more evenly heated space and a lower heating load. Fireplaceefficiency can also be increased with the use of a fireback, a piece of metal that sits behind the fire and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally made fromcast iron, but are also made fromstainless steel.[10]
Enclosed wood-fueled fireplace equipped with a blower fan which takes in air through the bottom vent, blows it around the firebox to heat it, and releases it via the top vent
Most older fireplaces have a relatively low efficiency rating. Standard, modern, wood-burningmasonry fireplaces though have an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum requirement, for example, in Salzburg, Austria).[11] To improve efficiency, fireplaces can also be modified by inserting special heavy fireboxes designed to burn much cleaner and can reach efficiencies as high as 80% in heating the air. These modified fireplaces are often equipped with a large fire window, enabling an efficient heating process in two phases. During the first phase the initial heat is provided through a large glass window while the fire is burning. During this time the structure, built of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This heat is then evenly radiated for many hours during the second phase. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window only provide heat radiated from its surface. Depending on the outsidetemperature, 1 to 2 daily firings are sufficient to ensure a constantroom temperature.
A literature review published in theJournal of Toxicology and Environmental Health concludes that there are a wide variety of health risks posed by residential wood combustion. It states:
With regard to adults, studies show that prolonged inhalation ofwood smoke contributed tochronic bronchitis, chronic interstitiallung disease,pulmonary arterial hypertension andcorpulmonale (Pulmonary heart disease), and altered pulmonary immune defense mechanisms. While adverse effects on adults are notable, children appear to be at greatest risk. Many studies that focused specifically on RWC [Residential Wood Combustion] have concluded that young children living in homes heated by a wood-burning stove had a greater occurrence of moderate and severe chronic respiratory symptoms than children of the same age and sex who did not live in homes heated with a wood burning stove. Exposure of preschool children living in homes heated with wood burning stoves or in houses with open fireplaces yielded these effects: decreased pulmonarylung function in youngasthmatics; increased incidence of acutebronchitis and severity/frequency ofwheezing andcoughing; and increased incidence, duration, and possibly severity of acuterespiratory infections.Residential wood combustionemissions also containsulfur oxides,nitrogen oxides,carbon monoxide and potentiallycarcinogenic compounds includingpolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,benzene,formaldehyde anddioxins. Some of these pollutants are known to cause cancer but their effects on human health via exposure to wood smoke have not been extensively studied.[12]
The Washington State Department of Ecology also published a booklet explaining why wood smoke can be dangerous. It explains that human lung andrespiratory systems are unable to filterparticulates emitted by wood combustion, which penetrate deeply into the lungs. For months,carcinogens can continue to cause changes and structural damage within the respiratory system. Young children, seniors, pregnant women, smokers and individuals withrespiratory diseases are most vulnerable. Wood smoke can cause disease and even death in children, because it is associated withlower respiratory tract infections.[3] Home fireplaces have caused fatalcarbon monoxide poisoning.[13]
Propane, butane, and methane are all flammable gases used in fireplaces (natural gas is mostly methane, liquefied petroleum gas mostly propane). Gases can act asasphyxiant gases[16] or cause gas explosions[citation needed] if they are allowed to accumulate unburned.Ethanol (a liquid, also sold in gels) fires can also cause severe burns.[17]
Burning hydrocarbon fuelsincompletely can produce carbon monoxide, which is highly poisonous and can cause death and long-termneurological disorders.[19]
Burning any hydrocarbon fuel releasescarbon dioxide andwater vapor. Other emissions, such as nitrogen oxides andsulfur oxides, can be harmful to the environment.
^"Hôtel".pop.culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved10 May 2024.
^Mariana Celac, Octavian Carabela and Marius Marcu-Lapadat (2017).Bucharest Architecture - an annotated guide. Ordinul Arhitecților din România. p. 80.ISBN978-973-0-23884-6.
^Fukunaga, T; Yamamoto, H; Tanegashima, A; Yamamoto, Y; Nishi, K (25 October 1996). "Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) poisoning: report of two cases and review of the literature".Forensic Science International.82 (3):193–200.doi:10.1016/s0379-0738(96)01995-0.PMID8948127.
^Novosel, I; Kovačić, Z; Gusić, S; Batelja, L; Nestić, M; Seiwerth, S; Skavić, J (April 2011). "Immunohistochemical detection of early myocardial damage in two sudden deaths due to intentional butane inhalation. Two case reports with review of literature".Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine.18 (3):125–31.doi:10.1016/j.jflm.2010.12.003.PMID21420651.
^Suffocations may be caused by propane,[14] butane[15]
^Apte, Komalkirti; Salvi, Sundeep (2016)."Household air pollution and its effects on health".F1000Research.5: 2593.doi:10.12688/f1000research.7552.1.ISSN2046-1402.PMC5089137.PMID27853506.Burning of natural gas not only produces a variety of gases such as sulfur oxides, mercury compounds, and particulate matter but also leads to the production of nitrogen oxides, primarily nitrogen dioxide...The burning of biomass fuel or any other fossil fuel increases the concentration of black carbon in the air...[rest of material in linked fulltext]
Orton, Vrest (January 1969).Observations on the Forgotten Art of Building a Good Fireplace: The Story of Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford, an American Genius & His Principles of Fireplace Design which Have Remained Unchanged for 174 Years (2nd ed.).Alan C. Hood & Company.ISBN978-0-911469-17-2.
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![Renaissance fireplace in the Hôtel Tornié-Barassy (Rue de la Madeleine no. 3), Toulouse, France, unknown architect or sculptor, 16th century[8]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aMolinier-chemin%25C3%25A9e.jpg)
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![Romanian Revival fireplace in the Gheorghe Petrașcu House (Piața Romană no. 5), Bucharest, by Spiru Cegăneanu, 1912[9]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a5_Pia%25C8%259Ba_Roman%25C4%2583%2c_Bucharest_(35).jpg)
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