| Unlike in the past, we don't need nor necessarily use | | | | heat of a fire was distributed to rooms above. But it |
| fireplaces for warmth. Today, we use fireplaces for | | | | was in the 13th century that the Roman chimney |
| aesthetics or to create a warm atmosphere within a | | | | was invented, and the 600 BC stove that brought us |
| home. Although they aren't required, fireplaces have | | | | the fireplace that we're all familiar with today. 600 BC |
| a unique way of turning a house into home. | | | | Chinese stoves were made with porcelain covered |
| Perhaps because they aren't required, it can be | | | | bricks and they too, passed smoke through a |
| difficult to find a brand new home that's already | | | | chimney. |
| furnished with a fireplace. Since the development of | | | | The early American cast-iron stove as a fireplace |
| central heating, they've almost disappeared! To find a | | | | was used for heat, cooking, and even drying laundry. |
| home with a fireplace, one had to specifically seek | | | | Over time, the fireplace has gone through several |
| them out and settle for a home build in an earlier | | | | designs - all of course hoping to improve heat |
| decade or even century. | | | | efficiency and reduce carbon monoxide poisoning. |
| Definition | | | | Current Usage |
| Fireplaces follow a simple structure: a Wall opening | | | | We don't cook in fireplaces today, however we can |
| leading to a chimney. But it's what they're made of | | | | and should use them to reduce energy bills. In fact, |
| and their different sizes that lend to different styles. | | | | the wood stove was widely used during the early |
| Some are traditionally large and made of brick while | | | | 70s energy crisis and because of today's energy faux |
| others are smaller and made of a smooth, heat/fire | | | | pas, interest in fireplaces has peaked again. |
| proof material. Essentially, they all radiate heat into a | | | | Application |
| room while sending smoke and carbon monoxide up | | | | If you're thinking about having a fireplace installed, be |
| its shaft (chimney). Required to burn wood, drafts in | | | | sure to look at some of the more intriguing designs |
| the home are controlled by adjusting a fireplace's | | | | available today. A square brick fireplace just isn't your |
| damper - also used to prevent downdrafts from | | | | only option and more than a few are simply beautiful. |
| entering into the chimney itself. | | | | You'll want to discuss the options that available with |
| History | | | | your contractor and also investigate the different |
| Where did the Fireplace originate? Well if you can call | | | | exhaust systems that you can use. This is particularly |
| a portable metal pot that's capable of containing | | | | important for housing that's uniquely shaped, like a |
| heated material and dispensing heat across an | | | | 'round' house for example. If your home is prone to |
| enclosure, then we can say that fireplaces originated | | | | strong drafts, you'll want to talk about flanking your |
| in ancient Egypt and Greece! The ancient Romans | | | | fireplace with ducts. With the use of flanking, your |
| invented something similar to a fireplace called a | | | | fireplace will attract cooler air through the ducts, heat |
| hypocaust - a furnace connected with a series of | | | | it, and send it back into your home, warmer than |
| small chambers and flues of tiles through which the | | | | before. |