Mantlepiece and grate styles have altered but the basic structural elements of a fireplace have not radically changed for hundreds of years. The early combination of a large stone or brick opening with a chimney built over it evolved from the obvious fact that smoke rises, rather than from a scientific understanding of how a well-designed flue system works. Consequently early wood and later coal-burning fires were very inefficient and it was not until a certain Benjamin Thompson (also known as Count Rumford) produced his thesis on the principles of fireplace design in 1799 that smaller grates and improvements in the internal shape of the openings were introduced.
A hearth, constructed from non-combustible materials such as stone or tile-faced concrete, projects out into the room to protect the floor from falling ashes. In most old houses the hearth was set flush with the floor, although sometimes a superimposed one was used to raise the level. The space within the fireplace opening, known as the back hearth, is usually level with the hearth itself. A dog grate for burning wood or coal can be placed on this back hearth. However, by the mid-nineteenth century the mass produced cast-iron register grate which filled the opening, had become the fashion.What is a Fireplace Insert, Anyway?If you can, ask around and read as many reviews as you can about the electric fireplace with heater before going out and getting it. Don't just buy the first one you see, it might not be worth the money. If you have any questions, try asking a manager if they can help you. Make sure you know exactly what you are looking for. Do you want one that has a fire or one that is fake? If you live in a hot climate you can get one that looks like the real thing but doesn't send off heat. If you want an electric fireplace that doesn't have to have real flames, you can order a Dimplex fireplace. With a Dimplex fireplace you'll be able to buy that electric fireplace with heater and never have to actually burn a log. The Dimplex gives off a 3D version of a log burning fireplace while releasing heat through a heater.Fireplace inserts are steel or cast iron fireboxes that are fitted directly into your original fireplace. Fronted by self-cleaning safety glass, fireplace inserts draw and exhaust heat and fumes through the original chimney or via a pipe directly vented through an exterior wall. Fireplace inserts are safer and more efficient than traditional fireplaces because combustible air is drawn into the firebox through one pipe, and toxic fumes are vented back outside through another. The resulting heat is forced back into the room�sans toxic fumes�via vents in the front, creating a more efficient heating system.
Within this fireplace an open fire burning wood or coal is a cheerful sight, but if it is your only source of heat, as it was for centuries, this romantic image can soon fade especially if the fire does not burn properly. Getting a fire started and keeping it alight then becomes a challenge, if not a chore. For wood and coal fires to burn well a good supply of air is needed under the grate, as well as a means of escape for the hot gases and smoke. With the fuel safely contained within the fireplace opening on a grate, free circulation of air is possible and waste ash can fall through the grate so the fire is not stifled. If the chimney is inadequate or the flow of air is restricted the fire will not function effectively.
Author: Richard Banks
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