A fireplace is a structure, typically built in the wall of a room, which provides warmth and sometimes also light. The primary purpose of a fireplace is to provide heat for the room. In recent years, they have been adapted with soundproofing materials to reduce noise pollution from their operation. A secondary function is a decoration because these fireplaces are often beautifully designed and mantled with decorative stone or tile work.
A fireplace is a part of the chimney that provides heat to the home. The hearth, which sits in front of the firebox, has an opening at one end for wood or coal to be placed on. There are three types of fireplaces: gas, electric and traditional. Gas fires are fueled by natural gas through a pipe coming from outside your house. Electric fires use electricity to power it up while traditional ones burn wood or coal.
What A Fireplace Is
A fireplace is an enclosed space with a structure that contains fire. A fireplace can be just for looks or it can contain a chimney and serve as part of your heating system. If you have a wood-burning stove, chances are you do not need to worry about the type of hearth materials because most modern stoves don’t require one. The important thing to know is whether or not your flooring will support the weight of whatever appliance you choose to put on top so check out our guide if needed!
For a fireplace that is just for looks, it’s important to choose the right hearth materials. The best material will depend on your personal taste and budget but also take into consideration how much wear and tear you think the space might get from people coming in and out of the house, pets who love laying by fireplaces, or kids who may stand too close when they see a flame-filled room!
If you have children or animals around often then we recommend going with tile instead of wood because there won’t be any loose pieces if something gets knocked over onto them. If this isn’t an issue for you though then go ahead and pick whatever works best in your home aesthetically!
What Is A Fireplace?
A fireplace is an enclosed space with a structure that contains fire. A fireplace can be just for looks or it can contain a chimney and serve as part of your heating system. If you have a wood-burning stove, chances are you do not need to worry about the type of hearth materials because most modern stoves don’t require one. The important thing to know is whether or not your flooring will support the weight of whatever appliance you choose to put on top so check out our guide if needed!
For a fireplace that is just for looks, it’s important to choose the right hearth materials. The best material will depend on your personal taste and budget but also take into consideration how much wear and tear you think the space might get from people coming in and out of the house, pets who love laying by fireplaces, or kids who may stand too close when they see a flame-filled room!
If you have children or animals around often then we recommend going with tile instead of wood because there won’t be any loose pieces if something gets knocked over onto them. If this isn’t an issue for you though then go ahead and pick whatever works best in your home aesthetically!
Types Of Fireplaces
There are many different types of fireplaces:
- The first step to choosing the perfect fireplace for your home is understanding what type of fireplace you need. Some common categories that can help you understand which kind would be best for your needs include:
Types Of Fireplaces
Direct Vent Gas Fireplace
Also called ventless gas units, these units sit on a floor and offer no exterior view. They typically require less maintenance than traditional wood-burning fireplaces as they do not emit any smoke or ash residue into the air; however, they can still leave soot all over walls and furniture if used improperly. These types of fireplaces often have glass doors or screens in front so gases can escape but heat stays inside the room where it is needed.
Freestanding Gas Fireplace
These units offer a traditional fireplace look as they have an exterior chimney and often times realistic logs inside to provide the illusion of burning wood. These types of fireplaces are generally gas-powered, however, electric models do exist as well. They can be placed anywhere in your home where you’d like heat but don’t necessarily want a full fireplace set up taking over your living space; for example, on a covered patio or deck area outside, giving off supplemental heat during colder months through French doors indoors from either an attached room or hallway near it, etc.
Electric Inserts/Log Sets
Electric insert log sets fit into existing masonry openings, replacing the existing logs and embers. This can give your home a more classic fireplace look without cutting an entire hole in the wall; however, they are generally only used for supplemental heat during colder months as opposed to forced air/central heating systems that provide year-round warmth throughout your house.
Using An Open Fireplace
- The most common type of fireplace is an open hearth. This design uses a large, deep firebox with a grate to hold the wood and has been in use for centuries. An example of this can be seen in Game Of Thrones when Jon Snow climbs onto Drogon at the end of season seven!
- Open Hearth Fireplace: A masonry or metal box that holds burning fuel and provides heating directly from its surface.
- The fireplace is often the center of attention in many homes. Not only can it be used to heat up a room, but having an open fire also creates ambiance and provides light as well.
- Open Hearth Fireplace: A masonry or metal box that holds burning fuel and provides heating directly from its surface.
- The fireplace is often the center of attention in many homes. Not only can it be used to heat up a room, but having an open fire also creates ambiance and provides light as well.
Fireplace Inserts
Fireplaces inserts fit into pre-existing masonry openings of wood-burning fireplaces or even gas fireplaces (if designed specifically to accommodate this style). These machines generally include their own blower system that helps to move warm air throughout the home, however, it is worth noting that many of them do not operate like traditional fireplaces where you can create open fires within them; instead, they expel heated air through their front doors.
Fireplace inserts are the best way to replace an old fireplace. They fit in any opening and come in different sizes. You can get a free-standing model or install one on a hearth depending on your needs.
Most manufacturers offer fireplaces inserts with remote control blowers along with customizable colors and finish so it’s easy to find something aesthetically pleasing for any living area.
Environmental Protection Agency Definition of Terms
A fireplace is a structure made of brick, stone, or metal designed to contain the embers and coals that are produced by burning wood. It can be used for warmth or as an additional source of heat to warm other spaces in your home.
A fire pit is also sometimes considered a type of stove but usually does not have any flues or chimneys attached. The EPA defines it this way: “a free-standing appliance with one or more openings (no chimney) on top through which fuel may be placed inside, burned, and then later removed from below.”
Fireplaces and fire pits may be used to burn wood logs, kindling, or charcoal briquettes.
A masonry heater is a type of fireplace unique because it operates at very high temperatures (upwards of 1000°F). It functions more like an oven than most other types of fireplaces; the bricks that make up its structure absorb heat from burning fuel. That stored warmth then gradually radiates into surrounding spaces over time until it’s no longer needed for heating purposes. Like traditional fireplaces though, these devices don’t emit any ultra-fine particles (UFP) so they are still considered safe forms of home heating.
Masonry heaters have been around since ancient times but have become popular in the United States in recent years. According to Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), sales of outdoor fireplaces have increased more than 200 percent since 2007.
The EPA defines a fireplace as “a structure made of brick, stone or metal designed to contain the embers and coals that are produced by burning wood.”
A fire pit is also sometimes considered a type of stove but usually does not have any flues or chimneys attached. The EPA defines it this way: “a free-standing appliance with one or more openings (no chimney) on top through which fuel may be placed inside, burned, and then later removed from below.”
Fireplaces are used for warmth while heat sources like fire pits can be used to warm other spaces in a home.
Safety Tips
- Close the flue when you are done. Also, make sure no embers remain inside of it before closing. If there is a fire in your fireplace then please be careful! Do not use water to extinguish flames as this will cause them to spread more quickly and they may catch something else on fire. Instead, have an A-Class Fire Extinguisher by the side of your fireplace ready for emergencies so that if anything does happen you can easily stop it from spreading further with the right tool at hand.
- Make sure any children or animals are kept away from the fireplace when it is in use. Do not allow them to play around your hearth, even if there isn’t an active fire burning inside of it at that time! The embers can still pose a risk so make sure all doors and windows leading into the room with the fireplace are closed while you have it on.
- If you are using a wood fireplace then make sure that the area around it is properly ventilated. You don’t want to risk breathing in too much smoke while you have one of these on so keep all doors and windows open, even if they only lead into other rooms. Just opening them for brief periods can also help with air circulation so consider doing this every few minutes or so when there is a fire burning inside your heart just to be safe!
- Keep potted plants away from any part of the fireplace where hot embers could fall out onto them. Some plants may not mind being near an active fire but others might suffer burns or get caught up in the flames spreading further should anything go wrong, which isn’t worth the risk!
- If you have a wood fireplace make sure it is cleaned and serviced regularly. Build up of ash, creosote, and soot can cause fires to spread quickly or go out of control if they are not dealt with as soon as possible. There’s no point having a beautiful fire inside your hearth if there isn’t enough air getting into it for complete combustion to take place since this build-up means that some fuel sources aren’t being burned off completely before their energy dissipates outside of the fireplace itself. This increases the risk factor significantly so never neglect cleaning your wood-burning fireplace on an ongoing basis once you’ve had it installed by professional contractors who know what’re doing when working with these kinds of fireplaces.
- Make sure you have a properly installed wood-burning fireplace by professionals who know what they’re doing before using it for the first time and on an ongoing basis afterward too. This way, you won’t risk having your new investment become damaged or pose risks to anyone who comes into contact with it!
FAQs
How does a fireplace work?
A fireplace works by burning wood or other flammable materials that burn at varying temperatures. Wood burns at around 500 degrees Fahrenheit, while gas and oil fires reach up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat from the flames warms the air inside of the room's chimney which rises because it is less dense than colder outside air. This causes a draft effect in which more warm air flows into the room to replace cool air being sucked out by hot smoke going up through your chimneys' flue vent. As long as there is enough fresh oxygen available for this process to continue, you will have warmth coming from your heart area.
What is a fireplace mantel?
A fireplace mantel is the part of your hearth that holds up decorative items such as picture frames and potted plants. It can also hold candles, ornaments, and other small things that will decorate it aesthetically. Fireplace mantels are typically made out of wood or stone to match the design style's surrounding environment while still being functional in supporting whatever you might want to put on top of them.
How do I choose one?
Before choosing a specific type for yourself, there are certain questions you should ask yourself first which will ultimately help you decide which fireplace mantel is best for your specific needs. Will my surrounding area be hot enough to need a ventless model? What material style am I looking for and do I want it functional as well as aesthetically pleasing? Do I have the tools necessary such as drills, stud finders, or measuring tapes that will help me complete this project on my own?
How much does one typically cost?
The most common type of fireplace mantels is made out of wood with stone being another popular choice. However, there are other materials used in its construction like marble that can make them more expensive depending upon how rare their supplies might be. A wooden hearth runs about $150 dollars a granite mantle has an average price of about $700, while marble can rise to as much as several thousand dollars depending upon the intricacies involved.
How do I clean it?
Most fireplace mantels are made out of wood or stone which means they need to be cleaned regularly to preserve their beauty and appearance for years after you purchase them. Many people use detergents that are specifically designed not only to wash away dirt but also protect its surface from erosion over time by drying quickly without leaving residues behind. This is usually done using a microfiber cloth that has been dipped in warm water mixed with dish soap so rinse away any excess afterward before thoroughly drying it off on all sides.
Conclusion
There are many different types of fireplaces, each with its own characteristics. The most common type is the masonry fireplace which has a solid foundation and is often made up of brick or stone. Another popular choice for homes is the free-standing metal fireplace that can be placed anywhere in your home without having to worry about building codes or installation fees. You should also consider whether you want gas logs or actual wood-burning inside your new hearth as this decision will impact how much heat it generates. No matter what style you choose, find out more information on all aspects of these products will allow you to find exactly what fits into your budget and lifestyle best!