who invented the fireplace

What is the history of fireplaces in American homes?

“Up through about 1800, the wood-burning fireplace—very popular with English settlers—was the primary means of heating a home,” explains Sean Adams, professor of history at the University of Florida and author of Home Fires: How Americans Kept Warm in the Nineteenth Century.

When was the first fireplace?

When was the first fireplace made? How fireplaces came into existence? -In 500 B.C peasants had small huts with central fire pit and there hut used to have a hole in the rooftop for smoke to escape. -In 43 AD Roman bakers invented the fireplace with flue which piped smoke outside the house.

What is a traditional fireplace?

Traditional fireplaces were (and still are) cube-shaped and spacious. In 1796, he designed a fireplace with a higher, narrower opening and with back and sides that slanted inward. He also narrowed the passage through which the smoke exited into the chimney.

Why convert a traditional fireplace to a gas fireplace insert?

Warm air can be pulled up the chimney, resulting in heat lost within the room your fireplace is located in, as well as additional rooms. As a result, only 15% of the wood in your fireplace’s energy is actually converted into heat. In comparison, a gas insert can get up to 80% heat efficiency and properly heat your home.

Who created the first fireplace?

Until 1624, no other significant changes had been made, until the architect Louis Savot, who was working at the Louvre, invented and developed a type of fireplace in which the air was drawn through some passages under the hearth and behind the fire grate, being discharged into the room through a grill in the mantel.

When was a fireplace invented?

In approximately 1678, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, who was a nephew of Charles I, invented the fireplace grate. It allowed air to reach the wood from underneath, significantly increasing airflow for better fires. He also crafted a baffle to control air and reduce smoke.

What was the first fireplace?

The first fireplaces developed when medieval houses and castles were equipped with chimneys to carry away smoke; experience soon showed that the rectangular form was superior, that a certain depth was most favourable, that a grate provided better draft, and that splayed sides increased reflection of heat.

Did Ben Franklin invent the stove?

Franklin stove, type of wood-burning stove, invented by Benjamin Franklin (c. 1740), that was used to warm frontier dwellings, farmhouses, and urban homes for more than 200 years.

How were fireplaces invented?

It Started With Outdoor Fire Pits Instead, people used centralized fire pits and had holes in their roofs to vent the smoke. This soon evolved, and hearths, which is the stone floor of the fireplace, were created. These hearths remained in the middle of the home and smoke was still exiting through a hole in the roof.

Why do old houses have fireplaces?

The purpose of the fireplace was, essentially, to reduce the amount of smoke in homes while also providing more heat.

What is the purpose of a fireplace?

A fireplace is a safe place for a fire, lit to give off light and heat. Generally made of brick or stone, a fireplace includes a firebox to contain the fire, a chimney to channel smoke and toxic gas out of the space, and several other key elements.

What is a room with a fireplace called?

A hearth room is a basic living room featuring a full-size hearth or fireplace, according to the Private Communities website. The hearth itself, the stone or brick floor built around the fireplace, gives this room its name. Other names for a hearth room include keeping room or den.

Why do we need fireplace?

Having a fireplace installed in the home can really improve the look and the feel of the room in which it is installed. Fires provide a more natural type of warmth that many individuals feel is more comfortable and sitting in front of a warm fireplace provides a great means of relaxation and calming.

What are 5 things Benjamin Franklin invented?

He invented:Swim fins (1717)Franklin/Pennsylvania stove (1741)Lightning rod (1750)Flexible catheter (1752)24-hour, three-wheel clock that was much simpler than other designs of the day (1757)Glass armonica, a simple musical instrument made of spinning glass (1762)Bifocals (1784)More items...

What did Benjamin Franklin invent that we still use today?

He developed the Franklin stove, which provided more heat while using less fuel than other stoves, and bifocal eyeglasses, which allow for distance and reading use. In the early 1760s, Franklin invented a musical instrument called the glass armonica.

Why is Benjamin on the 100 dollar bill?

A Founding Father Franklin was one of the – if not the – most important founding father in our nation. His work in forging the Declaration of Independence is considered pivotal in the forming of the nation, so it is well-fitting that his likeness be on this important bill.

Did they have fireplaces in the 1700s?

In the 1600s and early 1700s, the typical fireplace was a walk-in: a wide, deep, open recess, generally with only the briefest semblance of a mantel, or no mantel at all. The firebox was usually wider than it was tall, especially in the homes of Dutch settlers.

How did they heat homes in the 1800s?

“Up through about 1800, the wood-burning fireplace—very popular with English settlers—was the primary means of heating a home,” explains Sean Adams, professor of history at the University of Florida and author of Home Fires: How Americans Kept Warm in the Nineteenth Century.

How were Victorian fireplaces built?

Most Victorian houses were heated by fireplaces burning coal or logs in every room. Victorian fireplaces were initially made of marble or slate but later cast iron frames became popular and had colourful tile insets down either side and a decorative mantelshelf made of slate or pine.

What is a room with a fireplace called?

A hearth room is a basic living room featuring a full-size hearth or fireplace, according to the Private Communities website. The hearth itself, the stone or brick floor built around the fireplace, gives this room its name. Other names for a hearth room include keeping room or den.

Early development

The first fireplaces date back to the time of the Roman Empire. At that time, the fireplace (in such a manner as we know it now) was looked at as a luxury amenity—it was only found in the homes of wealthier citizens.

Greater prevalence

Eventually, fireplaces became more of a necessity than a luxury. The Victorian period saw a lot of expansion in the use of fireplaces, and the fireplace became just as much an aesthetic focal point in homes and businesses as a necessary part of the home’s infrastructure.

What is an electric fireplace?

Electric fireplace. Traditional Serbian Ognjište. Ventless fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by either gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas. In the United States, some states and local counties have laws restricting these types of fireplaces.

What are the different types of chimneys?

Chimney and flue types: 1 Masonry (brick or stone fireplaces and chimneys) with or without tile-lined flue. 2 Reinforced concrete chimneys. Fundamental design flaws bankrupted the US manufacturers and made the design obsolete. These chimneys often show vertical cracks on the exterior. 3 Metal-lined flue: Double- or triple-walled metal pipe running up inside a new or existing wood-framed or masonry chase.

How does a fireplace work?

Some fireplace units incorporate a blower, which transfers more of the fireplace's heat to the air via convection , resulting in a more evenly heated space and a lower heating load. Fireplace efficiency can also be increased with the use of a Fireplace fireback , a piece of metal that sits behind the fire and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally made from cast iron, but are also made from stainless steel. Efficiency is a complicated concept, though, with open hearth fireplaces. Most efficiency tests consider just the effect of heating of the air. An open fireplace is not, and never was, intended to heat the air. A fireplace with a fireback is a radiant heater, and has been 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.

What was the style of fireplace in the 1800s?

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 the insert.

How efficient is a fireplace?

Most older fireplaces have a relatively low efficiency rating. Standard, modern, wood-burning masonry fireplaces though have an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum requirement, for example, in Salzburg, Austria). 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 outside temperature, 1 to 2 daily firings are sufficient to ensure a constant room temperature .

What is a fire grate?

A grate (or fire grate) is a frame, usually of iron bars, to retain fuel for a fire. Heavy metal firebacks 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 contain embers, soot and ash.

What are the accessories used in a fireplace?

For the interior, common in recent Western cultures include grates, fireguards, log boxes, andirons and pellet baskets, all of which cradle fuel and accelerate combustion. A grate (or fire grate) is a frame, usually of iron bars, to retain fuel for a fire. Heavy metal firebacks 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 contain embers, soot and ash. For fireplace tending, tools include pokers, bellows, tongs, shovels, brushes and tool stands. Other wider accessories can include log baskets, companion sets, coal buckets, cabinet accessories and more.

Why did they put iron on the walls of the fireplace?

Some iron slabs were placed on the walls of the fireplace in order to protect it . Until 1624, no other significant changes had been made, until the architect Louis Savot, who was working at the Louvre, invented and developed a type of fireplace in which the air was drawn through some passages under the hearth and behind the fire grate, being discharged into the room through a grill in the mantel.

Do fireplaces use natural gas?

At present, there are so many types of fireplaces and they use different fuels. From the classical wood, the fireplaces also managed to swallow the natural gas. The latter has a great advantage as there is no more ash and the burden of buying wood is long forgotten. It is said that nothing compares to the flicker of dancing flames provided by a fireplace. But nowadays there are gas logs that look so much like the real ones and everybody can enjoy the atmosphere created by it.

What is a Rumford fireplace?

Taller than it is wide and smaller and shallower than older styles, the Rumford fireplace has sharply angled covings on either side. The ingenious design throws more radiant heat into a room than its predecessors. Another key element is its narrow throat, which exhausts both smoke and air at an increased speed, acting as a check against backdrafts.

What was the purpose of a fireplace in the 1600s?

As the hub of the house, a burning hearth provided heat, housed multiple fires for cooking and baking, and served as the nucleus of family gatherings. In the 1600s and early 1700s, the typical fireplace was a walk-in: a wide, deep, open recess, generally with only the briefest semblance of a mantel, or no mantel at all.

Why were fireplaces important in early America?

Early fireplaces were very wide and deep, which allowed for multiple pots to be cooking simultaneously, but also caused a lot of heat loss . (Photo: Edward Addeo) The fireplace was a necessity in early America. As the hub of the house, a burning hearth provided heat, housed multiple fires for cooking and baking, ...

Why were fireplaces placed at the far ends of the house?

In the South, fireplaces were placed at the far ends of the house to reduce heat buildup, keeping the house cooler in summer. Federal fireplaces were known for beautiful and ornately carved mantels, like this one featuring pilasters, inset panels, and dentils. (Photo: Edward Addeo)

What would happen if the house was Dutch?

If the house was Dutch, the fireplace flue projected into the room, concealed by a massive hood. Decorative enhancements might include a few Delftware tiles, or in the case of the Dutch, a short decorative curtain that hung well above the fire pit.

When were mantels rare?

True mantels were rare before the 1800s. The very earliest American hearths were flush with the wall. In English colonial homes, fireplaces typically were surrounded by simple, floor-to-ceiling paneling, usually plain vertical or bead-edged planks. If the house was Dutch, the fireplace flue projected into the room, concealed by a massive hood. Decorative enhancements might include a few Delftware tiles, or in the case of the Dutch, a short decorative curtain that hung well above the fire pit.

Why did colonial homes have fireplaces?

In New England and the Mid-Atlantic, colonial homes had central chimneys with multiple flues so that fires could be lit in two or more rooms on each floor. The central mass of stone or brick also tended to retain heat, keeping the house warmer overall.

Why was Benjamin Franklin concerned about the fires?

Benjamin Franklin, one of our nation’s Founding Fathers, was concerned because fireplaces during his day and time were very dangerous and frequently caused house fires and fatalities. He also knew that something needed to be done to ease the wood shortage that was also creating challenges at that time, and he took action.

What was Benjamin Franklin's purpose in designing the chimney?

He referred to it as an “aerial syphon;” its purpose was to extract as much heat as possible from the combustion gases. The earliest known inverted siphon from which Franklin got this inspiration was invented by Franz Kessler in 1618. Both men used a baffle, which forced the fumes to descend behind it prior to exiting through the chimney.

Who was Benjamin Franklin?

Born on January 17, 1706, Benjamin Franklin was the tenth son of Josiah Franklin, a soap maker, and Abiah Folger, Josiah’s second wife. Josiah was the father of 17 children. From his childhood, Benjamin made significant contributions to society. In 1742, Benjamin designed a freestanding cast-iron fireplace that was inserted into an existing fireplace; and the invention addressed each of his concerns, though the design needed much improvement. Ben’s invention, which saved countless lives, was originally called the Pennsylvania Fireplace but later became known as the Franklin Stove.

Why use a bellow in a fireplace?

This is especially important when you are working with wet logs. Also, fireplace bellows were used early on to create an airstream to blow ashes out of the fireplace when cleaning.

What are bellows made of?

It is also a tool that many people like to design and make on their own. Many bellows are made out of beautiful wood and can have very intricate designs creating an elegant object on display by the fire. Fireplace Screens.

What is a poker in a fireplace?

A poker, also known as a stoker, is a short, rigid rod, used to move the burning material in a fire. Today’s fireplace pokers are usually made of metal with a point at one end for pushing burning material and a handle at the other end. Archeology shows that we have used pokers as a fireplace tool since the Paleolithic period.

When were bellows first used?

Around 3000 BC hand operated bellows were used for metal smelting (bronze). The first evidence of iron smelting is around 930 BC. Though early man did not need to get their heating and cooking fires up to the temperatures needed for smelting they did discover that fireplace bellows made fire building easier.

When did the fireplace poker go out of favor?

Down through the ages this fireplace tool has evolved and, as other tools were used, the fireplace poker has gone in and out of favor. Up to the 17th century in England you might find only a fire fork and andirons for the fireplace but by the 19th century a fireplace poker was always used and the fire fork had almost disappeared.

What tools are used in a fireplace?

This history will deal with the andiron, bellows, pokers and fireplace screens. Also included with fireplace tools are shovels, tongs, brushes but it is rather hard to determine how and when these particular tools began to be used.

What is an andiron?

Andirons. An andiron is a horizontal bar upon which logs are laid for burning in an open fireplace. Andirons usually come in pairs. They hold up the firewood so that a draft of air can pass around it and allow proper burning and less smoke. Andirons stand on short legs and are usually connected with an upright guard.

Overview

History

Types of fireplaces

Heating efficiency

Health effects

Environmental effects

Glossary

See also