The fireplace - architectural structure designed to contain a fire for heating, as well as for cooking, used also for the relaxing ambiance they create.
Over time the design of fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of visual interest. Early ones were more fire pits than modern fireplaces.
There are the following types of fireplaces:
- Masonry fireplaces are made from brick or stone.
- Manufactured fireplaces are made with sheet metal fire boxes.
Masonry and prefabricated fireplaces can be fueled with wood, natural gas, biomass and propane fuel sources. Ventless Fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by either gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas. In the US, some states and local counties have laws restricting these types of fireplaces. They must be sized appropriately to the area to be heated. There are also air quality control issues due to the amount of moisture they release into the room air, and oxygen sensor and carbon monoxide sensors are safety essentials.
A wide range of accessories are used with fireplaces, which vary between countries and regions, and historical periods. For the interior, common in recent Western cultures are grates, fireguards, logboxes, andirons, pellet baskets, and fire dogs, all of which cradle fuel and accelerate burning. Heavy metal firebacks are sometimes used to capture and reradiate heat, to protect the back of the fireplace, and as decoration. For fireplace tending, tools include pokers, bellows, tongs, shovels, brushes and toolstands.
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