Home is Where the Hearth Is

To anyone whose home has a fireplace or who has been in a home that features a fireplace, the warmth that a fireplace adds to the room and the ambiance cannot be denied. The room inevitably becomes a hub, a meeting place for interaction, comfort and activity. Tea is sipped, coffee is enjoyed, games are played and conversation is held there. Its appeal is universal.

Of course, cooking over an open flame is also another benefit. Making s\’mores or popping popcorn is a wonderful way to spend a family evening. For the Christmas season, hanging stockings on the mantle is a delightful tradition that children never forget the enjoyment of.

It\’s no coincidence that homes that feature a fireplace are more appealing to home buyers. The inherent human affinity for a fireplace comes from a long history of gathering in front of an open flame for warmth and companionship. From the early ancestral days of the caveman to the modern-day man-cave, the inviting warmth of an open fire has never lost its allure.

A Few Major Changes

In the year 1678, Prince Rupert, a nephew of King Charles I, made the first real improvements on the fireplace. He raised the fireplace grate off the ground, which greatly improved the venting and the airflow. Later in the same century, Ben Franklin decided a convection chamber would improve the fireplace even more, which it did.

Still later in the same century, Count Rumford designed one with a shallow but tall firebox. That model proved to be better at drawing the smoke up and outward. It also significantly increased the amount of radiant heat being projected. That design is fundamentally the fireplace we know today.

Contemporary fireplaces may be constructed of other materials than the traditional brick or stone. They can also be fashioned from metal or concrete. What\’s more, they can be fueled with alternative materials other than traditional wood, fuels such as propane, biomass, or natural gas.

In fact, some units are portable. They can be moved from room to room. The charm of a fireplace can be taken from the living room to the bedroom without a problem.

There are outdoor fireplaces, as well. The outside versions are popular for fall, winter and spring barbeques. They provide an opportunity to chat and drink a hot cocoa or other beverage on the patio in frosty weather.

Two Phases Equals Twice the Heat

As far as contemporary, indoor fireplaces go, wood-burning masonry constructed fireplaces are extremely effective and popular. They usually feature a large fire window, which enables a two-phase heating process.

The first heating phase is when the fire is actually burning. During this phase, the refractory bricks within the fireplace absorb heat as radiant heat passes through the glass window.

During the second phase, that absorbed heat radiates for hours and warms up the air surrounding the unit. Depending on the temperature outside the fireplace, 1 or 2 firings daily can maintain a constant room temperature.

No matter which style of fireplace you go with, you can\’t beat a romantic fireplace for feeling like you\’re really home.

Visit our showroom today to see our large selection of electric, wood fireplaces elmira ontario, and Gas fireplaces Waterloo, you sure will find the right one for your home. Fergus Fireplace & Home Comfort 180 Saint Andrew Street West, Fergus, ON N1M 1N5 (519) 843-4845

Visit our showroom today to see our large selection of electric, wood fireplaces elmira ontario, and Gas fireplaces Waterloo, you sure will find the right one for your home. Fergus Fireplace & Home Comfort 180 Saint Andrew Street West, Fergus, ON N1M 1N5 (519) 843-4845 http://www.fergusfireplace.com

Author Bio: Visit our showroom today to see our large selection of electric, wood fireplaces elmira ontario, and Gas fireplaces Waterloo, you sure will find the right one for your home. Fergus Fireplace & Home Comfort 180 Saint Andrew Street West, Fergus, ON N1M 1N5 (519) 843-4845

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