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History of the
Fireplace
The history of the fireplace can
be dated back to as early as 1700s, when Abraham Darby used methods
of smelting where cast more cost-efficiently and successfully than
ever before to provide heat.
It was during the the Victorian era that
fireplaces became popular when people started adding a touch of
class to their living rooms for a quaint environment. As the
structure of houses changed, style of creating fireplaces also
varied along with the technology with new sand casting techniques
enabling the manufacturers to produce better and more elaborate
designs than ever before. Increasingly, coal was being used instead
of wood and smaller grates replaced the large basket-style grates of
the 1700's.
Benjamin Franklin with all his great discoveries, found that
fireplaces lost a tremendous amount of heat through the wall.
Because smoke was vented from the bottom, air could not be drawn in.
This inspired him to create the first freestanding firebox, which
became to be known as the Franklin stove. This addition proved quite
successful and by the late 1700s, these freestanding stoves were
being used throughout the country. Trying to find ways to best heat
a room, he placed the first stove in the center of the room. The
result was that the entire room was heated thoroughly and evenly.
His other discovery was that by using heavy cast iron, even when the
flames went out, the heat continued being produced.
There are basically two elements related to the fireplaces:
The insert is the portion of the fireplace where the fire is burned
and is
always cast iron, often decorated with tiles.
The surround (the mantel and sides) is usually made of marble, wood
or iron.
These two can also be combined for an appealing fireplace.
Fireplaces have gained immense popularity as an attractive means of
heating homes.
Helpful articles and common questions regarding
fireplace mantels:
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