This page looks at the components of a fireplace. We look at the range of components that make up a fireplace and what each part of the fireplace does.
How Fireplaces Work
In order to offer heat and aesthetic appeal to a home, fireplaces function by constructing a non-combustible open space in which a fire may be constructed, ignited, and maintained.
A chimney and a fireplace work together to create a safe exit for fire leftovers from a house. The obstacles to starting a fire in your living room are two. You must first prevent your home from catching fire and then prevent smoke from entering the space.
Both issues are resolved by a fireplace. It is constructed of non-combustible materials (often stone and brick, but occasionally metal and tile), and it eliminates smoke by venting it up the chimney.
The creation of a draught is the fireplace's primary mechanical function. A chimney draught, or a constant flow of smoke and hot gases up the chimney, is produced when a fireplace generates a column of warm gas within the chimney.
As that gas rises, additional heated air from the fire is drawn behind it. One of the reasons a fireplace may be useless is that it employs the idea of convection.
Furthermore, the draught may take more warm air from the room than the fire requires and draw that air up the chimney, leaving the room colder than before. Convection wastes gas by sending it up the chimney and wasting it.
According to some experts, traditional fireplaces may take four to ten times more air from the room than is necessary to kindle the fire.
What are the Components of a Fireplace:
Since mankind accidentally discovered fire over 4000 years ago, one of the most powerful forces on Earth, it has played a crucial role in humanity by providing light at night, heating homes in the winter, cooking food day and night, and providing protection from wild creatures.
The idea of a fireplace is not new; since the Middle Ages, people have utilised fire to generate heat. However, the fire pit started to be incorporated into homes around a thousand years ago, which is when the contemporary fireplace became popular.
Firebox
The action takes place in the firebox, which is the area of the fireplace that burns fuel, and it is often built into a wall. Give the firebox the care it requires because it comes into close touch with the fire and absorbs the majority of the heat.
In its most basic form, a firebox is an open box construction with a base and three sides constructed of non-combustible material, such as metal or firebrick.
The usual definition of a firebox is the region behind the fireplace entrance where the fire is produced and maintained. Some of the most basic fireboxes also contain crude controls to offer the operator some degree of manipulation of the airflow to the fuel bed.
The top of the firebox is aligned with the chimney or flue liner to allow smoke to move up the flue and out of the chimney.
In addition, a variety of considerably more advanced and highly constructed equipment, such as inserts or cassette-style wood-burning fireplaces, are frequently referred to as "fireboxes". These devices, together with freestanding wood-burning stoves, set themselves apart from simpler fireboxes.
The Mantel and Mantel Shelf
The mantel and mantel shelf is commonly referred to as the mantelpiece today. In order to keep everyone warm, firepits were first included in homes throughout the Middle Ages. The mantel worked as a cowl to prevent smoke from entering the room and directed it back into the chimney.
The mantel, which spans the top of a firebox and is frequently supported by legs, which are typically the deepest and most noticeable element of the fireplace, frames the entrance of a fireplace in contemporary usage and frequently covers a portion of the chimney breast.
Surround
The mantelpiece and side supports, which are often made of wood, marble, or granite, make up the surround, which is the term used to refer to the complete fireplace.
In the past, surround inserts, which were often made of cast iron and covered in ornate tiles, were put where the fire burnt. Today, a lot of clients want to make an insert that looks more contemporary yet retains elements of a classic design.
Hearth
The stone floor area immediately in front of the firebox entrance is referred to as the hearth.
The hearth, which used to be an essential component of a house and was typically its centre and most noticeable feature, was used to prepare meals and store cooking equipment. These days, it is more of a decorative element and is used to store fire accessories.
Corbel
The block that protrudes from the face of the wall is called a corbel, and although its primary function is to structurally and aesthetically support the items put above it, corbels have also gained popularity as fireplace design features.
Plinth
The square foundation on a fireplace's bottom legs is known as the plinth. The plinth refers to the lower portion of a fireplace's leg, which is sometimes termed the "foot." The base of the fireplace is another name for this beautiful transitional element between the leg and the hearth.
Back Panel
Between the fireplace's aperture and the surround is where the rear panel is positioned. It may be utilised to enhance the fireplace's design by enhancing the appearance of the hearth.
A Fireplace Surround
A fireplace surround is an item that protrudes into the room from a fireplace's outside wall and encircles the fireplace opening. The hearth, often known as the base of the fireplace, may or may not be included in a fireplace surround. A fireplace surround is typically composed of the sides and mantel.
Lintel
The lintel is situated between the fireplace surround and the chimney throat at the top of the firebox. Its primary function is structural, assisting in distributing the weight of the chimney breast across the fireplace's side walls.
Damper
If a fireplace includes a damper, it is usually positioned inside the chimney's throat, however, it can sometimes be found right at the top. A throat damper is a plate that fits directly above the firebox and covers the whole interior region of the chimney.
It is constructed of fire-resistant material, such as metal or ceramic. A throat damper, which can be opened and closed manually using a handle or lever, stops the home from losing heat while the fireplace is not in use.
It may be turned off to lessen draughts coming from the chimney onto the fire by doing so. A chain that swings down into the fireplace and may be used to open and close the damper is likely if the damper is top-mounted and placed at the top of the chimney.
The damper needs to be opened before lighting a fire in order to stop smoke from rising in the chimney and entering the home.
Chimney Cap
The cap serves as the chimney's roof and is found at the very top of the chimney. Its major objective is to aid in preventing rain, animals, and garbage from entering the fireplace through the chimney.
Chimney Crown
The crown, which is placed at the top of the chimney next to the chimney cap, serves to keep the materials within the chimney dry by deflecting water away from the chimney. It also helps to protect the materials inside the chimney from the elements.
Flue
The flue is the term used to describe the chimney's interior channel. The flue, which can be coated with a heat-resistant substance like clay or ceramic, guards the chimney's structure from moisture as well as the heat of fire's rising gases.
Ash Pit
Under a fireplace, there may be an ash pit where ash is collected and kept for later use; even if your fireplace doesn't have an ash pit, you may occasionally remove the ash from a basement using a clean-out door.
Smoke Chamber
The smoke chamber, which is slightly above the chimney's throat and above any throat dampers, aids in compressing fire byproducts before they go higher up the chimney.
Smoke Shelf
Backdrafts entering the firebox are minimised thanks to the smoke shelf, which is situated at the bottom of the smoke chamber. Additionally, the smoke shelf gathers any water or debris that makes its way down the chimney and aids in defending the firebox.
Chimney
A chimney provides a safe conduit for waste smoke and gases from a fire to escape the fireplace and be removed from the dwelling.
To offer an efficiently working fireplace, the interior diameter of the fireplace must be constructed along with the height of the chimney, the size of the firebox, and the aperture of the fireplace. A chimney allows waste smoke and gases from a fire to exit the fireplace and be evacuated from the residence.
Do you have a fireplace which needs repair or restoration? If you live in the Hastings and East Sussex area, our expert antique fireplace restoration services can help.