The History of Fireplaces - Fireplaces and Heat
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Since man discovered fire and its many benefits, fireplaces have been used to keep him warm through the cold evenings and frosty days. The earliest recorded fireplaces have been extremely simple. It comprised of a hole that is dug in the center of the hut and surrounded by stones to keep the fire from spreading. To ensure that the people inside the hut would not get suffocated with the smoke emanating from the fireplace, a hole in the roof is made to provide the needed ventilation for the entire hut.
Fireplaces as we have come to have know them first became popular during the Victorian Period. During this time, the efficient function of any equipment or furnishing in the home is not the only thing that is important. The overall aesthetic design of the furnishing and equipment were also given just as much importance by the people during the Victorian period. Thanks to the skills of blacksmiths, stonemasons and artisans living during this era, fireplaces were brought to new heights with the fireplace designed not only being able to provide adequate heat and warmth throughout the entire house. They were also crafted such that they were designed and crafted with a variety of different materials ranging from carved stones to delicately designed wrought iron fireplaces.
Back then, people would constantly need to feed the fireplace with wood and coal to ensure that the room remains warm. In line with this, Benjamin Franklin invented what is now called the Franklin stove. This stand-alone wood stove made out of cast iron stores the heat generated by the burning wood and coal. Even when the fire dies down, it continues to generate heat to warm up the entire room. The design was refined by David Rittenhouse, who added a chimney to the Franklin stove to provide the needed ventilation and allow the circulation of the air within the room to reduce the amount of air pollution within the entire room.
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