Fireplace

2025-05-27T16:42:16Z

85.69.193.166: /* Types of fireplaces */

{{Short description|Device for firing solid fuels in buildings}}
[[File:Open fireplace with icon.jpg|thumb|Modern open fireplace]]
[[File:Outdoor Fireplace.JPG|thumb|An [[outdoor fireplace]]]]

A '''fireplace''' or '''hearth''' is a structure made of [[brick]], [[Rock (geology)|stone]] or [[metal]] designed to contain a [[fire]]. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the design.

Historically, they were used for heating a [[dwelling]], [[cooking]], and heating water for [[laundry]] and domestic uses. A fire is contained in a [[Firebox (architecture)|firebox]] or [[fire pit]]; a [[chimney]] or other [[flue]] allows [[exhaust gas]] to escape. A fireplace may have the following: a foundation, a [[hearth]], a firebox, a [[fireplace mantel|mantel]], a [[chimney crane]] (used in kitchen and laundry fireplaces), a grate, a [[lintel]], a lintel bar, an [[overmantel]], a [[Damper (flow)|damper]], a smoke chamber, a throat, a flue, and a chimney [[Filtration|filter]] or afterburner.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Skøtt|first=Torben|date=September 2007|title=Chimney filters can save billions|url=http://www.biopress.dk/PDF/FiB%20nr.%2021-2007_05%20-%20UK.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=May 13, 2021|website=BioPress|pages=10–11|archive-date=February 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210216132403/http://www.biopress.dk/PDF/FiB%20nr.%2021-2007_05%20-%20UK.pdf}}</ref>

On the exterior, there is often a corbelled brick crown, in which the projecting courses of brick act as a drip course to keep rainwater from running down the exterior walls. A cap, hood, or shroud serves to keep rainwater out of the exterior of the chimney; rain in the chimney is a much greater problem in chimneys lined with impervious flue tiles or metal liners than with the traditional [[masonry]] chimney, which soaks up all but the most violent rain. Some chimneys have a [[spark arrestor]] incorporated into the crown or cap.

Organizations like the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) and the [[Washington State Department of Ecology]] warn that, according to various studies, fireplaces can pose health risks.<ref name="EPA">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=May 28, 2013|title=Wood Smoke and Your Health|url=https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/wood-smoke-and-your-health|url-status=live|access-date=May 13, 2021|website=[[United States Environmental Protection Agency]]|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514175128/https://www.epa.gov/burnwise/wood-smoke-and-your-health}}</ref><ref name=Ecology/> The EPA writes "[[Smoke]] may smell good, but it's not good for you."<ref name=EPA/>

==Types of fireplaces==
* Manufactured fireplaces are made with [[sheet metal]] or [[glass]] fire boxes.
* [[Electric fireplace]]s can be built-in replacements for [[wood]] or gas or retrofit with log inserts or electric fireboxes.
* A few types are wall mounted electric fireplaces, electric fireplace stoves, electric mantel fireplaces, and fixed or free standing electric fireplaces.

Masonry and [[Prefabrication|prefabricated]] fireplaces can be fueled by:

*[[Wood fuel]] or [[firewood]] and other [[biomass]]
*[[Charcoal]] (carbonized biomass)
*[[Coal]] of various grades
*[[Coke (fuel)|Coke]] (carbonized coal)
*[[Smokeless fuel]] of several types
*Flammable [[gas]]es: [[propane]], [[butane]], and [[methane]] ([[natural gas]] is mostly methane, [[liquefied petroleum gas]] mostly propane)
*[[Ethanol fireplace|Ethanol]] (a liquid [[Alcohol (chemistry)|alcohol]], also sold in gels)

<gallery class="center">
File:Traditional Himalayan Tandoor.jpg|Traditional Himalayan [[Tandoor]]
File:Fireplace Burning.jpg|Wood-burning fireplace with [[Andiron|fire dogs]]
File:NT Typical gas log fireplace (5114230942).jpg|A gas-powered fireplace
File:Electric_Fireplace.jpg|Electric fireplace
Fireplace (Serbia).jpg|Traditional Serbian Ognjište
</gallery>

Ventless fireplaces (duct free/room-venting fireplaces) are fueled by either gel, liquid propane, bottled gas or natural gas.{{clarify|date=December 2019}} In the United States, some states and local counties have laws restricting these types of fireplaces. They must be properly sized to the area to be heated.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Logan|first=Matt|date=November 6, 2015|title=Best Ventless Fireplace Logs Review {{!}} Expert Guide {{!}} Updated {{!}}|url=https://www.ventlessfireplacereview.com/best-ventless-fireplace-logs-review/|url-status=live|access-date=May 13, 2021|website=Ventless Fireplace Review|archive-date=April 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428190214/https://www.ventlessfireplacereview.com/best-ventless-fireplace-logs-review/}}</ref> There are also air quality control issues due to the amount of [[moisture]] they release into the room air, and an [[oxygen sensor]] and a [[carbon monoxide detector]] are safety essentials.

[[Direct vent fireplace]]s are fueled by either liquid propane or natural gas. They are completely sealed from the area that is heated, and vent all exhaust gasses to the exterior of the structure.

Chimney and flue types:
* Masonry (brick or stone fireplaces and chimneys) with or without tile-lined flue.
* [[Reinforced concrete]] chimneys. Fundamental design flaws bankrupted the US manufacturers and made the design obsolete. These chimneys often show vertical cracks on the exterior.
* Metal-lined flue: Double- or triple-walled metal pipe running up inside a new or existing wood-framed or masonry chase.

Newly constructed flues may feature a chase cover, a cap, and a spark arrestor at the top to keep small animals out and to prevent [[Spark (fire)|sparks]] from being broadcast into the atmosphere. All gas fireplaces require trained gas service members to carry out installations.[[File:Fireplace fender (false colour).jpg|thumb|A fender (colorized) is set in front of the fireplace to contain embers, soot and ash]]
[[File:S. Davis fireplace shovel - DPLA - 88aea911b60216316756dae5a67469a6 (page 1) (cropped).jpg|alt=Fireplace shovel|left|thumb|182x182px|Fireplace shovel]]

===Accessories===
A wide range of accessories are used with fireplaces, which range between countries, regions, and historical periods. For the interior, common in recent Western cultures include grates, [[fireguard]]s, log boxes, [[andiron]]s and [[pellet baskets]], all of which cradle fuel and accelerate [[combustion]]. A grate (or fire grate) is a frame, usually of [[iron]] bars, to retain [[fuel]] for a fire. Heavy metal [[Fireplace fireback|fireback]]s are sometimes used to capture and re-radiate heat, to protect the back of the fireplace, and as decoration. Fenders are low metal frames set in front of the fireplace to contain [[ember]]s, [[soot]] and [[ash]]. For fireplace tending, tools include [[Fireplace poker|poker]]s, [[bellows]], [[tongs]], [[shovel]]s, [[brush]]es and tool stands. Other wider accessories can include log baskets, companion sets, coal buckets, cabinet accessories and more.[[File:Kochen über offenem Feuer.JPG|thumb|Cooking over a fireplace]]

==History==
Ancient fire pits were sometimes built in the ground, within caves, or in the center of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires exists on all six inhabited continents. The disadvantage of early indoor fire pits was that they produced toxic and/or irritating smoke inside the dwelling.

Fire pits developed into raised hearths in buildings, but venting smoke depended on open windows or holes in roofs. The medieval [[great hall]] typically had a centrally located hearth, where an open fire burned with the smoke rising to the vent in the roof. [[Louver]]s were developed during the Middle Ages to allow the roof vents to be covered so rain and snow would not enter.

Also during the Middle Ages, [[Smoke canopy|smoke canopies]] were invented to prevent smoke from spreading through a room and vent it out through a wall or roof. These could be placed against stone walls, instead of taking up the middle of the room, and this allowed smaller rooms to be heated.

Chimneys were invented in northern Europe in the 11th or 12th century and largely fixed the problem of smoke, more reliably venting it outside. They made it possible to give the fireplace a draft, and also made it possible to put fireplaces in multiple rooms in buildings conveniently. They did not come into general use immediately, however, as they were expensive to build and maintain.

In 1678, [[Prince Rupert of the Rhine|Prince Rupert]], nephew of [[Charles I of England|Charles I]], raised the grate of the fireplace, improving the airflow and venting system. The 18th century saw two important developments in the history of fireplaces. [[Benjamin Franklin]] developed a [[Franklin stove|convection chamber for the fireplace]] that greatly improved the efficiency of fireplaces and [[wood-burning stove]]s. He also improved the [[airflow]] by pulling air from a basement and venting out a longer area at the top. In the later 18th century, [[Count Rumford]] designed a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox that was better at drawing the smoke up and out of the building. The shallow design also improved greatly the amount of [[heat transfer]] projected into the room.

The [[Aestheticism|Aesthetic movement]] of the 1870s and 1880s favoured a more traditional look based on stone, with simple designs and limited ornamentation. In the 1890s, the Aesthetic movement gave way to the [[Arts and Crafts movement]], which still emphasized quality stone and practical features. Stone fireplaces at this time were a symbol of prosperity, as to some degree they remain today.

===Evolution of fireplace design===
Over time, the purpose of fireplaces has changed from one of necessity to one of visual interest.<ref>{{Cite book|last=American Institute of Architects|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zxORCgAAQBAJ|title=Architectural Graphic Standards|date=March 21, 2016|publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]]|others=Illustrated by The Magnum Group|isbn=9781118909508|editor-last=Hall|editor-first=Dennis J.|location=[[Hoboken, New Jersey]]|oclc=943373654|author-link=American Institute of Architects|access-date=July 2, 2017|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514175123/https://books.google.com/books?id=zxORCgAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Early ones were more fire pits than modern fireplaces. They were used for warmth on cold days and nights, as well as for cooking. They also served as a [[gathering place]] within the home. These fire pits were usually centered within a room, allowing more people to gather around it.

Many flaws were found in early fireplace designs. Along with the [[Industrial Revolution]], came large-scale housing developments, necessitating a standardization of fireplaces. The most renowned fireplace designers of this time were the Adam Brothers: [[John Adam (architect)|John Adam]], [[Robert Adam]], and [[James Adam (architect)|James Adam]]. They perfected a style of fireplace design that was used for generations. It was smaller, more brightly lit, with an emphasis on the quality of the materials used in their construction, instead of their size.

By the 1800s, most new fireplaces were made up of two parts, the surround and the [[Fireplace insert|insert]]. The surround consisted of the mantelpiece and side supports, usually in wood, [[marble]] or [[granite]]. The insert was where the fire burned, and was constructed of cast iron often backed with decorative [[tile]]s. As well as providing heat, the fireplaces of the [[Victorian era]] were thought to add a cosy ambiance to homes.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Antique Fireplaces {{!}} Victorian, Georgian & Edwardian Fireplaces|url=https://www.fireplaceantiques.co.uk/history-of-antique-fireplaces|url-status=live|access-date=May 13, 2021|work=Fireplace Antiques|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027123459/https://fireplaceantiques.co.uk/history-of-antique-fireplaces/}}</ref> In the US state of [[Wisconsin]], some elementary classrooms would contain decorated fireplaces to ease children's transition from home to school.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tyjeski |first=Ben |title=Tile Town: Century-Old Illustrated Fireplace Delights Students |url=https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2023/03/19/tile-town-century-old-illustrated-fireplace-delights-students/ |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=Urban Milwaukee |language=en}}</ref>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px">
File:Bourges - palais du duc de Berry, salle du duc Jean (11).jpg|[[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] fireplace in the [[Hôtel de préfecture du Cher]], [[Bourges]], France, by [[Guy de Dammartin]] or [[Drouet de Dammartin]], 15th century
File:Bourges (18) Palais Jacques-Cœur Galerie 024.jpg|Gothic fireplace in the [[Palais Jacques Coeur]], [[Bourges]], France, unknown architect or sculptor, 15th century
File:Cheminée monumentale-Musée barrois (2).jpg|[[Renaissance architecture|Renaissance]] fireplace, unknown architect or sculptor, 16th century, limestone, [[Château des ducs de Bar]], [[Bar-le-Duc]], France
File:Molinier-cheminée.jpg|Renaissance fireplace in the [[Hôtel Tornié-Barassy]] (Rue de la Madeleine no. 3), [[Toulouse]], France, unknown architect or sculptor, 16th century<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/merimee/PA00094575|website=pop.culture.gouv.fr|title=Hôtel|access-date=10 May 2024}}</ref>
File:Schloss Versailles Paris Kamin.jpg|[[Baroque]] fireplace in the [[Salon d'Hercule]], [[Palace of Versailles]], [[Versailles]], France, probably by [[Robert de Cotte]], {{circa}}1710
File:Paris 7e - Musée Rodin, hôtel Biron, cheminée.jpg|[[Rococo]] fireplace in the [[Hôtel Biron]] ([[Rue de Varenne]] no. 77), Paris, by [[Jean Aubert (architect)|Jean Aubert]], 1727–1732
File:Mirror with mantel in the Salon Oval de la Princesse of the Hôtel de Soubise (Paris).jpg|Rococo fireplace in the Oval Salon of the Princesse in the [[Hôtel de Soubise]] ([[Rue des Francs-Bourgeois]] no. 60), Paris, by [[Germain Boffrand]], 1740
File:Petit appartement du roi - Bibliothèque de Louis XVI (2).jpg|[[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]] fireplace in the [[Bibliothèque de Louis XVI]], Palace of Versailles, designed by [[Ange-Jacques Gabriel]] and decorated with bronzes made by [[Pierre Gouthière]], 1774
File:Green dining_room - fireplace 01.jpg|Neoclassical marble fireplace in the green dining room of [[Catherine Palace]], [[Tsarskoye Selo]], [[Russia]], by [[Charles Cameron (architect)|Charles Cameron]], 1779
File:Salle de lecture, hôtel de la Païva (cropped fireplace).jpg|[[Beaux-Arts architecture|Beaux-Arts]] fireplace in the [[Hôtel de la Païva]] ([[Avenue des Champs-Élysées]] no. 25), Paris, designed by [[Pierre Manguin]] and sculpted by [[Eugène Delaplanche]], 1856–1866
File:Decorative arts in the Louvre - Room 538 (01).jpg|[[Rococo Revival]] fireplace in the room 538 of the [[Louvre Palace]], Paris, unknown architect or sculptor, 19th century
File:Fireplace in Great Hall, Cardiff Castle3.jpg|[[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] fireplace in the banqueting hall of the [[Cardiff Castle]], [[Cardiff]], UK, by [[William Burges]], 1873
File:Sherlock Holmes Museum 001.jpg|[[Victorian decorative arts|Victorian style]] "sitting room" with a fireplace in the [[Sherlock Holmes Museum]], London
File:Lille PdBA vroubel cheminee.JPG|[[Russian Revival architecture|Russian Revival]] fireplace, by [[Mikhail Vrubel]], 1899–1900, [[majolica]], [[Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille]], [[Lille]], France
File:Cheminée Les Flammes - Émile Muller - 93.16.jpg|[[Art Nouveau]] fireplace, by [[Émile Muller & Cie]], {{circa}}1900, [[stoneware]] and enamel, [[Musée départemental de l'Oise]], [[Beauvais]], France
File:4 Strada Bocșa, Bucharest (04).jpg|Rococo Revival fireplace in Strada Bocșa no. 4, [[Bucharest]], [[Romania]], unknown architect, {{circa}}1900
File:5 Piața Romană, Bucharest (35).jpg|[[Romanian Revival architecture|Romanian Revival]] fireplace in the Gheorghe Petrașcu House ([[Piața Romană]] no. 5), Bucharest, by [[Spiru Cegăneanu]], 1912<ref>{{cite book|last1=Mariana Celac, Octavian Carabela and Marius Marcu-Lapadat|title=Bucharest Architecture - an annotated guide|date=2017|publisher=Ordinul Arhitecților din România|isbn=978-973-0-23884-6|page=80|url=|language=en}}</ref>
File:Boudoir from the Hôtel du Collectionneur, at the 1925 Paris Exhibition, by Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann.jpg|[[Art Deco]] fireplace in the boudoir from the [[Hôtel du Collectionneur]] at the [[1925 Paris Exhibition]], by [[Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann]]
File:Fireplace in Akita City Akarenga-kan Museum 2024 march 28.ogg|thumbtime=1|Video of an antique fireplace in a historical building in [[Akita Prefecture|Akita]], [[Japan]]
</gallery>

==Heating efficiency==
[[File:2 row grate heater with ash tray.jpg|thumb|right|Fireplace with tubular [[grate heater]], with a high surface area in its heat exchanger and a lift out ash tray to simplify cleanup]]
Some fireplace units incorporate a blower, which transfers more of the fireplace's heat to the air via [[convection]], resulting in a more evenly heated space and a lower heating load. Fireplace [[efficiency]] can also be increased with the use of a fireback, a piece of metal that sits behind the fire and reflects heat back into the room. Firebacks are traditionally made from [[cast iron]], but are also made from [[stainless steel]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tom|date=January 16, 2012|title=Three Steps to a More Efficient Fireplace|url=https://www.fireplacemall.com/blog/2012/01/three-steps-to-a-more-efficient-fireplace/|url-status=live|access-date=May 13, 2021|website=FireplaceMall|language=en-US|archive-date=January 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115012120/http://fireplacemall.com/blog/2012/three-steps-to-a-more-efficient-fireplace/}}</ref>

[[File:Lennox Ladera.jpg|thumb|Enclosed wood-fueled fireplace equipped with a blower fan which takes in air through the bottom vent, blows it around the firebox to heat it, and releases it via the top vent]]
Most older fireplaces have a relatively low efficiency rating. Standard, modern, wood-burning [[masonry heater|masonry fireplaces]] though have an efficiency rating of at least 80% (legal minimum requirement, for example, in Salzburg, Austria).<ref>{{Cite web|title=RIS - Heizungsanlagen-Verordnung 2010 - Landesrecht konsolidiert Salzburg, Fassung vom 14.05.2021|url=https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrSbg&Gesetzesnummer=20000675|access-date=2021-05-13|website=www.ris.bka.gv.at|archive-date=2018-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215032819/https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=LrSbg&Gesetzesnummer=20000675|url-status=live}}</ref> To improve efficiency, fireplaces can also be modified by inserting special heavy fireboxes designed to burn much cleaner and can reach efficiencies as high as 80% in heating the air. These modified fireplaces are often equipped with a large fire window, enabling an efficient heating process in two phases. During the first phase the initial heat is provided through a large glass window while the fire is burning. During this time the structure, built of refractory bricks, absorbs the heat. This heat is then evenly radiated for many hours during the second phase. Masonry fireplaces without a glass fire window only provide heat radiated from its surface. Depending on the outside [[temperature]], 1 to 2 daily firings are sufficient to ensure a constant [[room temperature]].

==Health effects==
===Wood===
A literature review published in the ''[[Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health]]'' concludes that there are a wide variety of health risks posed by residential wood combustion. It states:
{{blockquote|With regard to adults, studies show that prolonged inhalation of [[wood smoke]] contributed to [[Bronchitis#Chronic bronchitis|chronic bronchitis]], chronic interstitial [[lung disease]], [[pulmonary arterial hypertension]] and [[corpulmonale]] (Pulmonary heart disease), and altered pulmonary immune defense mechanisms. While adverse effects on adults are notable, children appear to be at greatest risk. Many studies that focused specifically on RWC [Residential Wood Combustion] have concluded that young children living in homes heated by a wood-burning stove had a greater occurrence of moderate and severe chronic respiratory symptoms than children of the same age and sex who did not live in homes heated with a wood burning stove. Exposure of preschool children living in homes heated with wood burning stoves or in houses with open fireplaces yielded these effects: decreased pulmonary [[lung]] function in young [[asthmatics]]; increased incidence of acute [[bronchitis]] and severity/frequency of [[wheezing]] and [[coughing]]; and increased incidence, duration, and possibly severity of acute [[respiratory infections]].

Residential wood combustion [[Exhaust gas|emissions]] also contain [[Lower sulfur oxides|sulfur oxides]], [[nitrogen oxides]], [[carbon monoxide]] and potentially [[carcinogenic]] compounds including [[polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons]], [[benzene]], [[formaldehyde]] and [[dioxins and dioxin-like compounds|dioxins]]. Some of these pollutants are known to cause cancer but their effects on human health via exposure to wood smoke have not been extensively studied.<ref>Zelikoff, J.T., 2002. "[http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.381.5601&rep=rep1&type=pdf The Toxicology of Inhaled Woodsmoke] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801012513/http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.381.5601&rep=rep1&type=pdf |date=2020-08-01 }}". ''Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B'', 5:269-282</ref>}}
The Washington State Department of Ecology also published a booklet explaining why wood smoke can be dangerous. It explains that human lung and [[respiratory system]]s are unable to filter [[particulates]] emitted by wood combustion, which penetrate deeply into the lungs. For months, [[carcinogen]]s can continue to cause changes and structural damage within the respiratory system. Young children, seniors, pregnant women, smokers and individuals with [[respiratory disease]]s are most vulnerable. Wood smoke can cause disease and even death in children, because it is associated with [[lower respiratory tract infection]]s.<ref name="Ecology">{{Cite web|title=Smoke health effects & burning alternatives|url=https://ecology.wa.gov/Air-Climate/Air-quality/Smoke-fire/Health-effects|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117073206/https://ecology.wa.gov/Air-Climate/Air-quality/Smoke-fire/Health-effects/|archive-date=January 17, 2021|access-date=May 13, 2021|website=[[Washington State Department of Ecology]]}}</ref> Home fireplaces have caused fatal [[carbon monoxide poisoning]].<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Partridge|first1=Emma|last2=Aubusson|first2=Kate|date=June 9, 2015|title=Derek Kehler and Helena Curic identified as young couple killed in Kurrajong cabin|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/derek-kehler-and-helena-curic-identified-as-young-couple-killed-in-kurrajong-cabin-20150609-ghk7yb.html|access-date=May 14, 2021|archive-date=February 21, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210221161343/https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/derek-kehler-and-helena-curic-identified-as-young-couple-killed-in-kurrajong-cabin-20150609-ghk7yb.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Gases and ethanol===
Propane, butane, and methane are all flammable gases used in fireplaces (natural gas is mostly methane, liquefied petroleum gas mostly propane). Gases can act as [[Asphyxiant gas|asphyxiant gases]]{{refn|Suffocations may be caused by propane,<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fukunaga |first1=T |last2=Yamamoto |first2=H |last3=Tanegashima |first3=A |last4=Yamamoto |first4=Y |last5=Nishi |first5=K |title=Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) poisoning: report of two cases and review of the literature. |journal=Forensic Science International |date=25 October 1996 |volume=82 |issue=3 |pages=193–200 |doi=10.1016/s0379-0738(96)01995-0 |pmid=8948127}}</ref> butane<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Novosel |first1=I |last2=Kovačić |first2=Z |last3=Gusić |first3=S |last4=Batelja |first4=L |last5=Nestić |first5=M |last6=Seiwerth |first6=S |last7=Skavić |first7=J |title=Immunohistochemical detection of early myocardial damage in two sudden deaths due to intentional butane inhalation. Two case reports with review of literature. |journal=Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine |date=April 2011 |volume=18 |issue=3 |pages=125–31 |doi=10.1016/j.jflm.2010.12.003 |pmid=21420651}}</ref>}} or cause gas explosions{{citation needed|date=December 2019}} if they are allowed to accumulate unburned. [[Ethanol]] (a liquid, also sold in gels) fires can also cause severe burns.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kraemer|first1=Robert|last2=Knobloch|first2=Karsten|last3=Lorenzen|first3=Johan|last4=Breuing|first4=Karl H.|last5=Koennecker|first5=Soeren|last6=Rennekampff|first6=Hans-Oliver|last7=Vogt|first7=Peter M.|date=March–April 2001|title=Severe Burn Injuries Caused by Bioethanol-Design Fireplaces—An Overview on Recreational Fire Threats|journal=[[Journal of Burn Care & Research]]|publisher=[[American Burn Association]]|volume=32|issue=2|pages=173–177|doi=10.1097/BCR.0b013e31820aade7|issn=1559-047X|eissn=1559-0488|pmid=21233730|s2cid=205483058}}</ref>

Burning hydrocarbons can decrease [[indoor air quality]]. Emissions include airborne particulate matter (such as [[black carbon]]) and gases like [[nitrogen oxide]]. These harm health: they weaken the [[immune system]], and increase [[infection]]s, [[blood pressure]], [[cardiovascular disease]]s, and [[insulin resistance]]. Some forms of fuel are more harmful than others.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Apte|first1=Komalkirti|last2=Salvi|first2=Sundeep|date=2016|title=Household air pollution and its effects on health|journal=[[F1000Research]]|volume=5|pages=2593|doi=10.12688/f1000research.7552.1|issn=2046-1402|pmc=5089137|pmid=27853506|quote=Burning of natural gas not only produces a variety of gases such as sulfur oxides, mercury compounds, and particulate matter but also leads to the production of nitrogen oxides, primarily nitrogen dioxide...The burning of biomass fuel or any other fossil fuel increases the concentration of black carbon in the air...''[rest of material in linked fulltext]'' |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Burning hydrocarbon fuels [[Combustion#Incomplete|incompletely]] can produce carbon monoxide, which is highly poisonous and can cause death and long-term [[neurological disorder]]s.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Casillas|first1=Sebastian|last2=Galindo|first2=Antonio|last3=Camarillo-Reyes|first3=Luis A.|last4=Varon|first4=Joseph|last5=Surani|first5=Salim R.|date=October 15, 2019|title=Effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygenation Versus Normobaric Oxygenation Therapy in Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Systematic Review.|journal=[[Cureus]]|volume=11|issue=10|pages=e5916|doi=10.7759/cureus.5916|doi-access=free |issn=2168-8184|pmc=6855999|pmid=31788375}}</ref>

== Environmental effects ==
Burning any hydrocarbon fuel releases [[carbon dioxide]] and [[water vapor]]. Other emissions, such as nitrogen oxides and [[sulfur oxide]]s, can be harmful to the environment.

==Glossary==
[[File:Hand forged andirons - DPLA - abb54ce9f09b34d806e389211703dafc (cropped).jpg|alt=Hand forged andirons|thumb|upright|Hand forged andirons]]
Several of these terms may be compounded with chimney or fireplace such as ''chimney-back''.
* [[Andiron]]—Either one of two horizontal metal bars resting on short legs intended to support firewood in a hearth.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Definition of Andiron|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/andiron|url-status=live|access-date=May 14, 2021|website=[[Merriam-Webster]]|archive-date=April 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409044627/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/andiron}}</ref>
* Arch—An arched top of the fireplace opening.<ref name="Means">{{Cite book|last=RSMeans|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kp7ONAAACAAJ|title=RSMeans Illustrated Construction Dictionary: The Complete Source of Construction Terms and Concept|date=September 15, 2009|publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]]|isbn=9780876290927|edition=4th|oclc=793656918|access-date=May 14, 2021|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514175146/https://books.google.com/books?id=Kp7ONAAACAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Ash dump—An opening in a hearth to sweep ashes for later removal from the ''ash pit''.<ref name="Means" />
* [[Fireplace fireback|Back (fireback)]]—The inside, rear wall of the fireplace of masonry or metal that reflects heat into the room.<ref name="Means" />
* Brick trimmer—A brick arch supporting a hearth or shielding a joist in front of a fireplace.<ref name="Means" />
* [[Chimney breast]]—The part of the chimney which projects into a room to accommodate a fireplace.<ref name="Means" />
* [[Chimney crane|Crane]]—Metal arms mounted on pintles, which swing and hold pots above a fire.
* [[Andiron|Damper]]—A metal door to close a flue when a fireplace is not in use.
* [[Flue]]—The passageway in the chimney.<ref name="Means" />
* [[Hearth]]—The floor of a fireplace. The part of a hearth which projects into a room may be called the ''front'' or ''outer hearth''.<ref name="Means" />
* Hearthstone—A large stone or other materials used as the hearth material.
* [[Fireplace insert|Insert]]—The fireplace insert is a device inserted into an existing masonry or prefabricated wood fireplace.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Perryman|first=Oliver|date=January 19, 2021|title=Wood Burning Fireplace Insert (2021 Reviews Updated)|url=https://dehumidifiercritic.com/best-wood-burning-fireplace-insert/|url-status=live|access-date=May 13, 2021|website=Dehumidifier Critic|language=|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514175158/https://dehumidifiercritic.com/best-wood-burning-fireplace-insert/}}</ref>
* Jamb—The side of a fireplace opening.<ref name="Means" />
* [[Fireplace mantel|Mantel]]—Either the shelf above a fireplace or the structure to support masonry above a fireplace<ref>{{Cite web|title=Definition of mantel|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mantel|url-status=live|access-date=May 14, 2021|website=[[Merriam-Webster]]|archive-date=May 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509205945/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mantel}}</ref>
* Smoke shelf—A shelf below the smoke chamber and behind the damper. It collects debris and water falling down the flue.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chimney and Fireplace Configuration|url=https://www.rockfordchimneysupply.com/chimney-diagram?info=smokeshelf|url-status=live|access-date=May 14, 2021|website=Rockford Chimney Supply|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514175125/https://www.rockfordchimneysupply.com/chimney-diagram?info=smokeshelf}}</ref>
* Throat (waist)—The narrow area above a fireplace usually where the damper is located.<ref name="Means" />
* Wing—The sides of a fireplace above the opening near the throat.<ref name="Means" />

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Chimney liner]]
* [[Fire screen]]
* [[Fireplace insert]]
* [[Inglenook]]
* [[List of home appliances]]
* [[Mantel clock]]
* [[Micathermic heater]]
* [[Oil heater]]
* [[Outdoor fireplace]]
* [[Rumford fireplace]]
* [[Staffordshire dog figurine]]
* [[Stone carving]]
* [[Wood-burning stove]]
{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
*{{Cite book|last=Adams|first=Sean Patrick|title=Home Fires: How Americans Kept Warm in the Nineteenth Century|date=May 15, 2014|publisher=[[Johns Hopkins University Press]]|isbn=9781421413570|location=[[Baltimore]]|oclc=917156248}}
*{{Cite book|last=Putnam|first=John Pickering|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aWE1AAAAMAAJ|title=The Open Fire-place in All Ages|date=1882|publisher=[[James R. Osgood]]|edition=2nd|location=[[Boston]]}}
*{{Cite book|last=Orton|first=Vrest|title=Observations on the Forgotten Art of Building a Good Fireplace: The Story of Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford, an American Genius & His Principles of Fireplace Design which Have Remained Unchanged for 174 Years|publisher=[[Alan C. Hood & Company]]|date=January 1969|isbn=9780911469172|edition=2nd}}

==External links==
* {{Merriam-Webster|Fireplace}}

{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category|Fireplaces}}

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[[Category:Fireplaces| ]]
[[Category:Residential heating appliances]]

wiki143 - User contributions [en]

Fireplace