A brick or stone enclosure forms the basis of the fireplace. Variously referred to as the fireplace opening or recess or builders opening, it could be set flush with the wall or built out into the room, forming a chimney breast. This chimney breast rises through the height of your house, emerging through the roof to form a chimney stack. At the top of the opening the gather and flue combine to carry the smoke up the chimney. If the chimney is shared by a number of fireplaces on different floors, it might contain more than one flue Go to this web page .
The masonry over the fireplace opening is supported by a lintel or a brick arch. Old inglenook fireplaces made use of massive oak beams, whereas a strong iron strap normally supports an early brick arch. Later, fireplaces might have a straight arch supported by angle iron, and by the twentieth century cast concrete lintels were the standard.
A hearth, constructed from non-combustible materials such as stone or tile-faced concrete, projects out into the room to shield the floor from falling ashes. In many old homes, the hearth was set flush with the floor, although occasionally, a superimposed one was used to raise the level. The space within the fireplace opening, referred to as the back hearth, is normally level with the hearth itself. A dog grate for burning wood or coal can be placed on this back hearth. However, by the mid-nineteenth century, the mass produced cast-iron register grate which filled the opening, had become the fashion.
To complete the assembly, a mantelpiece, or mantel, or fireplace surround, as it is frequently called today, is fitted to frame the grate or fireplace opening. The mantel might be constructed from stone, slate, marble, wood or cast iron. The walls around it might be finished with wood paneling, or more commonly with plaster, and in some cases, the mantel extends up to form an impressive chimneypiece. Mirrored overmantels were introduced in the late eighteenth century, and these became the traditional feature of Victorian sitting rooms.
Within this fireplace, an open fire burning wood or coal is a cheerful sight, however, if it is your only source of heat, as it was for centuries, this romantic image can soon fade, specifically if the fire does not burn correctly. Getting a fire started and keeping it alight then becomes a challenge, if not a chore. For wood and coal fires to burn well, a good supply of air is required under the grate, along with a means of escape for the hot gases and smoke. With the fuel securely contained within the fireplace opening on a grate, free flow of air is possible and waste ash can fall through the grate so the fire is not suppressed. If the chimney is inadequate, or the flow of air is restricted, the fireplace will not work properly.