Choosing a Fireplace For Your House

Despite advances in domestic central heating systems, an open fire is still very attractive to house owners and buyers.

There are many different types of fire place. The traditional open fire places is a recess at the base of the chimney, along with the surround and hearth. Inglenooks are included in this type of fireplace.

The hob grate type of fireplace incorporates cast iron hobs on both sides of the grate which were originally used for cooking. The hob grate fireplace dates back to the Georgian era.

Modern apartments are often fitted with the hole in the wall fireplace, which is simply an opening set into the wall. Hole in the wall fireplaces have no surround or mantelpiece and use a firebasket to hold fuel. Alternatively they can be fitted with a gas fueled firebox of logs, ceramic pieces or pebbles.

Register grates are built in one piece. They incorporate the firebox, an inner frame, the grate and a movable plate which acts as a draught regulator.

An all in one fireplace contains the fire basket, mantel and fireback but they do not usually include the hearth at the bottom of the fireplace.

Mantelpieces above the fireplace are usually attached directly to the brickwork of the chimney breast. After being attached securely, plaster is applied to blend the mantelpiece into the wall. Fireplace materials such as fireproofing and sealant need about ten days to completely dry out before a fire can be lit. Lighting a fire before the sealant has dried risks cracking it and allowing smoke to enter the room.

An open fire will work most efficiently if it is connected to a chimney that is well maintained and fitted with a correctly sized flue. Flue gasses from the fire will only rise up through the chimney if they are kept hotter than the ambient air in the room. Older houses will need their chimneys checked to ensure that the lime mortar is still in good condition.

The opening of the fireplace should not exceed eight times the area of the flue for rectangular chimneys and no more than ten times the area of the flue for round metal chimneys. Larger openings than necessary will produce a smokey fire and a weak draw.

This article is only intended as a basic general summary and you should always seek professional advice where necessary.

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