Screens: Keep the sparks out while adding an additional touch of elegance and decor, you can find these in a simple curve panel design and elaborated hand crafted designs.

Log Holders and Grates: Some of the most common are the large holders that are used for storage of your logs to allow them to season most importantly to keep the water and moisture out. In addition smaller decorative holder enhance the fashion of your home and your fireplace while keeping the wood handy. In addition the holder and greats are elevated from the floor allowing for air to vent from beneath the wood.

Fireplace candelabras: Looking for the warm glow without having to go threw of the process of actually starting the fireplace, then the candelabras are the ideal candidate light them up in side the fireplace and enjoy the flickering glow with much more ease.

Firebacks: In the tradition of Europe, Firebacks add an additional layer of elegance while conserving your fireplace structure and keeping the heat. The provide an additional layer of support to your fireplace by diminishing the impact of the fire.

Bellows: Aid you in bringing your fire to life, for those times that the wood is not catching fast enough, and when you seem to be running out of breath. Bellows are a handy tool to have. Most bellows capture air from the rear and disperses it through the point end of the device and allow the control for airflow.

Ash containers: As the name implies provides a storage place for the ash until enough is accumulated and discarded. Keeping a clean and organized fireplace is a critical factor to conserving the livelihood and safety of your home.

Chimney caps: The external elements can be not only a risk but a safety issue. A cap protects it from outside environment one common occurrence is the creation of nests by birds if it has not been used in a long period of time. Make sure you invest in a good cap. These are the most commonly used fireplace accessories.

Where you’r getting your wood counts.  Many shops do not have proper store procedures for the wood which causes it to contain more water and moisture then it should.  The ideal wood  contain between 20-30% water for it to burn at its best. Seasoned wood is the ideal.  You can season your own wood by purchasing it ahead of time, and letting the elements dry it and evaporate moisture  without exposing it to water.

2. Clean and Inspect yearly.

There are many contributing factors that can affect the proper heating and safety of an in door fireplace.  In particular the propagation of carbon monoxide that can be dispersed in the room or excessive build up of creosote. Have it inspected and cleaned annually.

3. Put a lid on it.

In a previous post we discussed  several components of the fireplace one of them being a cap.  This will greatly increase the livelihood of your fireplace by protecting it from outside elements while heat and smoke is not going up the chimney.

4. Check the Ash tray regularly.

We all love to see the dancing of flames In our cast iron fireplace and we might over look small important tasks that make all the difference. One of these is to clean the ashes that have been left behind.  Other wise it can contribute to pollutants build up that can be harmful and produce odor.

5. Inspect your Smoke Alarms regularly

When was the last time you tested your smoke detector? Make it part of the cleaning and safety inspection of the house and test them at least every other month.

6. Invest in a Spark Screener

This small accessory goes a long way in protecting your home.  It blocks any sparks from the fireplace that could start a fire. Don’t leave it to chance always be prepared.

7. Prevent Creosote

If you have a good safety practice and execute tip No 2 effectively of yearly inspection and cleaning you won’t have to worry about it to much. Other wise the wood that is being burnt secretes gases that have not be exhausted yet and attach themselves to one another around the flue of the chimney. After time it creates a paste type substance that is flammable and if not properly treated can be extremely dangerous.  In minor cases of creosote buildup a proper sweeping will clear it.  In advanced stages of the build up chemical treatment is the only solution.

In this article you will discover how exactly a fireplace works and what elements produce the effective warmth of such invention.

The heat generated by the fireplace is based on the principal of energy radiation.  It is not air that is being warmed as many might think.  Radiation is defined as transfer of thermal energy threw the vacuum of empty space. The Sun is the most predominant example of radiation that travels millions of light years away to bring warmth to our existence. It occurs when an atom disintegrates which then has no mass and travels in waves to an object of lower temperature then its own.  How does this all happen in a fireplace?

where there is a lot of thought, art and science that goes into fireplace design. A fireplace is made of key elements to channel that energy:

The hearth: is the fire resistant foundation on which it is built on. Is job can also be to conduct heat to be radiated to an area, it is commonly what you see that extends beyond the fireplace box enclosure.

Some fireplaces have a foundation that connects it to a basement or directly outside allowing more intake of air and generate heat without using resources from the area it’s heating.

Firebox: is where the wood is to be placed

Ash dump allow for the collection of ash and avoid it being sent out to the area it resides.

Damper: Regulates the draft up the chimney to control the amount and direction of which it flows. One common mistake that  people make is trying to start a fire while the damper is closed, which in-turn causes the fire not to start or to extend the combustion into the room.

Smoke Shelf: stops smoke from reversing back into the room

Flue: controls gases out of the chimney to the outdoor flow.

Caps: Stops objects particles and Santa from coming down the chimney.

One important component that is often overlooked is the spark screen, it is what stops spark debris from entering a room.

Some of the contributors to the effectiveness of a fireplace include Prince Rupert, Ben Franklin, count Rumford and human ingenuity that continues to improve our way of life.