Fireplace Chimney
Fireplaces
A fireplace is what turns a house into a home, and every fireplace needs a chimney.
A fireplace in your home is also capable of producing large amounts of heat, which may lower energy costs. If you are choosing a fireplace, there are other important factors to consider besides the fireplace beauty alone. It is also important, for energy reasons, to maximize and conserve the heat production. A great looking fireplace is not always very useful in a cold room.
The efficiency rating of the
fireplace is very important to take into consideration. This rating is calculated by the heat the fireplace produces. Fireplaces usually use the Annual Fuel Utilization
Efficiency (AFUE) rating. The higher the AFUE, the more heat efficient
the fireplace is. Make sure that when you are comparing fireplaces that the
numbers for the ratings of each fireplace are on the same scale.
In choosing a fireplace you need to look at which one will be the
best fit for your home. It depends on the model type and the space you
have for the fireplace in your home. There are four main types of
fireplaces which are inserts, direct vent, vent free, and full masonry fireplaces.
The vent is actually what runs up the fireplace chimney. Non vented fireplaces do not have a chimney connected to the fireplace. Generally most of the gas models can be changed so that they can run on
propane, and many fireplaces that are wood burning could have a gas jet
added to it to add to the desired heat.
Once you have chosen the right fireplace for you in terms of heating capability, you
can now decide on the style. Normally, it is good for the fireplace to match the style of the room you wish to place it in. But there are probably
thousands of styles of fireplaces so there is bound to be one that meets
your needs.
Fireplaces are always a great addition to all homes as well as a very attractive part of your house.
Fireplace Chimneys
Fireplace chimneys are the long passage ways connected to the top of the fireplace where the smoke travels from the fireplace out of the home. An attractive fireplace chimney can greatly improve the beauty of a home's exterior. A well crafted stone or brick chimney is often a popular choice.
From the exterior of the house is where you will be able to see the chimney. There are many different styles to fireplace chimneys.
Most masonry fireplaces will have a fireplace chimney with either stone or brick on the exterior. It is possible however for fireplace inserts or vented fireplaces to have chimneys with stone or brick. Non vented fireplaces do not have a chimney at all. Masonry fireplace chimneys are constructed using concrete block and clay flu.
Vented fireplaces and inserts will sometimes have a chimney exterior of brick or stone, but most commonly will have wood siding of some sort.
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