WRITTEN REPORT

TOPIC: FIREPLACE
BU313 – BUILDING UTILITIES 2

SUBMITTED TO:

AR. VANESSA RIVERA AYLLON

SUBMITTED BY:

CYRIL KAYE D. DOLORZO

 FIREPLACES

Fireplace

A home without a fireplace does seem to lack something a certain

something, that is the heart of the home. There is always an
element of security in known you could have a fire if necessary.
Although fireplaces are no longer necessary for survival, a
working fireplace with a cheerful fire blazing away exudes an
atmosphere of happy congenital living and contributes to the
feeling that this is the good life. The mind always envisions the
image of a crackling fire and enjoys the atmosphere of
hospitality. rest and repose that is in the mind's eye. A
fireplace suggests the comfort and contentment of quiet evenings
before a blazing hearth.

A fireplace is a structure made of bricks, stone, or metal

designed to contain a fire. It is used for heating a room.

There are three (3) types of Fireplace:

 Conventional Masonry Fireplace

 Heat Circulating Fireplace
 Pre-Built Fireplace

Conventional Masonry Fireplace

This is often used where there is wide space and you can afford
it. But conventional fireplaces are about 10% efficient. That is,
90 percent of the fire's heat goes up the flue. It comprises of a
brick firebox and a brick chimney going all the way up to the
roof of the house and is constructed together with the house.

Heat Circulating Fireplace

This give off as much radiant heat as conventional types, but to
this they add circulating air warmed by convection. These
fireplaces have a double or triple wall fire box with an
intervening air space several inches wide. Vents at the bottom of
the fire box draw cool air into this space between the inner and
outer walls, where it is warmed. The heated air rises by
convection to be expelled through vents located above the firebox
opening or farther away-even to other rooms through ducts. Since
the fire is kept in the fireplace chamber itself, Heatilators are
able to avoid to transfer of excess heat into the walls of the
home.

Pre-Built Fireplace

This type of fireplace makes it possible to install a wood

burning fireplace without concrete footings, without a masonry
chimney, at lower cost, and in a room where structural
considerations would otherwise rule out a fireplace. (usually for
apartment dwellers, vacation homes, or remodelled and additional
rooms). A prefabricated type of fireplace. Fireplaces and
Chimneys are manufactured in a factory and assembled on a job
site. Unlike traditional masonry fireplace system, pre-built
fireplace is not heavy and doesn’t require foundation and other
clearances.

Two (2) basic types of Pre-Built Fireplaces

a. BUILT-IN PRE-BUILT - which is a conventional appearing

fireplace usually built into a wall, with a brick or wood
paneled wall, and a stone, concrete or tile hearth. (This is
difficult to identify as metal or pre-built.)

b. FREESTANDING METAL FIREPLACE - this is an obviously

attractively metal, with striking an unusual shapes
available. (Wrought iron or copper is preferred).

HOW A CONVENTIONAL FIREPLACE WORKS

Masonry Fireplaces are about 5,000 pounds (227 kilos) usually are
found on the ground floor, through can be stocked one above the
other in two storey buildings.
A conventional fireplace components:

• Cap

• Chimney Flue – smoke and combustion gases from the burning

wood pass up the chimney flue, usually made of tera cotta
pipe.

• Smoke Dome – acts as a funnel to compress smoke and gases

rising from the fire so they will squeeze into the chimney
flue above.

• Smoke Shelf – bounces stray downdrafts back up the chimney

before they can neutralize the updraft and blow smoke
chamber.

• Damper – a steel or cast iron door that opens or closes the

throat opening used to check and regulate draft, it prevents
loss of heat up the chimney.

• Mantle – wood or concrete (for display)

• Throat – slot like opening above the firebox where flame

smoke pass into the chamber.

• Facing – stone brick or any material, vertical surface

around the fireplace opening.

• Lintel – heavy steel brace that supports the masonry above

the fireplace opening. (if bricks is used instead of
concrete)

• Firebox – chamber where the fire is built made of metals or

firebricks, walls and back are slanted slightly to radiate
heat into the room.

• Hearth – inner hearth of firebricks or steel holds the

burning fuel; outer hearths protects the floor material from
sparks.

• Ash Pit – (optional)

• Foundation – usually a reinforced concrete slab; holds

concentrated loads of masonry fireplace and chimney
structures.
FIREPLACE FURNISHINGS AND ACCESSORIES

 FIRE BASKET or LOG GRATE - to support the burning fuel.

 COAL HOD or WOOD CARRIER - to carry and hold fuel.
 FIRE LIGHTER - to start a fire.
 TONGS, LOG FORK, and SHOVEL - feed the fire poker- stirs the
Fire.
 BELLOWS - useful in stimulating the air Flame.

METAL HOODS: Decorative and Functional

Used as a heat deflector to reduce/minimize the amount of heat

from the fireplace rising to the wall and mantel/ceiling
above.

 Copper sheets joined with standing seams make up. This

attractive fireplace hood. Steel-lined but uninsulated,
the warm metal effectively improves the fireplace's
heating efficiency.
 Prefabricated metal hood makes for easy installation.