One of the most widely used amenities in modern day homes is the fireplace. While fireplaces are truly beautiful focal points for any room in your home, they are also huge energy wasters if their fireboxes are left openly exposed to the room. Many people will simply place a decorative fireplace screen in front of the firebox and this will serve its purpose when you have a rip-roaring fire burning. However, if the fireplace sits idle, with no fireplace enclosure utilized, it is almost like leaving a window open since most fireplace dampers are left open at all times or inadequately seal the flue when closed. A properly designed flue is meant to draw hot gases up the chimney, but also draws warm or cool room air when the fireplace is not in use.
The best way to prevent this issue is to install a set of high quality fireplace doors. The doors will serve as a fireplace enclosure to eliminate the constant updraft that the fireplace chimney maintains. By blocking off this opening, the warm room air produced in the winter, and the cool room air produced in the summer by your HVAC system will stay where it is meant to be and save hundreds of dollars per year on the average energy bill.
In addition to their energy saving features, this type fireplace enclosure is available in many different styles and finishes that will complement your fireplace and hearth season after season. These doors are a blend of beauty and style and a quality set will provide for a solid, long lasting enclosure that will easily pay for themselves in energy savings in just a few seasons. Most are available with bi-fold doors that open and fold flat against the wall to provide a wide open view of the firebox. Mesh screens are commonly included to prevent flying brands and embers thus providing the same protection as a free standing fireplace screen.
With all the positive features a quality glass fireplace enclosure provides, there is little reason not to utilize one. They are available to match any decor, any budget, and save you money too. They can be installed by any homeowner with basic tools and will provide a beautiful, safe, energy saving feature that you and your family can enjoy for many years to come.
Showing posts with label chimney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chimney. Show all posts
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Beauty of Brick Fireplace Designs
It is difficult to replace the feeling of warmth you get from a fireplace on a dark and drizzly chilly day. Along with the warmth, the scent of the burning wood adds a cozy ambiance to a home that can spark memories of Christmas past or just a shared cup of hot chocolate. The majority of these wonderful feelings are enjoyed in front of traditional fireplaces faced with brick. Brick fireplace designs have been utilized in home construction since the mid 1600s and are still a favorite even today. One reason being that even as the brick ages and takes a beating through the years, it does so without losing its original charm and actually acquires a certain character of its own.
In addition to the beauty of the brick, more practically, brick fireplaces became common over the years because of the raised hearth which allows for sitting and eating surfaces. Brick fireplace designs also take advantage of brick's natural ability to absorb the heat from the fire and radiate it out into the room. These are the reasons you almost always see people gravitate to and gather around the brick fireplace at family gatherings or other celebrations.
The great thing about utilizing brick in a residential fireplace design is that there are so many different variations in the application of the brick which allow you to get quite creative with your design. The bricks can be laid in the traditional staggered brick pattern, they can be set at an angle, turned up on their edge or any combination of patterns that you can imagine. There are numerous brick finishes and styles available to provide an ‘antiqued’ look or if you prefer a more contemporary feel to your brick fireplace, you can do that too. If you are looking for a more rustic look, reclamation yards are good places to find used handmade bricks from an earlier period in history. Some even choose to paint the brick in order to match a particular color scheme. Whatever your personal preferences may be, there is absolutely no doubt that you can get quite creative with brick fireplace designs.
Regardless of your choice in design, you can rest assured that your brick fireplace will be durable and require little attention through the years. Fireplaces constructed utilizing brick and masonry chimneys typically are very low maintenance as they only require occasional inspections and cleaning. This type construction also allows for peace of mind when you consider fire danger as brick is a natural fireproof material on its own.
In order to finalize the design of your fireplace, be sure to add a strikingly beautiful mantle to top off your design. The mantle is to a fireplace much as icing is to a cake. It adds that crowning touch that really makes the whole thing come together to make brick fireplace designs the masterpieces they are intended to be.
In addition to the beauty of the brick, more practically, brick fireplaces became common over the years because of the raised hearth which allows for sitting and eating surfaces. Brick fireplace designs also take advantage of brick's natural ability to absorb the heat from the fire and radiate it out into the room. These are the reasons you almost always see people gravitate to and gather around the brick fireplace at family gatherings or other celebrations.
The great thing about utilizing brick in a residential fireplace design is that there are so many different variations in the application of the brick which allow you to get quite creative with your design. The bricks can be laid in the traditional staggered brick pattern, they can be set at an angle, turned up on their edge or any combination of patterns that you can imagine. There are numerous brick finishes and styles available to provide an ‘antiqued’ look or if you prefer a more contemporary feel to your brick fireplace, you can do that too. If you are looking for a more rustic look, reclamation yards are good places to find used handmade bricks from an earlier period in history. Some even choose to paint the brick in order to match a particular color scheme. Whatever your personal preferences may be, there is absolutely no doubt that you can get quite creative with brick fireplace designs.
Regardless of your choice in design, you can rest assured that your brick fireplace will be durable and require little attention through the years. Fireplaces constructed utilizing brick and masonry chimneys typically are very low maintenance as they only require occasional inspections and cleaning. This type construction also allows for peace of mind when you consider fire danger as brick is a natural fireproof material on its own.
In order to finalize the design of your fireplace, be sure to add a strikingly beautiful mantle to top off your design. The mantle is to a fireplace much as icing is to a cake. It adds that crowning touch that really makes the whole thing come together to make brick fireplace designs the masterpieces they are intended to be.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Aesthetic Elements in Residential Fireplace Designs
Once the heating side of the equation is nailed down, it is time to address the aesthetic element. The first major decision involving the appearance in residential fireplace designs is the placement in the room. The vast majority of fireplaces are built in the center of an exterior wall, but your choices are not limited to this. You could choose to place the fireplace in a corner which is ideal for smaller homes. If your home is large enough, consider a multi-sided island fireplace. These can provide a four sided view and also radiate heat in all four directions making this a great choice for efficiency. A see through fireplace can separate two main rooms thus providing two fireplaces for the price of one. As you can see, there are choices for placement other than just the traditional placement on an outside wall and you should consider these before a final decision is made.
Next comes the most important aspect of the visual element of any fireplace. The material used to face the front of the fireplace can set the tone for the rest of your home decoration and allows for personal expression. Many homes built in the post World War II era, have the more traditional fireplaces faced with brick that matches the brick used on the exterior of the home. However, you have many choices other than brick. Some choose to just face their fireplace with smooth, painted sheet rock in order to match the walls in the rest of the room. This method can be utilized if you want the function of a fireplace but desire it to be less of a focal point. Another popular choice is stone. Some of the more dramatic fireplace designs I have seen are achieved with stone. There are many different shapes and sizes of stone and since it is a natural product, no two stones are alike thus resulting in a truly unique fireplace. Flat stone can be laid with the face of the stone exposed or with the edge exposed. If flat stones are not your style, look at the unique qualities of round stone which also make for an interesting fireplace design. In addition to stone, other natural products such as tile, marble and granite are used in many residential fireplace designs today. As you can see, there are many good choices for materials to use in the design of an individual's fireplace.
Okay, the hard part is over. Now we just need to decide on the mantle and the type of hearth and our fireplace design will be complete. Let's first address the hearth. The fireplace hearth allows for a couple of choices. You can have the hearth and firebox level with the floor which some say seems to make the fireplace less obtrusive in a room. Or the hearth can be built up which allows a place for you to sit and enjoy the warmth of that nice roaring fire. The last thing we need is a mantle. The mantle is not only decorative but also functional. It will be a place where family pictures are displayed and of course the Christmas stocking will be hung by the chimney with care. There are as many different kinds of mantles available as there are ideas, so take your time and choose a mantle that will compliment the other design elements of your fireplace.
Now that all the features of our fireplace have been decided upon, we just need to ensure we have a brick and stone mason that is experienced with fireplace and chimney construction. Contact your local building department and see if they can or will give you some recommendations on the best masons in your area. Otherwise, contact local builders. I am sure they will know the best of the best stone masons in your vicinity. If you take the time to research all the different fireplace elements available, you will find that residential fireplace designs are quite simple to envision and your plan will result in a fireplace you can enjoy for many years to come.
Next comes the most important aspect of the visual element of any fireplace. The material used to face the front of the fireplace can set the tone for the rest of your home decoration and allows for personal expression. Many homes built in the post World War II era, have the more traditional fireplaces faced with brick that matches the brick used on the exterior of the home. However, you have many choices other than brick. Some choose to just face their fireplace with smooth, painted sheet rock in order to match the walls in the rest of the room. This method can be utilized if you want the function of a fireplace but desire it to be less of a focal point. Another popular choice is stone. Some of the more dramatic fireplace designs I have seen are achieved with stone. There are many different shapes and sizes of stone and since it is a natural product, no two stones are alike thus resulting in a truly unique fireplace. Flat stone can be laid with the face of the stone exposed or with the edge exposed. If flat stones are not your style, look at the unique qualities of round stone which also make for an interesting fireplace design. In addition to stone, other natural products such as tile, marble and granite are used in many residential fireplace designs today. As you can see, there are many good choices for materials to use in the design of an individual's fireplace.
Okay, the hard part is over. Now we just need to decide on the mantle and the type of hearth and our fireplace design will be complete. Let's first address the hearth. The fireplace hearth allows for a couple of choices. You can have the hearth and firebox level with the floor which some say seems to make the fireplace less obtrusive in a room. Or the hearth can be built up which allows a place for you to sit and enjoy the warmth of that nice roaring fire. The last thing we need is a mantle. The mantle is not only decorative but also functional. It will be a place where family pictures are displayed and of course the Christmas stocking will be hung by the chimney with care. There are as many different kinds of mantles available as there are ideas, so take your time and choose a mantle that will compliment the other design elements of your fireplace.
Now that all the features of our fireplace have been decided upon, we just need to ensure we have a brick and stone mason that is experienced with fireplace and chimney construction. Contact your local building department and see if they can or will give you some recommendations on the best masons in your area. Otherwise, contact local builders. I am sure they will know the best of the best stone masons in your vicinity. If you take the time to research all the different fireplace elements available, you will find that residential fireplace designs are quite simple to envision and your plan will result in a fireplace you can enjoy for many years to come.
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