The history of houses would be incomplete without a chapter devoted entirely to the fireplace. The roof and walls may have sheltered us from the elements, but fire gave us warmth and light. And that warmth and light has been coming from wood burning fireplaces for a long, long time. And though the appearance has changed over the years, the basic design of the fireplace is, in many ways, still intact. They have benefited from technological advances, of course. They are more efficient, move smoke better and provide greater warmth for the fuel being consumed.
Homeowners have a few options these days when it comes to their fireplaces. The convenience of using gas or electricity as an energy source for this fixture in the home is hard to match, even after one considers fuel costs. But try as they might, the alternatives still cannot replicate the authenticity that comes with wood burning fireplaces. Perhaps it is the smells of wood smoke or the pop and crackle as kindling takes light. It could be the way the flames dance across the wood as if alive. Whatever the case, there is no substitute, which is why there are so many choices to make when searching for wood burning fireplaces.
One way in which the design of wood burning fireplaces has benefited from technology over the years is the options in heating styles. Originally, warmth from the fireplace came by way of radiant heat. Shape and design of the fireplace itself could affect the efficiency of this manner of heating, and while this method could certainly heat a room and those adjacent quite well, there was still an improvement to be made. Circulating heating features in many wood burning fireplaces draw in cooler air using air circulating fans (or similar), allow it to heat and then deposit it into the room. In some models the speed of the blower can be adjusted to help regulate the temperature in the room. In some cases the blower can even be controlled remotely.
Other facets of wood burning fireplaces to consider include the size of the firebox itself as this will determine how much fuel can be burned at any given time. A larger firebox will allow for a longer burn, generally speaking. If the wood burning fireplaces being considered have doors on the front, take into consideration the size of the viewing area and the operation of the doors. Also, keep in mind that the glass will likely need to be cleaned periodically for the best experience.
