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A Short History of the Electric Fireplace Heater

Fire was first brought inside human habitats in the form of a fire pit, located in the center of the floor of the dwelling. In the 12th century, primarily as a concession to two-story wooden structures, the location of fires was moved to the outside walls of buildings and the chimney was created to allow smoke to rise rather than enter the house. In 1796, Count Rumford designed a shallower, taller fireplace, which allowed the chimney to be brought inside the walls, resulting in the present-day fireplace design.

Following World War II, with the building of many multiple unit dwellings in both Europe and America, fireplaces were mostly replaced by either central heating or room heaters, fueled either by gas or electricity. Although gas fireplaces were used as long ago as the 18th century in Europe, electric fireplaces are a more recent invention.

In Europe, Walter W. Guy invented an “electric fireplace,” in 1928, although it was never produced commercially and Adolph Mungo in Germany developed a “fireplace flame simulating device,” in 1941, subsequently patented in the U.S. But it wasn’t until Harold J. Webber took out his patent for a “flickering effect light controller,” in the U.S. in 1979 that companies in a position to manufacture such a device became interested.

Webber based his invention upon previous research by others in the 1970’s on electronic flicker effects for candles, on an electronic metronome for timing flicker pulses and a device patented by Bergeson and Fuller in 1977 for an “apparatus for simulating the light produced by fire.” Weber’s invention became the source for the first commercial application of simulated fire technology in the Optiflame design produced in 1988, by the North American branch of the Irish firm, Dimplex.

The electric fireplace has come a long way from the original Dimplex design and Weber’s simple invention. Weber had included a “popping acoustical sound translator” in his device and in 1994 Berghoff and Hendrick developed a sound system that could duplicate the crackling logs of a real fire and could be used with either gas or electric fireplaces.

Modern electric fireplaces are available from over a dozen manufacturers and may be wall mounted, inserted into existing fireplace structures or be free-standing and include a frame, mantel and hearth composed of any of a multitude of materials. They offer simulated flames, sound effects and most recently, simulated smoke from atomized water droplets.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Different Types of Fireplaces

Fireplaces offer the warmth and comfort that every household needs most especially during the winter.  These are basically and literally, places where fire can be made and placed.  In most houses, the fireplace serves as the focal point of the house.  It is where most members of the family come together to enjoy the warmth that it radiates.   Since the fireplace has become an important part of the household for countless reasons, it is very seldom that you wouldn’t see any fireplaces in traditional houses.

There are different types of fireplaces that would cater to the needs of any family.  The most common ones are made of marble, brick, metal, wood, and stone.  These are basically mounted on the wall which can be found in living areas, dens, and even bedrooms.   The traditional method of keeping the fire burning in fireplaces is by fueling it with firewood.   If this is the case, some could even cook their meals or warm their choco over the fire.  This traditional set-up of a fireplace has been used by a lot of families in the middle ages.

Although the traditional fireplaces bring about a sense of magic and nostalgia, some modern fireplaces have replaced the traditional ones.  These modern fireplaces include electric fireplaces, and gas fireplaces.  Electric fireplaces are quite popular because of practical and safety reasons.  These are literally fireplaces, which are fueled by electricity, not wood, or other combustible fuels.  Therefore, the use of electricity as fuel eliminates the dangers of the putting the house in fire.

Technically speaking, there are generally two types of fireplaces.  These are the single-face fireplace and the multi-face fireplace.  The single face fireplace has only one opening, while the multi-face has two or more openings.   The multi-face fireplaces have been used in many Mediterranean homes.  They may be located in a corner where there could be two openings on both sides.  Regardless of the type and kind of the fireplace, it generally follows the same basic setup.

The chimney is also an important component of the fireplace.  It is where the gas or the fumes are exited out from the fireplace.  If the chimney is not properly designed and constructed, the flue gases will flow back into the room.  A fireplace could not function effectively without the fireplace accessories.  These are the components that are responsible for a smooth operation and maintenance of the fireplace.  These include chimney caps, chimney brushes, fireplace screens, and chimney liners.

Popularity: 9% [?]