Since time in memorial, fireplaces have been built to exist for humans to make use of. Fireplaces are structures built to provide heat for homes and were originally used as cooking mechanisms similar to the modern day stove top. Fireplaces may vary in terms of design but its parts are fairly the same with each other. The basic parts of a fireplace are a stable base, a firebox, a hearth, an ash container, a throat, a flue and a vent or a chimney. All fireplaces have these parts except for ventless gas fireplaces which only have three of those parts, a stable base, a firebox and a hearth.
The base of a fireplace is usually made of reinforced concrete to ensure stability and strength that will be able to withstand the tests of time. This base is also commonly called as its foundation of footer.
The firebox and the hearth is the pit of the fireplace where fuel is burned. In wood burning fireplaces, combustion of wood can be visibly seen in the hearth. The firebox is always found on the top layer of the base of a fireplace and the hearth is within the inner lining of the firebox.
The ash container is a dump where wood debris is found after using the fireplace. It is commonly used as a trash area for ashes of wood burning fireplaces.
The throat, flue and vent serves as the passageway where smoke emitted by burning wood passes out of the house. This is an important part of the fireplace to eliminate smoke from being sealed inside the house which may cause suffocation that can be fatal.
