Like any technology, the fireplace has evolved over time and, in turn, so has fireplace maintenance and cleaning. For example, the certifications the staff at Mountain Hearth & Patio holds from the CSIA and NFI were developed to promote standardization and professionalism in our industry and EPA-Certified appliances have been around since 1990 and were created to limit emissions from wood-burning appliances. With that, let’s get into the history and evolution of fireplaces and the chimney sweeping profession.
The History of Fireplace Design
This open hearth is in a reconstructed, historical Scandinavian home. Photo courtesy of Richard Mortel.
Some evidence of human-cooked food has been found dating back to about 1.9 million years ago; however, fire in the home is a much more recent invention. So let’s fast-forward roughly 1.89 million years. From the early days of river valley civilizations chimneys were not a part of the hearth. Instead, it was common to have an open fire with a hole in the roof above to vent the byproducts of combustion.
The Evolution of the Fireplace
While chimneys and natural draft furnaces were in use in other applications since Antiquity, it wasn’t until the 11th and 12th centuries, in Northern Europe, that the fireplace and chimney as we know them started to develop. However, these innovations took nearly 500 years to become truly widespread.
Developments in Style
In the 17th and 18th Centuries, changes in fireplace design started to turn these appliances into efficient sources of both heat and light while reducing the amount of harmful smoke produced overall and the amount of combustion byproducts remaining the home. Fireplaces prior to these developments had been much less efficient and were sometimes a net negative when it comes to heat output.
“The fireplace has always been a place to show off the homeowners’ tastes and design style.”
Early on, fireplaces were a status symbol with the number of hearths or chimneys in a home even being used as an assessment tool for certain taxes. As such, the fireplace has always been a place to show off the homeowners’ tastes and design style. From ornate Victorian and Art Nouveau surrounds and mantels to the clean lines and large viewing areas of today's gas fireplaces.
This ornate Art Nouveau fireplace and surround is a stunning example of past fireplace styles. Photo courtesy of Igor Klenovi.
Developments in Fireplace Fuel
With changes in available fuel types, coal and natural gas burning fireplaces became commonplace by the mid-19th Century. Since the 1940’s; however, the use of coal in fireplaces has diminished with more efficient factory built wood and gas fireplaces becoming popular and with the advent of pellet-burning stoves in the 1980’s. In 1990, new EPA regulations came into effect, greatly increasing the efficiency of modern, factory-built wood burning stoves, fireplaces, and other home heating appliances.
Modern Fireplaces
Modern wood, gas, and pellet burning appliances are characterized by their efficiency first and foremost. Where older, less efficient hearth appliances were often dirty and sometimes even a net-negative when it comes to heat, the modern fireplace is a source of heat without fouling the air of your home with combustion byproducts. With increases in efficiency also comes savings on the cost of heating your home and fewer combustion byproducts released into the environment.
“These fireplaces are more than just heaters, they’re also integral to the décor of many modern homes.”
These modern fireplaces also have a staggering array of customizable aesthetic options to make the appliance match your style and add to the ambiance of your home. These fireplaces are more than just heaters, they’re also integral to the décor of many modern homes.
Our certified technicians installed this Mendota ML47 linear gas fireplace in a home in the Hiwan neighborhood of Evergreen, CO.
The History of Chimney Sweeping
Origins of Chimney Sweeping
With the advent of chimneys and fireplaces in the home came the need for chimney sweeps. A combination of factors from inefficient combustion to the types of wood or coal used in pre-modern fireplaces led to the buildup of flammable creosote and other chemicals in the chimney. This common fire hazard, still present in modern wood burning systems, led to the growth of chimney sweeping as a profession.
Evolution of Chimney Sweeping
Chimney sweeping has been in demand for over 500 years and in that time the face of the profession has changed on a few occasions. Chimney sweeps have been considered good luck in Northern Europe and the United Kingdom and the role of chimney sweeps in fire prevention and culture has been widely acknowledged in literature and law.
In the early days of the chimney sweeping profession, the flue was generally wider and more accessible with one large fireplace heating a single room of a building. However, as rooms became smaller and more specialized, thanks in part to the advent of the fireplace, the flue shrank to induce stronger draft and new methods of chimney sweeping had to be developed. With these improvements in the design of fireplaces, the proliferation of fireplaces, and the increasing use of coal in home heating came higher demand for chimney sweeps. While these changes proved beneficial in the home, the high demand and narrower flues led to the coercive “employment” of “climbing boys” in the chimney sweeping trade. This heinous practice was much derided at the time and through successive legislation and improvements in mechanical chimney sweeping solutions in the mid-19th Century it was finally stamped out in Britain and the United States by the late 1870’s.
Modern chimney sweeping
“Nowadays, it’s more accurate to call [chimney sweeps] “fireplace technicians””
Modern chimney sweeps still climb roofs to remove creosote from the flues of wood and coal burning fireplaces and stoves; however, as fireplaces have evolved so has the profession of chimney sweeping. Nowadays, it’s more accurate to call them “fireplace technicians” with specializations in the maintenance and repair of wood, gas, and pellet burning appliances. With the diversification of hearth appliances also came a need for professional licensing and training to ensure that standards of service, ethics, and quality could be expected from hearth industry professionals.
While membership in and certification by professional organizations is not legally required, the education that comes with these certifications is important to providing the best quality to our customers. That’s why we, and many other chimney sweeping companies around the country, require our staff to attain a professional certification from either the National Fireplace Institute or the Chimney Safety Institute of America.
Fireplace service is good for the whole family! This photo was taken while one of our NFI-Certified technicians was engaged in repairs on a portrait-style gas fireplace.
At Mountain Hearth & Patio and Mountain Man Fireplace & Chimney we have the most certified fireplace technicians and chimney sweeps on staff in the metro. We believe that in every industry professionalism and integrity should be first and foremost. Part of that professionalism is a commitment to the continued education of our staff. Whether your fireplace is twenty years old or brand new, our crew is made up of fireplace experts who know how to keep your home safe and your fireplace running. Call us today at (303) 679-1601 or drop us a line via email at Office@MtnHP.com. And of course, feel free to stop by our showroom at 7001 Highway 73 in Marshdale.
