I have noticed that fireplaces constructed for burning firewood tend to be wide, short, often deep, maybe with the exception of Rumford type fireplaces, or variations trying to reflect the radiant heat out into the room. My understanding is woodburning fireplaces are the way they are to try to catch as much of the smoke.
I have also noticed that fireplaces constructed for burning coal tend to be tall/narrow ratio. Recently after touring a number of Victorian era homes, I realized that all the coal fireplaces are rather small, even though the rooms they were set in are large.
I have assumed that they relied on central heating/gravity furnace, as most of the houses I have been in with coal fireplaces are from the 1890s.
Even the Franklin type iron firewood fireplaces are wide/short, and Franklin type iron coal fireplaces are tall/narrow.
What is it about an open coal fire that causes the fireplaces to be tall/narrow?
...perhaps the fuel is more dense so it needs less space, and in the case of hard coal almost no smoke to try to capture...
would Victorians burn soft coal in these small fireplaces? or choose to burn in fireplaces built for firewood?
fireplaces constructed for burning coal
- freetown fred
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I've noticed in a lot of Victorians, they're in corners--MAYBE G--it just is what it is. There's been posts on burning coal in fireplaces--try search bar--top/right
- McGiever
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Coal fire does have way more radiant heat available so perhaps that style fp was to take advantage of that big attribute.
Coal was expensive fuel when only other choice was wood. Eventually wood did became less plentiful and coal supply was seen as unending. But at some time the move to central heat started to squeeze out fp’s as space heaters.
Coal was expensive fuel when only other choice was wood. Eventually wood did became less plentiful and coal supply was seen as unending. But at some time the move to central heat started to squeeze out fp’s as space heaters.
The only photo they have from the basement is of this Fuller & Warren furnace door.
What sort of furnace had a flat panel door?
This one seems like it is entombed in a brick and stone enclosure.