Building Construction II: Fire Places and Chimneys

Building construction II
Fire Places and Chimneys
By Solomon A. (MSc), PE
Fireplace
Fireplace is an architectural structure that contain a fire for

heating.
A fire is contained in a firebox or fire pit; a chimney or other
flue directs gas and particulate exhaust to escape
The fire place has been the place where the open fire was
burned in the house.
FIRE PLACES
The fireplace was a standard element in most houses until the advent of
radiator heating systems as an affordable alternative. Recently the fire
place has shown a revival for aesthetic reasons.
In Ethiopia, because of the favorable weather that rarely requires
warming up the house, the fireplace is regarded as a luxury.
Nevertheless it is still built in some houses and thus it is worthwhile to see the
construction of a fire place.
MAIN PURPOSE
The Fire Place is designed to burn open fire and reflect most of the heat from the
fire burning in to the room it serves as much as possible, while sending the smoke
up wards through the roof into the open.
Fire place
Cont…
A fire place is a framed opening in a chimney to hold an open fire.

It must be designed and constructed to:
 Sustain the combustion of fuel.
 Draw properly to carry smoke and other combustive by-products
to the outside.
 Radiate the maximum amount of heat comfortably in to the room.
Ensure proper distances from combustible materials.
Cont…
The dimension and proportion of a fireplace, its flue and the

arrangement of its components are subject to
The laws of nature,
The requirement of the building, and
The prevalent building codes.
FIRE PLACES
10
TERMS
Chimney: is the solid vertical wall that covers the flue.
Flue: is the slender vertical tube that takes smoke from the
smoke chamber to the outside. Flue area (in plan) is
proportionally related to flue height and the area of the
fireplace opening. Flue termination must be located according
to codes. As an exterior building part, it requires
weatherproofing.
Smoke Chamber: directs smoke from the fireplace into the
flue by tapering up & in.
Throat: passes smoke from the fireplace up into smoke
chamber.
Damper: allows throat size adjustment from fully open to tightly
closed.
Fireplace: is where actual burning takes place, size and proportion
of the fireplace determine size of other components of the
fireplace/chimney system.
Hearth: extends the fireplace floor beyond the opening to protect
the room flooring from sparks, heat, and flame.
Ash Dump: an open able louver in fireplace floor providing
efficient ash removal. An external air intake may be installed in the
ash pit wall to introduce outside air into the fireplace via the ash
dump in order to improve combustion.
Chimney pot : this is a terracotta unit at the top of a chimney stack. It
increases the height and prevents down draught.
Chimney lining : this is the rendering on the inner side of a flue, may
be of special fire proof material
Chimney gutter : this is suitably shaped piece of metal, which
collects and diverts water which otherwise would penetrate the roof at
the back of the chimney stack
Chimney breast: this is the opening of chimney or fire place
projecting outside the wall face
Chimney back: this term applies to the back of a fire place opening
Fire place

FIRE PLACES
15
16
FIRE PLACES
17 FIRE PLACE
LOCATION
FIRE PLACE DETAIL PROPORTIONS
18
FIRE PLACES
19
FIRE PLACES
20 DIFFERENT FIREPLACE
FIRE PLACES
21 DIFFERENT FIREPLACE
FIRE PLACES
22
CHIMNEY &
FFLUE DETAILS
FIRE PLACES
23
PREFABRICATED FIREPLACE
Function and component of chimney
When chimneys, fireplaces and flues are constructed as an
integral part of the structure, they have to fulfill the same
requirements as the wall in which they are incorporated.
They must fulfill the requirements of weather exclusion ,
thermal insulation, sound insulation and fire protection , at
least to the same degree as the wall or the partition of which
they form a part.
The major components of a chimney include the foundation,
chimney breast, flues and chimney stacks.
A. Foundations ::
The foundation of a chimney shall be properly designed and should be
at least as deep as the adjacent walls.
The chimney should be properly bonded to the wall and it will
sometimes be necessary to make special calculations for strength and
stability of the chimney.
The chimney is often wider than the wall and thus it will be necessary
to make the foundations larger.
B. Chimney breast ::
A fire place generally needs greater depth than the
thickness of a wall. Hence the chimney is accommodated
in the chimney breast.
 This projection can be avoided if chimney is provided
in external walls where the projection can be provided
on the outer side.
The fire place opening will depend on the size of the
room or the type of fireplace.
 The smallest room may need a fireplace opening of
50cm width
C. Flues
The purpose of the flue from a fireplace is to provide an
outlet for the products of combustion and also to include the
airflow through the fire necessary for the burning of the fuel.
It commonly draws air from the room in which the fire is
situated, there by inducing ventilation.
 All open fire depend on the suction developed by the flue to
provide sufficient air for combustion.
Flues have a minimum size of 20cm by 20cm and should be
uniform in section through out their height. However a
throating i.e. Reduced opening may be made at the end
o The inside of a flue is plastered or rendered with mortar to prevent escape of
flame or smoke through cracks or open joints
o The materials used for the flues must be incombustible and durable.
o Special circular, rectangular, or square fire clay flue linings may be available
A- cool air enters

B- the cool air is heated
and released
C- Smoke is released
Material chimney and fireplace construction
A. Brick chimneys
Brick is the traditional material used for building chimneys.
The height of unsupported brick stack or shaft should not exceed six
times its least horizontal dimension.
Where the height is exceeded, the stack requires to be braced, or the
thickness calculated to withstand wind pressure.
The application of damp proof courses are necessary at the base of
the chimneys to prevent rising dampness.
Since brick chimneys are very heavy, care has to be taken during the
design of foundations.
B. Concrete chimneys
 Concrete chimneys are becoming more popular nowadays due to
their better appearance and economical consideration both initially
and during maintenance.
 Concrete chimneys can be formed either by using precast units or
cast in situ, or a combination of both methods.
 When reinforced concrete is used the reinforcement should have a
proper cover.
 The application of damp proof courses are necessary at the base of
the chimneys to prevent rising dampness
C. Hollow blocks ::
Hollow clay or concrete blocks are generally unsuitable for building
flues unless the blocks are specially made for the purpose.
D. Stone masonry chimneys
 The conditions of exposure for chimney stacks above the roof,
together with the risk of condensation of the products of combustion,
limit the choice of stone.
 The temperatures normally prevailing in a domestic flue are not
sufficiently high to damage good building stone except in the
immediate vicinity of fire.
On this situation, the stone has either to be sand stone or has to be
protected by fire brick.
 The same precautions against damp prevention have to be taken for
masonry as those taken in brick chimney.
Stone masonry chimney
E. Metal flues
 The use of free-standing metal flues in buildings is restricted.
However, steel or cast-iron can be used to produce metal flues.
 Though metal chimneys are light in weight, they require careful
maintenance and large initial expenses.
 Free standing-flues of metal have to be frequently supported, usually
at every section, as recommended by the codes of practice. usually at
every section, as recommended by the codes of practice.
 Allowance should be made for the expansion and contraction of the
pipes at the joints and at supports so that the whole stack may move.
Chimney detail- Plan view
Chimney head detail


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Building construction II

Fire Places and Chimneys

Fireplace is an architectural structure that contain a fire for

A fire place is a framed opening in a chimney to hold an open fire.

The dimension and proportion of a fireplace, its flue and the

A- cool air enters

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