Why do architects keep telling you to avoid the traditional Fireplace in your home or apartment?
We all love to have a fireplace in our home—this cozy feeling of warmth, the smell, and the sound of burning wood. What a wonderful feeling! But does having a fireplace in your home worth it, and is there a better alternative?
The answer, Unfortunately, No, Your architect is right; you shouldn't have a traditional fireplace in your home because you'll be sending all the heat outside through the chimney. The only warm place will be around the Fireplace, and it will keep sucking the warm air from your spaces to take it out unless you have a tiny single room cottage.
So, what's the alternative? Manufactured fireplaces or stoves are a great alternative because they take the warm air back to your room and vent a small portion of the warm air to the outside. The air intake is from your room and the top of the building, while the traditional's comes from the building's crawl space under the building.
These diagrams should help you.
Now You might ask why there is a hearth around my Fireplace, and can I change the dimensions to make it smaller, thinner, or remove the mantel?
You can undoubtedly pick the style that suits your taste and design, but you need to keep in mind that the hearth and mantel have safety functions. So there are standard dimensions that must be followed to ensure your family's safety. Most importantly, the material used must be noncombustible and safe.
You can undoubtedly pick the style that suits your taste and design, but you need to keep in mind that the hearth and mantel have safety functions. So there are standard dimensions that must be followed to ensure your family's safety. Most importantly, the material used must be noncombustible and safe.