Before designing our fireplace, we should picture how our fireplace must be used. We may have an ideal location in mind, but the practicality of the location could be determined by our venting requirements. There are many things we should consider, such as fuel choices. First of all, we should know why we need to install a fireplace. In some cases, fireplace isn’t only for functional purposes, but also for entertainment and recreational uses. We may also need to consider whether there’s additional heating system, because fireplace won’t reach all corners of our house. If the fireplace is simply to enhance our decor, we may consider it as a decorative element. Some models with higher quality could be a better choice, because they offer greater efficiency. It is also important to know who will use the fireplace, because it could also determine the overall design.

Smaller children and elderly people may not have the strength and vigor to haul bundles of firewood. But, some people simply enjoy the rustic rituals for splitting and stacking wood taken directly from the nearby forest. In this case, the investment in building fireplace should suit our requirements perfectly. Otherwise, we should choose models powered with electricity and gas. In this case, we should consider with low-end fireplace as the start, because they could be useful during family gatherings and other occasions. But if we insist, we may still use wood-based fireplace. Regardless of the fuel we use, we should make sure that we have well-designed fireplace, because replacing a firewood can be prohibitively expensive. It should be noted that wood-burning fireplaces may put a good deal of restraints on our design.

In this case, the chimney system should run vertically and a simple, straight configuration. Based on local codes, we may need to clear the roof line. In many areas, the chimney should be higher than 3-inch, but can be much more depending on our home design and roof pitch. We should also have a special doorway to take our ashes and bring in fresh firewood. Wood burning fireplace should have protruding fireproof hearth. Energy-efficient fireplace should have tightly sealed doors that ensure longer burn times. Upgraded designs could also provide higher heat output. It should be noted that burning firewood could actually remove more heat that it adds, due to improper installations and designs, because warm air could be sucked directly to the chimney. It should be noted that some decorative fireplace could actually be useless. It offers little heat output for the interior and may pollute the neighbourhood.

So, it is clear that high-quality fireplaces with functional purposes can give us years of service in addition to longer burn times and convenience. We would get more hear from each piece of firewood and it will result in clearer burning, cleaner chimney and less smoke. In this case, we should also have a proper type of firewood, because it could affect our burning experience to the great extent.