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Ben Franklin Stove Or Traditional Fireplace?
by Art Gib
Even though I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, my family still enjoyed the comfort and warmth of a cheerful fireplace--or, what I thought was a fireplace. We had always called it that, but while I was still dating my spouse, and he visited my parents' home, he exclaimed, "That's not a fireplace--that's just a Ben Franklin stove!"
At the risk of sounding very foolish, I will admit that I had no idea there was a difference. I didn't even know what a Franklin stove was, except that I apparently had one in my house without realizing it.
Since then, I have actually learned what the difference is--though, for my part, I will say that a Franklin stove is no less cozy than a traditional fireplace, but it is certainly less stylish.
Throughout the eighteenth century--the great century that encapsulated the American Revolutionary War--fireplaces were the primary source of warmth in residences and all sorts of buildings, particularly during the harsh winter months.
They were generally inefficient, however, producing excessive smoke, ash, and sparks, which were especially dangerous, as most homes were construct of wood in this era. Often, just a few sparks would lead to a devastating house fire which left many families homeless.
Even when this didn't happen, the design of most fireplaces made it so that the rising heat actually went out through the chimney rather than permeating the residence, which, of course, was very counterproductive.
Enter the Revolutionary thinker, politician, and inventor Benjamin Franklin. He made renovations to the fireplace which featured a hooded enclosure over the top which helped to prevent flying sparks from escaping and an air box in the back which allowed more heat to be released into the home rather than exiting through the chimney.
He also reconfigured the flues--the ducts in the chimney which allowed smoke to pass--creating a more efficient design which caused the wood-burning stove to actually use seventy-five percent LESS wood. Ingenious!
Now, of course, fireplaces themselves are much more efficient than they used to be. The benefit of a Franklin stove is that it can be placed virtually anywhere in a room, while the fireplace is typically a fixture in the wall. Our Ben Franklin was always very sooty and dirty, so if you are looking for something more attractive to add as a decorative piece, you would probably want to select a fireplace with a nice mantelpiece.
Either way, however, there is nothing better one a snowy winter day (or not, as the case was in Phoenix) than pulling up a chair in front of the fire and reading a great book!
About the Author
The Mantel Shoppe LLC(emantel.com/) is a makers of fireplace mantels. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
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Franklin Fireplace Stoves - history of the fireplace insert
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Invented by one of Americas most important and innovative forefathers, Ben Franklin designed the nations first freestanding, open-faced fireplace ...
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