In the traditional setting, a fireplace was originally used to cook food. But nowadays, a fireplace is known as a structure built in the living room to provide heat during winter season. A fireplace is very popular in temperate regions due to its heating mechanism but it has also grown its popularity in tropical regions because it adds an aesthetic touch and brings a sense of comfort due to its flames and the crackling sound it produces as it burns. Thus, installing a fireplace has been one consideration in interior design for years. Classic examples of fireplaces are wood burning fireplaces, which as the name imply uses dry wood as its primary source of heat.

Fireplaces have been group into four categories which are the reinforced concrete fireplace, masonry fireplace, manufactured fireplace and ventless fireplace.

The major difference between reinforced concrete fireplaces and masonry fireplaces is the material used in constructing them. The reinforced concrete fireplaces are built using steel reinforcement support for concrete while the masonry fireplaces are commonly
constructed using layers of bricks and stones. Reinforced concrete fireplaces are proven to be stronger than masonry fireplaces because the material used in building masonry fireplaces are not flexible enough to withstand strong earthquakes as compared to reinforced concrete fireplaces.

The manufactured or prefabricated fireplaces are a modern kind of fireplaces. This kind of fireplace is very popular because it is easy to install and cost effective. Manufactured fireplaces are usually designed to make use of \wood, natural gas or propane as its fuel
source.

Lastly, ventless fireplaces are fueled by bottled gas, gel or natural gas. These ventless gas fireplaces can burn fuel at almost 100% efficiency and thus making it a very powerful heater. They can also be easily installed but before purchasing ventless gas fireplaces, it is important to determine the area where it will be installed to know the size that will perfectly fit into it.

Regardless of what fireplace type you choose for your home, it is important to make careful considerations in their operation and maintenance to keep your family warm and safe.