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Updated: May 25, 2025
Now, it will be found, upon examination, that the best form for the vertical sides of a fire-place, or the covings, as they are called, is that of an upright plane, making an angle with the plane of the back of the fire-place of about 135 degrees.
In determining the width of this opening in front, the chimney is supposed to be perfectly good, and well situated. If there is any reason to apprehend its ever smoking, it will be necessary to reduce the opening in front, placing the covings at a less angle than 135 degrees, and especially to diminish the height of the opening by lowering the mantle.
According to the old construction of chimnies, this angle is 90 degrees, or forms a right angle; but, as in this case the two covings are parallel to each other, it is evident that they are very ill contrived for throwing into the room, by reflection, the rays from the fire which fall on them.
This, in fire-places of the old construction, is the same with the width of the opening in front; but this construction is faulty, on two accounts; first, because the covings being parallel to each other, are ill contrived to throw out into the room the heat they receive from the fire in the form of rays; and, secondly, the large open corners occasion eddies of wind which frequently disturb the fire and embarrass the smoke in its ascent, in such a manner as to bring it into the room.
Where a chimney is designed for warming a room of moderate size, the depth of the fire-place being determined by the thickness of the breast to thirteen inches, the same dimensions would be a good size for the width of the back, and three times thirteen inches, or three feet three inches, for the width of the opening in front, and the angles made by the back of the fire-place, and the sides of it, or covings, would be just 135 degrees, which is the best position they can have for throwing heat into the room.
The new back and covings may be built either of brick-work or of stone, and the space between them and the old back and covings, ought to be filled up to give greater solidity to the structure.
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