I have never built a home without at least one good masonry chimney. Often, it’s been more than one.
Let me be clear I’m not talking about those prefab kits that are so often found in most new homes, you know, the ones that are “installed” by a technician with a screwdriver and a set of instructions written in multiple languages. That process continues with a carpenter building the chimney out of plywood. Yes, a carpenter builds the chimney… with plywood. How wrong is that? If the house is a luxury home then a mason is brought in to cover up some of the plywood with a veneer to give the appearance that the home owner has a real chimney. Oh my.
How often have I driven the roads of this great State, and those of our neighboring states, and have seen a sole chimney standing in a field as a testament to a home that has long ago been lost to the ages? Perhaps I should have written “soul chimney” as the chimney is the soul of a home, the heart, the focus of a home… or at least it should be.
I’ve often made the comment that a log cabin, or any home for that matter, without a fireplace is like a canoe with a paddle. It is an essential component of the experience of being home. A fireplace unites a family with its warm glow and crackling sounds of a well tended fire. There is no greater source of entertainment… it much better than any electronic device. Gazing at a fire can be a soul searching experience, just watch your stress and worries wash away as you sit in front of a fire!
Of course, let’s not forget the warmth that a fireplace gives out, and the feeling of control and security that one feels when they have no fear of the cold regardless of what ill winds blow in this uncertain world.
Well, it’s time for me to go throw another log onto the fire. (the fireplace is calling)
One final thought… it was Henry David Thoreau that stated a fire warms you twice, once in the cutting of the wood and once in its burning. Keeping a fire is good source of healthy exercise.
So please, enjoy your fireplace. Count your blessings. And if you are contemplating building a home in the near future make sure and build a quality masonry chimney. Hire an artistic mason, one that will build a fireplace that will throw out heat… and make sure and have him build a beautiful fireplace, one that will be focal point of your home. I’ll expand upon this topic in the future with more details of features to look for in having a good fireplace/chimney.
Originally posted 2015-01-08 17:51:30.