I understand that with a traditional fireplace, most of the heat is lost through the chimney and you have to be very close to it to feel much heat. A wood stove or insert performs much better. However, I’m curious how people stayed warm enough in a house. It would seem that everywhere besides being near the fireplace would be freezing. I guess fireplaces were mostly meant to locally heat people near the fireplace, and not so much that the fireplace is a central heat source. That would explain why people often had a fireplace in every room. Just light the fireplace that you will be near for most of the time, etc. rather than heat the whole house. Just curious since you often hear “warm by the fireplace”.
In: Technology
People made do because it was better than nothing. You kept the fire fed all winter while wearing warm clothes inside and you got by. The inside temperature would slowly rise the longer the fire is kept going. Being able to wear shorts, a T-shirt, and no footwear inside during winter is a relatively new thing as it is keeping a house at 75°F/24°C all winter. Heck, wearing warm clothes inside is still a thing, I live in rural New England, and trying to keep my house warm enough to walk around naked would cost a fortune. yes you’re warmest nearest your heat sources but you learn to wear a sweater and some slippers and you’re quite comfortable at 65°F.
Latest Answers