A chimenea , also spelled chiminea (from

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

: ''chimenea'' which derive from French ''cheminée'', "chimney"), is a freestanding front-loading

fireplace A fireplace or hearth is a structure made of brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the design ...

or oven with a bulbous body and usually a vertical smoke vent or chimney.

History

Historically chimeneas have been made out of fired clay and used for heating and cooking. These traditional designs can be traced to Spain and its influence on Mexico. The first use of a traditionally designed chimenea appears around 400 years ago. The chimenea was once a daily life necessity that served a domestic purpose. The chimenea of the past was used indoors for heating and cooking, usually by an open window or in the center of the hut or home with an opening in the roof to allow smoke to escape. With the advent of the modern home, chimeneas are now used outdoors mainly for entertainment in a backyard setting. More modern clay chimeneas have clay that has been heavily grogged to better handle the thermal stresses that often fracture traditional earthenware items. Manufacturers now also offer

cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron– carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impur ...

and

aluminium Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...

chimeneas, which can become very hot on the outside, but are much less fragile than the traditional clay models, and may be better suited to climates with wide temperature ranges.

Fuels

Firewood is most commonly used for fuel; pressure-treated lumber is not recommended but hardwood is the best. Softwood is only used for kindling. The best types of hardwood include oak, cedar, pear, sycamore, ash, apple and cherry. Charcoal and ethanol can be used in some types of chimenea. Pinyon wood is commonly used in the Southwest US in chimineas.

Smoking

Chimeneas have a tendency to smoke if you don't follow a few simple rules. The amount of smoke that they make will generally depend on the fuel they are burning. To stop a chimenea smoking don't burn unseasoned or wet wood, don’t burn leaves, avoid adding too much tinder and regularly clean your chimenea.How to stop a chiminea smoking
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References

{{reflist Fireplaces Garden features Heaters

History

Fuels

Smoking

See also

References