Fireplace Specifications

Fire Hazard

• Fireplaces must comply with all fire hazard specifications. Fireplaces must be manufactured of noncombustible materials like brick, cement and metals. The fire safety issues of a fireplace go beyond its construction and installation. Burning cinders can pop from the fireplace to ignite nearby materials. State and local ordinances will dictate how far a fireplace can be installed from combustible materials. According to the Tennessee government website, a fireplace can be inserted no less than 3 feet from materials that can catch fire and burn.

Flue

• A flue must be inserted into the fireplace for it to pass inspection and be considered compliant with all safety codes. The flue is a metal, ceramic or brick extension of the fireplace that reaches up out of the firebox and extends outside. The smoke and gases from the fire are discharged from the room and placed outdoors. Fresh air travels into the room through the flue and serves to fuel the fire. The upward draft of the airflow also helps to direct debris away from the firebox and the interior of the home.

Measurements

• Fireplace fireboxes, where the actual fires burn, must comply to a preordained thickness. Fireboxes can have a base thickness that is no thinner than 10 inches of concrete or brick. The rear and front walls and the walls of the smoke chamber can be no thinner than 6 inches. The hearth slab can be as thin as 4 inches. Specific measurements are different in each municipality. The objective is to provide the most protection from catching fire.