A fireplace is an architectural structure designed to contain a fire for heating, as well as for cooking. Fireplaces are also used for the relaxing ambiance they create. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows exhaust to escape. A fireplace may have: a foundation, a hearth, a firebox, a mantel, an ashdump door, a chimney crane, a cleanout door, a grate, a lintel, a lintel bar, overmantel, a chimney breast, a damper, a smoke chamber, a throat, a flue, a chimney chase, a crown, a cap, a shroud, or a spark arrestor.Fireplaces have variable heat efficiency. Organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Ecology warn that, according to various studies, fireplaces can pose a significant health risk.