Dormant fireplace windscreen

11 years ago

Does anyone know where I can buy a windscreen for a dormant fireplace? The fireplace we have is about 2' H x 3' W. Cold air flows down from the chimney and into the living room straight into the sitting area. I'd like to maybe purchase a low cost screen,

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Comments (4)

graywings123
11 years ago
I had that problem and found that anything short of sealing it still let the cold air in.

I started with a piece of insulation board in front of the opening. I could still feel cold air coming in.

I ended up turning off the gas, closing up the vent (that by code is fixed in the open position), and then stuffing in some bubble wrap to fill the space and help insulate it. Even after doing that, I could still feel the cold air, so I ultimately sealed off the entire fireplace surround with a piece of paneling which I painted to match the wall.
southerncanuck
11 years ago
Stuffing bubble wrap into the flue isn't insulating a thing. Adding a screen does even less.

Close the damper.

Purchase a sheet of closed cell insulation board from any Big Box store, measure the opening of the flue, cut the board slightly larger and insert it into the flue opening. Actually double the board and you will get double the insulating factor.

Shut off the gas control valve if one exists.

You may be able to buy 1/2 of a sheet.

I should mention the flue opening is where the damper is, don't cover the opening where the chain link screen is the flue is the bottom of the chimney.

Covering with plywood doesn't stop the cold infiltration either.

This post was edited by SouthernCanuck on Mon, Apr 1, 13 at 2:30
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graywings123
11 years ago
The problem with my fireplace turned out to be more than the air coming down the flue.

I thought at first that closing the damper and blocking the flue - as SouthernCanuck suggests - would solve the problem. But it didn't. I could still feel cold air flowing in. My fireplace is built in a corner, and I suspect they failed to insulate the outer walls in that corner. The half-inch thick strand board that covers the fireplace is working to keep out the draft and the cold.
berlin
11 years ago
The problem with your fireplace is that 1. the stack is an exterior stack 2. the stack is far too short for the house 3. your damper isn't sealing.

Most important is #2. If the stack was high enough, you would never get a downdraft (insulation has nothing to do with it btw); thus a poor sealing damper and exterior stack wouldn't be issues that compound the core problem.