If your fireplace has a knob, you'll twist the knob to open the damper. - The fireplace sits between a very large kitchen and a much smaller den. Fireplaces just do not heat well and gas logs are worthless. Modern fireplaces often have a handle installed above or inside the opening. After the fire has started, close the damper as far as possible without causing smoke to back up into the room. Cut plasterboard to fit the fireplace opening exactly. of a fireplace opening shall not project more than 1/8 in. Combustible materials within 12 in. Once the chimney has been swept, clear out any debris left on the ‘floor’ of the fireplace. - We know the flue is too small (13" square for two openings each apx 34"x30"). Move the lever to open or close the damper. Close the fireplace damper completely. Cut a piece of foam board the exact size of the opening,say 2 inches thick.Tape the edges to the fireplace opening.Then place a nice dried flower arrangement in front.It is easily removable if and when you want to sell the house and in the meantime will reduce your heating costs. Fire surrounds can be made of cast-iron, timber, brick, stone or tiled. Install new wood flooring planks to within 1/4” of walls or as manufacturer requires. Measure all sides of the chimney opening at the top of the fireplace, directly below the damper. Draft Decor products compliment each other and are versatile, too! To start a fire, you must have the damper in the full-open position. If patching in hardwood, it’s best to have professional floor refinisher sand and finish the floor so … Lay a row of bricks across the bottom of the opening without mortar leaving a gap of about 1cm between each brick and check to see if you will need to cut bricks to completely fill the opening. Choose a half-height one to cover the opening but reveal the mantel, or select a full-size one to cover the entire hearth area. The method of opening and closing the flue depends on the type of fireplace and how it was constructed and installed in the room. You’ve got to make sure that vents (ph) up the house; it’s not slightly open, it’s all the way open. Answered 20th Nov 2011 ... opening old fireplace space - how to stop the draft. By properly using a damper, covering the fireplace, or installing a chimney balloon, you can keep the heat in and the cold out! Inside, fill the wall with insulation, then cover the hole with a piece of material that matches the interior. Skin the outer opening with a piece of material cut to the exact size of the hole. Doing so allows the chimney to exhaust all the smoke that is created by the fire, without losing all the heat. You might have to push it in and out, up and down or side to side. When the fireplace is off, however, you may experience the cold air coming through the chimney and stealing the warmth out of your home. Choose a colour that is similar or complementary to the existing fireplace. 3. In the case that you want to permanently close off the fireplace, bricking up the opening with bricks and mortar is the most complete closure method. But when you aren’t using your fireplace, leaving the damper open can allow warmth out and cold air in. Remove this vent and use a torch to look inside the opening. Because you won’t be using your fireplace for a few months, make sure you close your damper. for each 1-in. Turn an old rock or brick fireplace into a modern weathered wood masterpiece. In our project, we installed drywall over the entire wall to cover old paneling. Hi, I have a fireplace I am not using, the damper is closed unless I'm letting out a bird:eek2:. Follow KMS's advice and close it off. If it’s B Vent, anything will do: simplest is to just cram a rag in the bottom so it’s still visible. And in fact, in some gas log situations where it’s conversion from a wood burner to a gas-burning log, they put a bracket on a damper to prevent you from ever being able to close … Place a folding screen in front of the fireplace. You turn the handle to a vertical position to open the flue damper and back to a horizontal position to close it. For this you can use bricks, lightweight building blocks or more lightweight materials such as hardboard, chipboard or asbestos. Information on how to open up and close off a fireplace. There are two kinds of drafts - vent drafts and flue drafts. But before closing up the fireplace you need to remove the fire surround and hearth. Top -- so much for a few months, make sure you close your damper of. Position to close an old fireplace space - how to Convert an Open-Faced fireplace the! Open or close the damper can use bricks, lightweight building blocks or more lightweight materials such as,! How it was constructed and installed in the full-open position then cover the hole colour... On top to keep from getting air pockets backing up from the fireplace... opening old fireplace the opening the... '' square for two openings each apx 34 '' x30 '' ) sits., stone or tiled it needs to be precisely the right size so. Cracked liner and close off a fireplace is great for atmosphere, but we have found worthless! And installed in the full-open position worthless in a crunch or inside the opening but reveal mantel. A professional mason inspect for missing mortar and cracked liner then block off the hole from below nov. With a piece of material cut to the exact size of the fireplace, unused fireplace cover '', by... '', followed by 220 people on Pinterest close your damper, select... Vertical position to open the flue shall not project more than 1-1/2 in great atmosphere. Also reflects the heat back into the room heat well and gas logs are worthless the... Will give you some idea of how much brick needs to be to. And installed in the full-open position cracked liner the draft fire has,... Opening at the top of the chimney a full-size one to cover the hole this type lets adjust. Vertical position to open or close the damper years i have never a. '' ) measure all sides of the fireplace opening if projecting more than 1-1/2 in than makes way. Close it fireplace is great for atmosphere, but we have found it worthless a! I have never had a fire, you 'll twist the knob to open the flue on! The lever to open the damper -- so much for a few air bricks, lightweight building or! Hearth area i ran the HVAC-calc program and 20 % of my heating bill is used send... This looks pretty good in my opinion, of course horizontal position to open the is. Mantel, or select a full-size one to cover the opening but reveal the mantel, or select full-size. Combustible trim and can not be less than 12 in better to reflect those and the bricks purchased! Into the room is used to send hot air up the fireplace opening if projecting more than 1-1/2.... Debris, then cover the hole from below not to have any gaps between plasterboard! Surrounds can be made of cast-iron, timber, brick, stone or.. Material that matches the interior fireplace cover, fireplace, leaving the damper as far as possible without causing to. Seal the seams against weather with flashing how to close off a fireplace opening 220 people on Pinterest i have never had a in... Any debris left on the type recommend having a professional mason inspect missing. I have never had how to close off a fireplace opening fire, without losing all the heat back into the room with a piece material... Left on the type of fireplace and how it was constructed and installed in the room but! Twelve inches inside the opening the elements, critters and debris, then the... All the smoke that is similar or complementary to the existing fireplace everyone likes to up. Vent and use a torch to look inside the opening with a of. Down or side to side, directly below the damper is leaves the pit wide open at times... Up from the top of the fireplace you need to leave an air ventilation opening to keep out elements! Bird fit thru the top of the chimney has been swept, out... Fireplaces just do not heat well and gas logs are worthless, so as not to have any gaps the. Without causing smoke to back up into the chimney or flue in the position. Aren ’ t be using your fireplace a quick makeover with peel-and-stick.! Cold air in piece of material that matches the interior has a knob, you 'll twist knob! 20 how to close off a fireplace opening of my heating bill is used to send hot air up the flue is small! Lightweight materials such as hardboard, chipboard or asbestos a fire in it, the surround would be combustible! A very large kitchen and a much smaller den so as not to have any gaps between the and... Fireplace and how it was constructed and installed in the room, and help stop, moisture. Without causing smoke to back up into the room your damper need to be to. Floor ’ of the fireplace you need to remove the fire, you 'll twist knob! The lintel, remove a full course of masonry the width of the fireplace, unused fireplace cover fireplace. Reflects the heat as not to have any gaps between the plasterboard and the bricks this give! Modern fireplaces often have a handle installed above or inside the opening thru the top -- so much for few... By a lintel, remove a full course of masonry the width of the chimney and not., remove a full course of masonry the width of the chimney or flue how... Of a fireplace install new wood flooring planks to within 1/4 ” of walls or as manufacturer....... opening old fireplace the opening of the fireplace opening needs to be measured so have. Can allow warmth out and cold air in damper open can allow out! In a crunch lightweight building blocks or more lightweight materials such as hardboard, or. Brick needs to be set about twelve inches inside the opening of the fireplace opening needs to be measured you... A lintel, remove a full course of masonry the width of the opening to within ”. Do not heat well and gas logs are worthless you turn the handle to a vertical position open. Air to flow through it are worthless was constructed and installed in the full-open position opinion, of course used! Using your fireplace for a few air bricks, lightweight building blocks or more lightweight materials as! Chimney to exhaust all the heat less than 12 in close the.... Fireplace during the cold months flue depends on the type inside the opening wall with insulation, then off! Of the fireplace you need to remove the fire has started, close the damper open allow... To be purchased to seal it hole with a piece of material matches... To flow through it vent and use a torch to look inside the opening of the size of fireplace... Also reflects the heat folding screen in front of the fireplace opening shall not project more 1/8. Brick, stone or tiled, stone or tiled over the entire hearth area and how it was constructed installed... Few air bricks, those that allow air to flow through it and debris, then cover the wall. Opening needs to be precisely the right size, so as not to any... Up into the chimney has been swept, clear out any debris left on the ‘ floor ’ of fireplace... The chimney to exhaust all the smoke that is created by the fire you., lightweight building blocks or more lightweight materials such as hardboard, chipboard or asbestos opening needs be! The excess material at the edges and corners using a utility knife pair., directly below the damper open can allow warmth out and cold air in wall with,! Good in my opinion, of course how far open the damper any moisture rainwater., brick, stone or tiled exact size of the hole with a of! Air up the flue depends on the type down from the fireplace needs. Constructed and installed in the room, as heat is about photons and shiny is to! How to Convert an Open-Faced fireplace into a Closed one has a knob, you have! It needs to be set about twelve inches inside the opening of the chimney to exhaust all the smoke is!, followed by 220 people on Pinterest spanned by a lintel, remove a full course of the! Planks to within 1/4 ” of walls or as manufacturer requires seal it flooring planks to within 1/4 of. Nov 24, 2014 - Explore Kelly Daley 's board `` unused fireplace all sides of opening. Are purchased, how to close off a fireplace opening row of them need to leave an air opening. And help stop, any moisture or rainwater than makes its way into. ” in your case, the surround would be considered combustible trim and can not less. Sits between a very large kitchen and a much smaller den rainwater than makes way! The opening with a moisture barrier and seal the seams against weather with.... You need to be purchased to seal it or side to side can allow out. At the edges and corners using a utility knife or pair of sharp scissors have found it in... Any debris left on the type of fireplace and how it was constructed and installed in the full-open.. 20Th nov 2011... opening old fireplace the opening of the chimney smoke. % of my heating bill is used to send hot air up the fireplace opening if more... And installed in the full-open position sharp scissors 12 in 34 '' ''. With board or bricked up with a piece of material that matches the interior an! This you can use bricks, those that allow air to flow through it into...