Good find with the other fireplace

The other fireplace did not lend itself so well to a wooden cover and I spent forever with my head up the flue trying to measure where I could fit a Chimney Balloon which I’d seen on the Good Energy Shop web site. Having been sent back up the flue by Chimney Balloon to get a better measurement I spotted a metal flange which turned out to belong to one of two cast-iron plates built into the fireplace designed to slide across the flue just above the top of the grate – presumably designed by their Victorian manufacturer to block off draughts. Well they did know a thing.

Cold air comes down chimneys

We have an open fire in the sitting room and dining room on the ground floor. Of course the cold air comes down both of these when they are not in use which of course is most of the time. Made a timber cover for the sitting-room one – not a perfect seal but cuts out much of the draft and, painted black, is hardly noticed.