The open bottom hem will allow a 18 inch metal rod or wooden dowel to be inserted if desired for extra. From here, he puzzle-pieced and glued the wood rounds onto a painted-black plywood sheet cut to the exact dimensions of his fireplace opening. Blocking a fireplace opening can either be a DIY job, or you can call in the professionals. Also if you notice that smoke or fumes are present in the room this is another sign of p[oor airflow. Drafts guard cover: keep drafts away from an unused fireplace with this draft guard covers that are placed to close the fireplace opening; Black powder finish: made of steel with black powder coated finish; Magnets included: magnets are included for affixing to the hearth face; Dimensions: measures 40 in. The problem is they arent very attractive to look at so might only be useful for a cabin. Follow the wallpaper instructions for application. As a bonus, it also eliminates that big gaping black hole in the living room. Get a Modern Masters Metal Effect Rust Finish Kit. Gently slide the fireplace cover into the opening in your fireplace. I really am in love with this project, you should absolutely rust something!!! What could I use besides rigid insulation? Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. If it has a leak, replace the balloon. You can then tighten the thumbscrew using a pair of pliers. And when youre ready to warm up again, its easy to reverse this fix: Simply pull out the insert, replace the fireplaces screen, and rekindle the flames. The damper helps the air to flow properly, and if the damper is closed or not working, it wont just cause a cold air draft, but your home will fill with smoke and carbon monoxide. You may need to wiggle and nudge it a bit to get it in there snugly. This fireplace cover is very simple to make yet very effective to stop losing energy and stop draft coming in, which in turn saves a lot of money in our pockets! Fireplace Draft Cover CUSTOM MADE (your fireplace dimensions) with inserted Magnets or Adhesive Fasteners; Felt cover insulation MYtrappings (692) $49.00 Bestseller More like this More colors CHILL OUT, Fireplace Draft Eliminator KadiBoutique (1,239) $63.00 Bestseller More like this More colors No one likes a drafty fireplace; for me, it was a real issue until I researched the causes and discovered a few quick and easy solutions. I probably would select a wider trim if I made this again because I think it would be more substantial and attractive. Mila is passionate about living sustainability and encouraging others to do the same. It should be inset on the sides and top to allow room for the bumper (as shown in the photo below.). I had put a lot of time and money into ensuring most of the house was as airtight as possible, not knowing it would adversely affect my fireplace. eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. This is the side that will be facing out. You can ask a Lowes employee to cut down the rigid foam insulation for you so you can fit it in your car. Therefore, blocking the opening with bricks is not an option. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. After some digging, I found these reasons for a fireplace draft. The only thing that will work is a fireplace cover with insulation. To maximize the wood collected from the yard, he cut each into 2- to 3-inch-thick rounds using a bandsaw. Other options are fireplace vent covers or adding glass doors to the fireplace to stop drafts from coming through. Regular chimney sweeps will help to eliminate this issue. They also keep out smoke. Finish off your fireplace hole cover installation project by hand-adjusting the clamps that secure the lintel bar to the hearth. Feel free to add a handle or decorative pull to the front of your insert. Using your ideas, Ill just keep it simple for now , Another option would be to buy foam insulation and wrap it with fabric and batting and simply fit it in the fireplace opening.. When there's a fire, cold air entering through the chimney can cause a downdraft and make it difficult to keep the fire burning. Apply Oxidizing Iron Paint over entire surface with the other brush from your kit. Of course if your fireplace is all straight lines this will be a slightly easier process. Like all draft king chimney covers, the outside mounting design provides maximum free air space and better draft while the attractive powder coat finish helps it stand up to the elements. They even block smoke. Required fields are marked *. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Allow to dry 5 minutes or so and then lightly spray again. How to Cover a Fireplace Hole [Temporary + DIY Covers], How to Turn on Gas Fireplace with Wall Switch, How to Turn on Gas Fireplace With Wall Key 5 Easy Steps, Gas Fireplace Wall Switch Not Working Fixes + Troubleshooting, Effective Strategies for Keeping Cats off Outdoor Furniture. This is a necessary step because with repeated removal of the insert, the bumper will eventually come off. Using a Kreg Rip Cutwill help keep the saw [], [] Finally, if you want an attractive reclaimed wood fireplace draft stopper, you can build your own following my tutorial here. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. I used a 1/4 plywood piece as the base. He informed me that using a chimney cap worked to keep cold drafts out of his fireplace. :)***Welcome to my channel. Remember measure twice cut once in wood working! We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. If youve never made mitered corners practice on some scrap wood, but it is just a 45 angle cut. Decide the Size of Your Fireplace Hearth Cover. Why? That was kinda my goal without having to find, cut and pay for old tiles! Blanket-wrapped Fireplace Cover Aytwit Engineering 451 subscribers Subscribe 298 Share 25K views 3 years ago #heat #fireplace #insulation Plugging a drafty fireplace that we don't use. Lots of ways to improve chimney draw exist. size supplies. Choose your size, shop your fabric and get to creating!Follow Us!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanvasEtcInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/canvas.etc/Twitter: https://twitter.com/4FabricPrintingShop: Canvasetc.comEmail: CS@CanvasETC.comCall: (404) 514 -7166SHOP THE MATERIAL USED:Fabric: https://www.canvasetc.com/product-category/denier-fabric-synthetic/600d-polyester/Webbing: https://www.canvasetc.com/product-category/industrial-sewing-threads-and-accessories/polypro-webbing/ We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Some people find that they work great at stopping a cold air draft, while others find that they do not work at all. A throat damper sits just above the area the fire is lit and requires more work to install. Apply the double-stick tape that came with the bumper to the sides of the frame. Hello Kim, I love your project, the rust effect is amazing. Use the included stir stick to mix the primer well. If you have a brick, wood-burning fireplace in your home, consider investing in a fireplace blanket. Watch this video for a simple and inexpensive solution. By properly using a damper, covering the fireplace, or installing a chimney balloon, you can keep the heat in and the cold out! Lay the pegboard on top of the excess foam insulation and set the saw blade depth just below the pegboard. All covers are made to your measurements. I put magnets on mine to hold it in place. Yes, the wood insert needs to be built custom to the size of your fireplace opening. FREE delivery Mon, Mar 6 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon. Be careful operating any metal cords or levers after a fire is lit. Mikes lookalike log insert eliminates costly drafts year-round while serving as a sneaky cover-up for a fixture thats hard to keep soot-free and spotless. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Fireplace draft guard cover. These types of fireplace draft stoppers also have the added benefit of preventing unwanted soot or wildlife from falling into the hearth. Absolutely looks like an old piece of rusted metal! I used textured wallpaper to cover the base piece of wood. Either the thinner business end or the thicker handle end can be useful depending on the gap size.#fireplace #energysavings #heating #insulation #energy #heat #winter #heatingbill #draft #drafty #warmthSupport us if you found this video helpful: Subscribe to the YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBgtpu1QDRAAA8QvsL68E1A?sub_confirmation=1 Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://aytwit.com/subscribe Buy Cool Stuff: https://aytwit.com/shop Give us a Tip: https://aytwit.com/donateAytwit on the Webs: Visit the Website: https://aytwit.com Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/aytwit_engineer Like on Facebook: https://facebook.com/aytwit.engineering Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/aytwit_engineering Based in a medieval hill town in central Italy, when Toni isnt documenting her travels around Europe, shes tending her garden or honing her clay-court tennis game. If theres no air build-up between the plastic sheet and the fireplace, your fireplace cover and the edge bumpers have successfully sealed the fireplace; if theres air build-up, air is leaking through. When you use the fireplace, creosote builds up in the flue and chimney, and over time this can block proper airflow as the chimney wont be able to open and close properly. It does not store any personal data. When you get home, check that the plywood fits inside your fireplace opening before proceeding. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer. Although this is a older post I had a few ideas about the insert. My fireplace is not set in that deep. Stopping a fireplace draft is not difficult. It works to prevent drafty airflow when the chimney isnt in use. Keep the guard over your fireplace whenever you arent using it. Open fireplaces help to remove byproducts from a fire from your home without any assistance needed from you. Apply the double-stick tape that came with the bumper to the sides of the frame. Fireplace Chimney . Similarly, attach the second 2x4 2 inches in from the other side. The lack of need for a warm fire leaves me with the burning questionwhat to do with my fireplace the other 10 months of the year? After all, thats its job, to keep smoke from choking you. H Measuring 28-inches high and 43.6-inches wide, this screen sheet does a great job at covering up your fireplace hole. Finish off your fireplace hole cover installation project by hand-adjusting the clamps that secure the lintel bar to the hearth. Apply insulation batt or spray foam within the framing of the wall up to the ceiling or roof line. However, since old-school dampers tend to allow cold drafts to leak into the house, flue pipes typically need to be sealed, especially if the fireplace is not in use. My friend also suggested not to use a cone-shaped chimney cap as it caused a downward draft, and using a rotating one made a mess on your roof, so I installed a regular square one, which has helped keep the air flowing correctly. I measured from the inside of the mantel, side to side and the bottom to the top inside edge as well. I especially love the beads on it! Once its dry and gently lodged in place, the living space gains a stunning new faux focal point that prevents hard-earned heating dollars from going up in smoke. Use a circular saw to trim the door. As temperatures dip, nothing feels better than thick fleece socks and a seat next to the fire. Finally, adding the reclaimed lumber is not necessary, I just like the look. All Flue-zees are shipped separately for a fee of $15.95 each to addresses in the U.S.A. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Using an inflatable rectangular flameproof pillow as a fireplace draft stopper. A fireplace is a huge source of drafts from the cold outdoors. (Ive includedaffiliate links for your convenience. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Check the fit of the cut pegboard with the edge bumper inside the fireplace opening. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. However, they can also let in a cold draft and unwelcome pests from the outdoors. To prevent cold drafts from seeping into your house during winter, temporarily seal your fireplace using a chimney balloon, firebox opening cover, or a chimney flue cap. You cant weatherstrip the damper (that would be a fire hazard), so I solved the issue by building a rustic reclaimed wood fireplace insert to stop the draft. I have a similar brick-face fireplace and was about to do a similar cover using the rubber edge or bumper. Lets get started and make sure you scroll down for a supply list. It was surprising to find how much heat loss a drafty chimney can account for. I hope that helps!? Learn how your comment data is processed. Bravo!! Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Fireplace Draft Stopper Cover 36\\ X 4\\ Fireplace Cover Fireplace Draft Stopper at the best online prices at eBay! Get enough trim to finish out your straight edges. The AT-1002 Ascot Fireplace Glass Door by Pleasant Hearth offers both functionality and aesthetic appeal. This base coat needs to dry completely approximately 12 hours. Sand down smooth once dry. Start by measuring your fireplace opening. If you lit the fire and forgot to open the damper, use pliers or an oven mitt to pull the lever so you dont burn yourself. It works fine but a little more wiggle room would be better. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 67,365 times. If you are looking to cover-up your fireplace area, then this is the video for you! Here's how I made our fireplace draft stopper. This. Over time Ive addressed most of the pesky cracks and crevices that invite cold air into our home. As much as it bugs me to say, some chimneys cant be saved. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Carefully punch it in. You may need to tweak it and cut away some more until a good pattern emerges. Use a jigsaw to cut the curved edge and a table saw for the straight edges. For instance, that old barn door, plywood board, or stained glass window lying idly in your garage could work out just fine as a DIY hearth covering. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned once a year so build-up does not form. Before deciding whether to purchase or hand-make a fireplace draft stopper, check out our list of the kinds of stoppers that are available. Once you've exposed the raw masonry, mix up a batch of thinset concrete and spread it over the surface of the brick using a broad, flat hand trowel. Heat loss up a chimney can be as much as 73%. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Any suggestions? Also have them cut two pieces from a 2x4 to the same height as your fireplace opening. On my channel I share my projects and show how you can DIY them without calling a contractor or a handyman and save money!! (If you dont own a rip cut or track saw, you can make your own DIY Track Saw for your circular saw here!). This fireplace cover is super easy to make on your own and the perfect addition to your home. There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. You will want to play with it to get the desired finish you like. I am saving this post in hopes I will try this some day! If you still have cold drafts leaking into your home even when the flue damper is closed, it could be that its too worn out. Our cover will slide up under a small upper awning if you choose to cover the top vent. In my case I subtracted .5 inches but .75 or even one would have been a bit better.- Cut the insulation board on a cutting board of some kind, piece of plywood, etc.- Confirm the cut insulation board fits in the hole, sanity check on your measurements.- Clean up any insulation scraps with vacuum, get rid of cutting board.- Lay out blanket, ideally squarish, that is at least a few inches wider (in its shortest dimension) than the insulation board's diagonal.- Lay the insulation board shiny side down. But, between uses, an empty and open fireplace lets cold air sneak in through the chimney (not to mention comes across as a bit of an eyesore). We may earn a commission from your purchases. A removable fireplace draft stopper is one possible solution. I love this! Any time you want to use your fireplace, simply pull the cover out of the opening and slide it to the side. You did a great job and it looks so good with the hanging above the fireplace! This kit comes with everything you need to rust anything! Once air is accumulated inside the fireplace, air pressure will build-up and exits out through those gaps. Genius! Your fireplace screened turned out beautifully! Circular saw (optional) Step 1 Measure the height and width of your fireplace opening and ask your hardware store to cut a sheet of plywood to the exact dimensions. How to Make A Burlap Carrot Door Hanger. I wanted to know if using a chimney cap/damper worked, so I asked a friend who had his replaced not long ago. How To Increase Chimney Draft. This continuous process of air moving up a chimney is known as the draft. Modern Masters Metal Effect Rust Kit You can get this kit in the following places (click to purchase online!