Chimney draft

[colin james]

This shows what you need, obviously one that fits your chimney though. Can be easily made at home.

Stovax Woodburning Stove Pipe 4″ Flue Damper | MultiFuel Stove

[WeeDee]

In Canada, I've used a rod that just stands in the flue. It's pushed upwards to open a trap door on the very top of the pot and the bottom of this rod then just 'stands' on a wee shelf built out from the brickwork at the side of the fireplace. I was told it keeps a lot of snow from accumulating in the hearth.

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

Some of the old victorian cast open fireplaces had a curved steel plate that could be closed when not in use. Do check crows have not nested inside the chimney pot as the usual breeze prevents this.

 

If you use the simple bag of straw method I am sure someone will not remember when lighting the fire.:lol:

[Michael C]

Chimney Closure

[Isaac]

Something to consider here would be the fact that even for a nominal fireplace opening of 500x550 you'd need permanent ventillation through exterior wall of about 200cm2 (pretty draughty)and the open fire, depending on the set up may only be 5-10% efficient at best ?

Unless you're dead set on in it, I'd be inclined to go for woodburner that's designed to operate either open or closed instead ? That could make for smaller ventillation requirement and you can shut the doors when not in use ?

Oh, and of course benefit from up 70% efficiency ?

[Nick Watkins]

Something to consider here would be the fact that even for a nominal fireplace opening of 500x550 you'd need permanent ventillation through exterior wall of about 200cm2 (pretty draughty)and the open fire, depending on the set up may only be 5-10% efficient at best ?

 

There is a way to make an open fire much more efficient and that is with a fan, not sure of the name of the device but it is pretty basic. I have only ever seen these in France but it's a ceramic tube that sits in the fire and air is pushed from the fan through the tube and expelled out after being super heated by the fire.

 

They are quite discreet, quiet and belt the heat out, in fact they belt it out to such an extent that prolonged sitting near the vent in a drunken state will burn your leg, quite badly