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Chimney & Fireplaces/Fresh Air into an Old Fireplace?

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Expert: - 10/2/2008


Question
Hi Bart,
My wife and I love making roaring fires in the winter... but I hate paying the heating bills as a result of the cold air coming into the house! The fireplace in our 54 year-old house is 41 X 30, brick all around. Does it make sense to knock out a brick or two from the side or back of the fireplace to draw in outside air?  A tremendous amount of heated air leaves the house through the front of the fireplace - would a [relatively] small opening inside the fireplace create any measurable benefits?
Thanks!
Bill

Answer
Hi Bill,

Unfortunately, you'll never be able to achieve any real efficiency with an open masonry fireplace.

There are specific retrofit kits available that you can use to utilize the ash pit as an outside air source.

Past that, it's a little more difficult than just knocking a hole in the fireplace to get air it.  You need to get it to come into the firebox at the right place and to be able to control it.

Your best bet for efficiency is to install a woodburning fireplace insert and lining system.  You'll immediately see the difference in heating capability.

I recommend you contact a local CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep to do some on-site diagnosis of your problem and offer some solutions.

You can find a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep at www.csia.org.

Thanks for using AllExperts.Com and good luck with your project.

Sincerely,
A . Bart Ogden, President
Home Safe Hearth & Chimney, Inc.
Wichita, KS
Voice  316-265-9828
Fax  316-265-9890
www.HomeSafeKS.com

CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep #2653
CSIA Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician #10
NFI Certified Wood Specialist
NFI Certified Gas Specialist
NFI Certified Pellet Specialist
NFI Master Hearth Professional
NCSG Technical Advisory Council Member

Chimney & Fireplaces

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Bart Ogden

Expertise

I can answer questions related to chimney and fireplace cleaning, construction and repair as well as questions related to the performance of chimneys and fireplaces. I can also answer questions related to clothes dryer vent cleaning and repair. Additionally, I can field questions related to masonry repair.

Experience


Experience in the area:
28 years experience in the chimney service/installation/repair field
President, Home Safe Hearth & Chimney, Inc. Wichita, Kansas

Professional Organizations:
Member, National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG)
Member, Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA)
Member, Kansas Guild of Professional Chimney Sweeps (KGPCS)
Member, Midwest Chimney Safety Council (MCSC)
Member, Kansas Association of Real Estate Inspectors (KAREI)
Past At-Large Director of the National Chimney Sweep Guild
Past At-Large Director of the Chimney Safety Institute of America
Past Secretary, National Chimney Sweep Guild
Past Secretary, Chimney Safety Institute of America
Member, National Chimney Sweep Guild Technical Advisory Council
Member, Chimney Safety Institute of America Certification Committee
Past Chairman, CSIA Chimney Safety Education Brochures Committee
Past Chairman, NCSG Nomination Committee

Publications:
SWEEPING Magazine, The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technoloty, A Publication of the National Chimney Sweep Guild
SNEWS, The Chimney Sweep News
THE KANSAS SWEEP, The Voice of the KS Guild of Professional Chimney Sweeps

Education/Credentials:
BA, Wichita State University
C.S.I.A. Certified Chimney Sweep
C.S.I.A. Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician
N.F.I. Woodburning Specialist
N.F.I. Gas Specialist
Chimney Diagnosis & Documentation Seminar
Ahren's Masonry Restoration School Graduate
Advanced Gas Certification
Master Gas Certification
Licensed Mechanical Contractor
Pellet Appliance Specialist
Venting Design Specialist
Dale Carnegie Course Graduate

Awards and Honors:
Superior Dealer Award, Ventinox Chimney Lining Systems

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