Decided to check what was done behind my fireplace for sealing

[Red Squirrel]

WTF, no insulation, no nothing!

Well, they did shove some fiberglass in the damper, if that counts for anything. Well looks like I found one source of why it's so freaking cold in my living room. :awe:

I have a fan blowing on that now so I can vaporize the ice and dry that up. And yes, that IS frost, and not soot or other discoloring. Think I'll get some rigid foam tomorrow and insulate that better. Now that I have a car where the back seats go down, I can actually buy that stuff as it will fit in the car now. At least the 8x2 sheets.

 

[OlafSicky]

It looks like you have a wood burning stove. Do you have a pipe going from it to your chimney. If you just put foam behind a stove it will catch fire.

 

[Red Squirrel]

It's just an electric fireplace insert, it used to be a real fireplace at one time though.

 

[skimple]

Typical contractor shortcut. Do you have an outside chase?

The proper way to insulate it would be to open the chase up from the outside, use standard wall insulation between the joists - all the way up the ceiling level in the adjoining room. Then build a (code-compliant) fireblock at the ceiling height, and use approved insulation on top. That creates an insulated envelope that extends the adjoining room's. Had to do this myself a few years ago.

However, you are not going to be able to do anything about cold coming down the old chimney unless you remove it completely. The best thing that you can do right now is to get a very well made set of fireplace glass doors to install across that opening. Don't get the cheap kind, go to a store that specializes in fireplaces. You need something that seals when it is shut. They cost a lot, but you will get it back both in comfort and in cost savings from lost heat through that chimney.

Short term - get a piece of plywood large enough to cover that opening. Wrap an old blanket around it and place it across the opening. Use cinder blocks or something else to hold it in place tight to the wall. It doesn't look pretty, but it will keep the cold air from pouring into the room.

I spent five years screwing around with mine before I got it truly fixed. It made a world of difference in that room. Now you can actually sit in there when the temperature is in the single digits, like it is now. Before you would have to wear slippers and sweaters and use blankets just to be in there.