How do I close up my fireplace without creating an eyesore?
My fireplace is not working and I’ve had estimates of $8,000-$10,000 to repair and replace. Which I cannot afford. I have also checked ideas online of closing it up. Just want to know if anyone has a better idea.
Related Discussions
Vinyl plank flooring vs pergo (laminate)
I currently have stinky dirty carpeting in my living room and I want to replace it with a durable flooring that can stand up to dogs and kids.
How to remove popcorn ceiling that has been painted?
Does having a paint over a popcorn ceiling change how I'd remove the popcorn ceiling?
How to apply peel and stick wallpaper?
I want to spruce up my walls with peel-and-stick wallpaper. Has anyone used this before and can advise me as to how to apply it properly?
How to stain wood floor?
I've heard staining is a good technique for updating floors. So how do I stain my wood floor?
How can I update my 60’s pecky cypress fireplace and beams?
I had started a white wash a year ago but sanded off most of it when my family hated it.
How can I update the fireplace without ripping out the existing marble
We are ordering new carpeting in a soft green which looks awful with this outdated marble fireplace surround. The fireplace is a gas insert, and we have an inside fan... See more
Hello Sue! One of the first things you must do is seal your chimney so you don't have cold air and rain moving in. We fit a large piece of Styrofoam into the opening of the chimney and then made a chimney cap from treated wood and put it over the chimney. We painted the wood with waterproof deck paint/stain. You can also have a tin cover made at a local plumbing shop who make their own furnace runs. This will give you some energy savings from cold air coming down the chimney into your home, keep rain water from running down the chimney, and critters from moving in.
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/close-unused-chimney-30120.html
Here's some great decorating ideas for you too!
https://freshome.com/2012/11/14/10-creative-ways-to-decorate-your-non-working-fireplace
Hi ! First close the flue ... Then cut a piece of insulation board and fit it in the area leading up to the chimney , if you have enough room put 2 or three pieces for added insulation. Paint the bottom either black or the color of your brick . Now decorate the inside of your fireplace with logs , battery operated candles , or a basket of fake flowers ...
You could close the flue then clean out the fire area. Then you could put decor items in there such as a flameless candle grouping, large basket to hold a blanket, or some other item.
You can even add a plug like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Flueblocker-Rectangle-Chimney-Sheep-Plug/dp/B00G48EU12/ref=asc_df_B00G48EU12/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194003459169&hvpos=1o4&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11730068891078576599&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9012555&hvtargid=pla-312625336257&psc=1
You have good advice for closing it off. If you still want to have a fireplace that burns perhaps you could afford a set of gas logs. We had them for a long while. They ran on propane because we didn't have natural gas. They did not need to be vented and provided instant heat. We cheaped out and didn't get the remote controlled set and I wouldn't do that again. In a different house we had a seal gas log set. That one did require that we run pipe through the old chimney it also had a remote control.