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Hi there, just recently bought a house with a sheet of wood in place to seemingly stop draughts/smoke smells from the chimney. I’m wondering what the best approach would be to stop draughts when not using the fireplace (ie. what type of damper or draught stopper for my chimney?) so that I don’t have to use this sheet of wood?
Thanks!
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @camth. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about closing a draughty fireplace.
If you'd prefer not to have a sheet of wood visibly covering the fireplace, one option is to cut the board down so it can be inserted up into the chimney and sit neatly just above the firebox. You can use four small angle brackets to hold it in place—one in each corner. I'd recommend using masonry screws to attach the brackets directly into the brickwork, as these will hold securely without the need for plastic wall plugs, which could melt if the fireplace is later used.
When you're ready to use the fireplace, the screws can easily be removed and the board taken out. That way, the draught is blocked when the fireplace isn't in use, but you're not stuck with an obvious cover—and everything can be quickly reversed if needed.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
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