Do you ever feel a chill as you walk by your fireplace? That fireplace that is supposed to give your house a warm, cozy feeling may also be doing just the opposite. The masonry you love so much may be the culprit. Don’t be quick to blame your fireplace for this deficiency. Instead, take a good look at your chimney. This cold is coming into your house as a result of open flue tiles. These tiles are transmitting chilled air through your brick or stone masonry into your living space. I refer to this phenomenon as the “iceberg effect”. It would be smart to assess whether you really need to have these outside exposures in your home. Many homes have multiple fireplaces, but do these home owners really keep a fire glowing in each of these fireplaces at one time? By no means am I criticizing fireplaces for they do add beauty and charm to any home, but if allowed to, they can be counterproductive in terms of “creature comforts”. Don’t dismay, there is no need to start tearing out your fireplace(s). Simply by installing an insert, either gas or wood, what was a source of heat loss can become a resource for beauty and comfort. Would you like to know more? Just click on these links, Vermont Casting & Lexington Forge.