8 Best Fireplace Draft Stoppers of 2023
Updated: Jul. 12, 2023Fireplace draft stoppers come in many forms, but they all have one thing in common: They keep your home warm by blocking out cold air.
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Using a Fireplace Draft Stopper
A fireplace is a huge source of drafts from the cold outdoors. A chimney can act as a wind tunnel even when the damper is closed, sucking cold air down into your home through the fireplace opening.
A fireplace draft stopper is an efficient way to prevent this from happening. Whether you use a chimney balloon, a fabric draft blocker, glass doors or even create your own decorative cover, a fireplace draft stopper will keep your home warm while lowering energy costs.
Before deciding whether to purchase or hand-make a fireplace draft stopper, check out our list of the kinds of stoppers that are available.
Fabric Draft Stoppers
Whether store-bought or handmade, fabric draft stoppers — long, rectangular cloth tubes stuffed with soft, pliable filling — are a stylish and simple way to block drafts that leak through cracks and gaps at the base of fireplace doors, screens and inserts. They even block smoke.
Glass Doors
Installing glass doors to the front of an open-hearth fireplace can nearly double the fireplace’s heat efficiency. Not only does the glass stop cold air from entering the room, but it also provides a safety barrier for children and pets. Many styles of tempered-glass, hinged doors come with magnetic latches to keep them tightly closed.
Vent Covers
If you have screen doors or an insert built into your fireplace, the vents along the top and/or bottom of the frame are known to leak up a storm. Installing a magnetic fireplace vent cover over those vents is a smart solution that stops cold air dead in its tracks.
Fireplace Plugs
Fireplace plugs (a.k.a. flue blockers, chimney pillows, draft stoppers and the trademarked Chimney Balloon) are an inexpensive way to choke off drafts when a fireplace is not in use. Made of inflatable urethane or cut-to-size foam, they fit snugly up against your damper to lessen the chilling effect of a cold-air draft inside your home.
Chimney Caps
Besides guarding against rainwater and pesky wildlife entering your home through the chimney opening, adding a spring-loaded or lock-top chimney cap eliminates blustering downdrafts. An air-tight, adjustable cover helps improve fireplace efficiency while saving you money that would otherwise go up in smoke!
Fireplace Blankets
If you have a brick, wood-burning fireplace in your home, consider investing in a fireplace blanket. This fire-resistant, carbon fiber hearth cover is designed to attach to your metal screen via strong magnets. It effectively guards against cold air coming in and heat escaping into the atmosphere while you’re fast asleep.
Seal Your Fireplace Forever!
Tired of battling drafts that raise your heating costs when you haven’t used your fireplace in years? Why not seal off your fireplace permanently?
To cover the fireplace, start by cleaning the chimney thoroughly and covering up the rooftop chimney cap. Next, close the damper, insert insulation into the flue and secure it. Now add houseplants, bookshelves or completely brick-over the space. You now have a no-fuss, faux fireplace.
DIY Removable Cover
One of the best ways to close off drafty airflow from your fireplace, especially when it won’t be used for a while, is to create a decorative and removable cover that you can pop in and out. Cut two-inch foam to the shape of the opening; subtract about an 1/8- to 1/4-inch around all sides to leave room for wrapping with material. You can cover the foam with a cozy blanket or fun fabric to match your decor.
