Dr Webb
Since your goal is to save money on heat and you mention your concern
on electrical prices...I have to assume your home is now heated by
electrical heat. Is that correct?

Well, if your goal is to save heat and therefore save money I would
probubly point you in an entirely different direction. First of all
stop using the fireplace for heat. Due to the stack effect in your
home and the draw of combustion and rising air from the fire you are
loosing more heat than you are creating. Fireplaces are notoriously
inefficient. The Department of Energy estimates using a fireplace
raises your heat energy costs by 10% on average. The best thing you
can do is plug the flue with a chimney balloon and look for other
options.

Your other installed option, electric heat, is the second most
inefficient type of standard heating. So i would also stear you from
using that.

You could go with a fireplace insert and have the hassle of consuming
wood, the maintenance of maintaining a clean flue and chimney, the
constant feeding of the fire and the increased home insurance rates.
With this option you can get an average 60% efficiency for your
labors.

Or, you could go a more traditional route by appling your money to a
direct vent gas furnace and ducting that will give you a 90%
effieciency. Granted this may cost you more since duct work has to be
laid, but it will be less laborous and costly than any other option in
the long run. You wont need a chimney either since it can be vented
easily throughthe side of the house in a minimally invasive way.

I considered the very question you were pondering about 4 years ago
when i had an aged furnace and an open fireplace. I decided to plug
the fireplace tightly with a chimney balloon to stop the heat loss
through the bad damper and flue and upgrade the furnace to a direct
vent 90% efficient. I have been so happy with this decision, and I
would do the exact same thing again if i had the choice. I hope you
find this input/testimony helpful.

GJ