Gas fire vents up chimney - very draughty :-(

Shedman

There is also something called a Chimney Balloon that you inflate and put up the chimney and could deflate if you needed to use the fire.  I think a warning cord hangs down so you don't forget it is there but if the fire was accidentally lit the balloon shrivels and falls out (guess it might make a mess of the fire but better than dying I suppose)

https://www.chimneyballoon.co.uk/

Also maybe a cowl on the airbrick outside might help stop the draughts a bit (certainly the direct feel of the a draught) but not stop ventilation e.g.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BSV862WP/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0BSV862WP&pd_rd_w=FX9c9&content-id=amzn1.sym.15c0cc83-c6c5-4d44-aa3d-0de17a9f3682&pf_rd_p=15c0cc83-c6c5-4d44-aa3d-0de17a9f3682&pf_rd_r=4VAXC4FD3YGPSQJVNJBJ&pd_rd_wg=aR6mz&pd_rd_r=a6f4ea8a-73d8-4eee-96c9-a97ab20cc8c8&s=diy&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&smid=AK2QYNV7K1QUD

Shedman

Of course another (much more expensive) solution is to get rid of the decorative fire (which are only about 20-25% efficient) and get a glass fronted inset fireplace installed (these are around 70 to 90% efficient depending on model).  I think if they are less than 7kw and vent up the flue then you don't need the airbrick but the regs might have changed as it was a number of years since I looked at these.

Staffordian11

We had a similar fire in the property we moved into a few years ago, though it vented into an open precast flue.

I soon realised how inefficient it was, to the extent we could heat the whole house using our combi boilered central heating system for the same cost as just heating the lounge (and much of the sky above!) with the living flame fire. And as the OP pointed out, whenever the fire was off there was a likelihood of cold draughts coming down the flue.

We had the pipe capped, removed the fire and closed the opening with a sheet of plasterboard. (I put a few holes across the bottom of the plasterboard to allow a little ventilation to stop any damp forming in the flue).

I then put a cheap "coal effect" electric fire in front of it. More as a focal point and to cover the plasterboard rather than to use, though we do put it on for the odd few minutes just to take the chill off the room when the heating isn't justified.


 

markin

I miss read the post the first time.

Have it disconnected and the flue capped and block up the air vent, Modern fires are balanced room sealed units and they don't get the air from the room so If you ever want to install a new one just the flue would need opening up again.

Alnat1

We have the same sort of coal effect fire which we never use. I've simply stuffed an old cushion up, although I have threaded a bit of string through the middle of it. String hangs down with a button on the end to remind us the cushion is there.