fireplace heatilator openings/

[Rex B]

While doing some crack-filling where the brick meets the metal, I inspected the interior of the cavity where hot air circulates around the firebox and is then blown out into the room through the vents. At the upper rear of this cavity, on both sides, there is a vent hole about

4"-6" in diameter. They are apparently open to the interior of the chimney, between the stovepipe and the brick. Looks like most of the hot air is going to waste. I expect the upper end of the the brick chimney is nice and toasty. Is this normal? Would it be dangerous to close these off?

[Pop]

If you're talking about the "holes" in the heatilator, of course it would be bad to plug them! I'd suspect it'd be bad to plug ANY hole unless you're positive what you're doing. Your descrip is very lacking in the place where high detail is needed; sorry. A heatilator works by extracting the heat from the air before it goes to the chimney, but ... it can't make the air cool naturally. Is it functioning OK? I'd leave it alone if I were you except to possibly oil any oil ports if the motor has them and be sure the cord is in good condition.

Perhaps if you more closely described where the "holes" are, what they're in, and what are they between, etc.?

Oh, BTW, heatilators also, by their nature, make the air going up the chimney cooler than usual and so creosote and such builds up much faster. Using a "roaring fire" to clean a chimney, especially when one is using a heatilator, is a dangerous situation. Only clean it the right way. \\

HTH,

[Rex B]

OK, the unit is a built-in about 20 years old. Intakes and motors are on either side of the fireplace opening just above the hearth. Outlet is a long narrow opening above the fireplace opening. I am dealing with cool air intrusion frome "somewhere"

When I take the outlet vent covers off, and look into the airspace around the firebox, I can see how the heatilator cavity surrounds the firebox. The "ceiling" of that cavity is a steel plate. On either side of the central firbox, where it narrows to the chimney, there is a ~5" hole on either side. These hole apparently are open to the space inside the masonry chimney. I guess I'm heating up the whole thing.

Sure, I'm just looking to maximize efficiency

Good to know, thanks