Chicago Tribune – By Karen Klages
Battic Door, a Massachusetts-based company run by a couple of engineers, figured out a clever fix for all the heat that gets lost through the fireplace.
The draft stopper is simply an inflatable urethane pillow that you blow up (by mouth) and insert into the fireplace cavity just below the damper to seal off the air flow.
Not an eyesore when in place, the draft stopper is hidden inside the fireplace. But there is an orange flourescent sleeve with a warning label that hangs down a bit, to alert the homeowners to deflate the pillow before lighting a fire.
The draft stopper comes in two sizes; is resuable; and works in either gas or wood-burning fireplaces. Cost: $55. Visit www.batticdoor.com The company is exhibiting at the International Home & Housewares Show on hopes of getting retail distribution.