Realty Times – by Diane Benson Harrington
Investigate the fireplace. Any birds’ nests in the chimney? Is the flue well sealed? Repair any loose mortar and replace the chimney cap, especially if you have trees nearby that might give small animals access to the chimney. Did the previous homeowners clean the fireplace thoroughly? Always keep the damper closed when there’s no fire, and consider adding an inflatable fireplace draft stopper, like the one manufactured by Battic Door. They’re easy to insert and remove, and keep warm air in and cool air out.