Rental house has no flu in fireplace. suggestions for making it more energy-efficient?

Are you sure it doesn’t have a flu? It might be tucked up in there. Sometimes the lever can be hard to find. Crawl in with a flashlight.

If you are sure it doesn’t you could get a roll of insulation and cut off a long piece and roll it up really tight and put it up there. As it expands it will seal the opening. This is really dangerous and I would advise against it but it would work. You might forget to remove it and the next person moves in and could burn the place down.

But my money is on that there is a flu and you didn’t find it.

Some sort of fire retardent drapes, like chains or something might work nice. It would simply slow down the flow of air, but it would help insulate it slightly… idk, might help. I would be shocked if there is no flu, is it possible to add one? That would probably be no fun.

I know in houses I have rented if there is no flu then the landlord has to seal the fireplace where it can’t be used. You shouldn’t have to deal with it.

Flue dampers are required in most all building codes. I think your landlord would help you out on this matter. I agree with JP that insulation will work, but pay attention to his advice on this one!

if you use the insulation idea, and do not use the fireplacefor fires(obviously) , place something decorative in the fireplace that you will definately want to take along when you move. Tuck a piece of insulation behind or under it that you will find when you remove your valuable item. That insulation will remind you to pull out whatever you put up the stack.

FYI: There is definitely, absolutely, no flu. It’s an older home from the 1910s/20s. We use the fireplace in the winter so insulation is not an option…

It is possible to install a flue damper on the top of the chimney, activated by a chain dropped into the passage. This option would allow the continued use of the fireplace, but cut off the downdraft when not in use. Check your phone book for a chimney sweep. Yeah, they do exist! They usually know the best suppliers.