There really is nothing better than a crackling fireplace on a chilly night like the ones we've been having in SC lately, but did you know that beautiful fireplace is actually an energy sucking monster?

Not only can it rob your house of heated or cooled air any time (especially if you leave your damper open) but while a fire is burning, it's sucking a ton of air out of your house.

So how can you have your fire and your heat too?

Well, when you are burning a fire in the fireplace, crack a nearby window. That way most of the air the fire needs for combustion (and all the air it sends up the chimney) will come from that window instead of other places in your house. 

And if you are not enjoying a fire in the fireplace, ALWAYS close the damper, but also get a chimney pillow to seal it tight.

I got one from batticdoor.com last Christmas, and I love it. The area around the fireplace is no longer drafty, it was a cinch to install, and it makes me happy knowing an inexpensive fix quickly saved me enough energy to pay for itself many times over.

Check out the video below, and consider putting a chimney pillow on your christmas wish list. 

Have a chimney pillow or other tips to make fireplaces more energy efficient? Tell us about it in the comments section.