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A wood fire in a fireplace is nice to look at but fireplaces are are one of the most inefficient heat sources you can possibly use. A roaring fire can exhaust between 20,000 to 25,000 cubic feet of air per hour, sending your energy dollars literally up the chimney. All this heat being exhausted from the home must  be replaced by cold air from outside. Even if you don’t use the fireplace to heat your home it can still be a big source of heat loss.

If you have a conventional fireplace you might want to consider putting in a fireplace insert. Electric inserts don’t require a vent so you can seal the flue so that the heat doesn’t escape. A gas insert requires a vent but it should be smaller than the fireplace chimney. There are ventless inserts and gas logs but I don’t recommend using any ventless gas appliance unless it is only used for backup heating. in case of a power failure.

If you don’t use your fireplace at all plug and seal the chimney flue. If used occasionally be sure the damper is tightly closed when not in use. Fireplace doors can help, installed properly doors can help reduce heat loss. Be sure the fireplace grate is in good condition before using as logs rolling out can be a big problem.

What it comes down to is if you have a fireplace be sure not to forget it when your planning energy savings in your home.