It took almost an entire year, but finally I got to use my brick fireplace! I live so far down south that sometimes a whole year will go by with no cold weather at all.
Our winters tend to be very short and mild, which is why so many “snowbird” senior citizens flock here in the winter months.
I bought this house partially because it had a beautiful brick fireplace in the sunken living room. Call it silly if you must, but this is something I have always wanted. I lived here for 11 months before we got our first cold snap, and you better believe I got that fireplace blazing every single night the temps were low. I turned off the central heating system, and then cracked a window to let in a breeze. The fireplace catches so much faster if there is a crossbreeze to feed the flames. After a couple hours I noticed how cold the rest of the house was. The fireplace kept the entire room toasty and warm, but had no effect on the bedrooms or bathrooms. I had to turn the furnace back on, because I was too cold to go pee! The following few nights I built a fire every evening, but this time I left the furnace on, just for the side rooms. I know it seems silly to run the furnace while using the fireplace and having a window open, but so what? I won’t get to use the fireplace for another year, so I want to enjoy it while I can.