I’ve never used the fireplace itself, though I’d like to. It was sealed by the person who lived in the house prior to me, and I haven’t opened it yet. I can be quite indolent when it comes to certain tasks, though I’m not certain that indolence is the cause for my inaction, in this particular case. The house is drafty, and I can’t decide whether unsealing the fireplace is a good idea, given that doing so might only make the house colder, in winter, than it already will be, unless I keep a fire going almost constantly.