Most well designed fire places have a fresh air intake in the bottom, it is sometimes mistaken as an ash dump, even in a drafty house it can help to use this fresh air vent on over cast days, but the idea is to pull in air right to the fire instead of pulling air through the gaps in your doors and windows.
If a fire place is designed well and operated correctly it can heat a house, if it's poorly done and dampers are left open, wood is not dry enough, or any other short cuts are taken and you will suck more heat out of your house then the fire produces.
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