Thanks for the quick response, what you said is exactly what I will do. But what about fire safety? Can I safely complete this type of renovation without breaking fire safety and building codes? Is it safe to cover a brick fireplace with drywall?
Answer:
One other thing you might want to do is cover the top of the chimney but don't make it air tight so a bit of air can escape. That should look after whatever condensation problems might be waiting. I don't know about fire codes but I know that a lot of fireplaces spend at least winters covered in this way. If you still plan to use the fireplace, you'll want to keep everything combustible at least 18 inches away from the firebox.
