1962 fireplace - Sealing cracks to floor

[donut_love]

Hi crew - Just moved into a "new" house, a 1962 ranch, with two brick fireplaces. I've never had a fireplace before, so trying to learn as much as I can before burning.

1. The previous owners had some type of white sealant strip from the brick to the floor, preventing the draft up from the crawlspace. Is this typically a silicone caulk, sanded grout, or something completely different? I've asked a lot of people, and received a lot of different answers - Decided to come to the experts. Also found a small crack between the front and back fireplaces.

2. The living room fireplace has NEVER been used before...They staged a fake fire in the listing photos! The sellers (Original family) said they never felt the need to have a fire, but something smells fishy to me. Will investigate.

Thanks

 

[begreen]

Not sure what was in there before, but a silicone caulk should work. It might be a good idea to put some foam noodle in the gap first as a backer for the caulk. They make sanded siliconized grout caulk in colors that may provide a good match for the brick grouting.
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