How to make a Weather Barrier- Vent Cover

Baby it's cold outside! Cover up your vent! I love this over-the-stove-through-the-wall fan but it's not energy efficient. A burst of cold air comes in when it gets blustery outdoors.

I previously had a plastic grill and I stuck Velcro strips onto each side of it to slap a wash cloth on it to keep the draft out. That was a mistake! Cleaning grease from Velcro is a chore. So I ordered this metal grill with the intention to make a cover using magnets. 

Today I made an insulated grill "cover upper". The grill opening is about the size of a dinner plate, so I used a plate for my pattern, cutting out some left over sheet foaming material. Not quite 1/2" thick and very lightweight. I gathered up some sheet magnets that were old advertising cards to cut and glue onto the the foam. I bought a set of dish linens and reserved one to make a "pillow case" for the foam insulator. The purpose of removing the fabric from the foam is for easy washing.  This project was a quick and an easy one. Gluing the magnets to the foam took the longest. 

Plate as pattern, cut out foam "insulator"

Cut to fit magnets (the more heavy duty the better, use any and many for a good hold) 

Glue the non magnet side to the foam.

I placed the foam on a plate and stacked several over it to sandwich the weight. 

Added more weight: ceramic utensil holder worked.

The linen towel to use as fabric to cover the foam. 

I folded the towel in half, print side in, and centered the print within the circle of the dinner plate

I drew my circular pattern. 

Cut 1/2' larger for sewing space. 

Cut one side in half and stop at 1" toward the top. This is the cover opening.

Fold over the fabric raw edges and sew at the opening. 

Then, sew the outside circumference all the way around. Then a second time, binding the raw edges. 

Turn right side out. 

Insert the foam inside the cover with the magnet side toward the opening.

There you have it, ready to stick on the grill. 

I chose the circular pattern, but a square one would have worked, any thin fabric will do as long as the magnet strength can cling to the metal and go through it.  

It looks better than a washcloth that I previously used. It's easier to clean. AND, it keeps the draft out.