Do chimney balloons work?

The plastic Chimney Balloons can be blown up manually and are inserted into the throat of the chimney. However, while they were easy to use, these widely-used inflatables don't actually perform well in preventing air leaks and helping you maximise your home heating and cooling!

Are Chimney Balloons a good idea?

If you light a fire with the Chimney Sheep in place, the fire will smoulder and not draw properly, and it's fire retardant so it won't burst into flames, which is fine with an open fire but to be honest the Chimney Balloon is a safer bet for gas fires.

What does a chimney balloon do?

Chimneys act like giant hoovers, sucking air out of your home. This causes cold air to be pulled in from other gaps, causing the cold draughts we notice. The Chimney Balloon effectively blocks the chimney, stopping warm air from escaping and stopping cold air from getting in.

How do I stop draughts down my chimney?

Draught proofing chimneys with chimney balloons

You can use a chimney balloon. A chimney balloon is essentially a balloon that you inflate in your chimney that creates a snug fit, thereby preventing hot air escaping up out of the chimney or cold air dropping down it, helping to prevent draughts in your home.

Are Chimney Balloons reusable?

A: Yes - You can reuse your Chimney Balloon. To uninstall the Chimney Balloon, simply open the valve on the end of the Chimney Balloon handgrip, wait for the balloon to deflate, then gently lower the balloon out of the flue area.

How to stop draughts down your chimney, with a chimney balloon

Do chimney balloons cause condensation?

They are also prone to puncturing. We have also heard from people who claim chimney balloons have led to damp. Chimneys are there for ventilation so it figures that if they are blocked, your house doesn't breathe like it should. This can lead to condensation and mildew – not nice.

Do Chimney Sheep cause damp?

No, it does not. Chimney Sheep® are made from Herdwick wool which is naturally breathable and will allow moisture to permeate through.

Do unused chimneys need ventilation?

Do Unused Chimneys Need Ventilation? Yes, chimneys need to breathe, even if they won't be used anymore. The vast majority of problems with chimneys are related to moisture, and that's the issue as regards ventilation.

Do chimneys let in cold air?

The throat damper is a standard fixture in most chimneys. But its location just above the fireplace allows cold air to flow down much of the chimney even when shut. And although the damper is closed, warping or rusting can break its airtight seal enabling cold air to enter the fireplace.

How do you stop wind from blowing down chimney?

How much heat is lost up a chimney?

Putting a Damper on Your Energy Bills

What's more, between 80 and 90 percent of the heat produced by wood burned in an open fireplace is lost up the chimney. This means that for every $100 you spend on firewood, you get only $10 to $20 worth of heat. The rest goes up the chimney.

How do I stop cold air coming down my chimney UK?

First up is getting a draught excluder: a handy device fitted inside the chimney or around the fireplace, to stop the warm air going up and the cold draughts coming in.

Should you block a chimney?

Think About It:

If the gas can't go up and out, then it has nowhere to go except back into the home, which is potentially fatal to the people living inside. Be Safe. Be Smart. Do not block or seal your chimney.

What is the best chimney Draught excluder?

A Chimney Sheep® is a highly efficient, removable chimney draught excluder made from felted Herdwick sheep's wool. Our original and best-selling product ensures your home is heated efficiently by keeping the heat in and the cold draughts out. We think a Chimney Sheep® is a no brainer!

Why does so much cold air come in through my fireplace?

A fireplace is a huge source of drafts from the cold outdoors. A chimney can act as a wind tunnel even when the damper is closed, sucking cold air down into your home through the fireplace opening. A fireplace draft stopper is an efficient way to prevent this from happening.

Why is air blowing down my chimney?

Smoke can blow into your room if your chimney suffers from a poor draw. In other words, the smoke and flue gases are not being pulled up the chimney with sufficient strength. This becomes a problem if the wind outside is drawn into or over the chimney in a way the prevents the gases from exiting.

Why does air come down my chimney?

If the room the fireplace resides in is below the neutral pressure plane, outdoor air will leak in (frequently past the fireplace/chimney damper) and will continue to do so until the pressure at the fireplace matches or exceeds that of the top of the chimney.

Can I cap off chimney?

Capping your chimney is a simple way to cover your chimney and protect the inside of your home from adverse weather, dirt, debris, pests, and more. Chimney caps are highly effective and can last for many years with minimal maintenance required.

Can a blocked chimney cause damp?

Examples of property maintenance damage include damaged guttering, poor roof tiling and damaged mortar. Having blocked guttering or broken gutters will allow water to enter any cracks in the mortar which not only can cause chimney damp, but also other damp and structural problems too.

How do I choose a chimney balloon?

Selecting your Chimney Balloon

For oblong and square chimneys, measure side to side and front to back. If there's a fire surround, measure the chimney beyond this. If you've got a headtorch, it's useful for keeping your hands free to measure. If you've got ski googles it will stop soot falling in your face.

Does a Chimney Sheep work?

A Chimney Sheep will reduce the amount of warm air being pulled out of your home, whilst still providing sufficient ventilation. Your house retains its heat! Less hot air is leaving, so less cold air is pulled in!

Is a Chimney Sheep safe?

Many gas fires are fitted below open chimneys, and we get a lot of customers who say that they need to light the fire just to combat the cold that comes down the chimney. If the gas has been disconnected then a Chimney Sheep can be fitted in the flue but otherwise we advise against it.

How do you ventilate a disused chimney?

You should cap any unused chimneys with a flue ventilator. Flue ventilators can be found on our chimney pot page. The flue ventilator stops rain entry to the chimney but still allows a small amount of air passage for ventilation.