Frequently Asked Questions
BRE (the Buildings Research Establishment) state that an average of 80 cubic metres of air travels up the chimney per hour. However much heat is in that room is how much heat you are losing.
This is complicated to work out. Firstly it depends on the cost of your heating, ie whether it is gas, electric or oil heating. Then it depends on whether you’ve got night storage heaters, central heating, a condensing boiler, and so on. It also depends on how draughty your house is. The more air it is able to let in, the more air is able to travel up the chimney. Then it also depends where your house is located geographically. Finally, if you use the fire (secondary heating) less, then you will save money by not using it once the chimney is blocked with a Chimney Balloon. If you average out all these variables, you can reckon on saving around £50 a year per chimney blocked.
Simply squeeze out all the air and store it in a cupboard somewhere. It’s best kept out of the daylight so the rubber in the bands doesn’t perish.
The Chimney Balloon is made of extraordinarily tough plastic. But when it gets hot, it will just pop and fall into the grate. Other inflatables are made of PVC which expands and gives off fumes – the Chimney Balloon is by far the safest!
The doors of the stove should give a tight enough seal that any chimney draughts are minimised. If you find you are getting a draught from your woodburner then you may need to replace the glass fibre rope around the perimeter of the door.
Gas Safe state that gas flues must not be permanently blocked. The Chimney Balloon is a temporary blockage that would fall out if the gas fire was lit. We recommend that you use it with extreme caution, making sure the warning tag is visible, but it is acceptable to use a Chimney Balloon in a gas flue.
The Chimney Balloon is designed to inflate so as to leave a tiny gap in the corner that permits a small amount of airflow, which should alleviate any issues with damp.
The Chimney Balloon is like fitting double glazing in your chimney. The thick cushion of air acts like a sound absorber. It depends on how much sound travels down your chimney but we get a lot of positive comments from customers who say it deadens noise effectively.
Dampers are designed to close off the flue to increase the draw of the fire or to completely close it in order to prevent heat loss / reduce draughts. However a lot of dampers don’t fit properly anymore so you may find that fitting a Chimney Balloon will help to reduce draughts in addition to the damper.
Chimney caps are fitted with ventilation holes so there will still be an updraught up your chimney. Some customers report increased noise from a chimney cap as the wind whistles through the small holes. Try putting your hand a little way up the chimney and see if you can feel a draught. If you can still feel a strong current of air, you will still need a Chimney Balloon.
Yes we do – drop us an email or give us a call and we will advise what size is best and give you a quote.
Most Chimney Balloons last for many years. The plastic is very tough. But occasionally they can snag on rough parts of the chimney and puncture. These can be repaired using a Chimney Balloon Repair Kit.
Yes it is, it is a different branded version but it’s the same product.
No it isn’t.
Right. Only the Chimney Pillow is the same as the Chimney Balloon. All the rest are copies that were made of the original when the patent expired. Although they tried to reverse engineer the original version, there are a number of subtle but effective parts that make the Chimney Balloon more effective. And it is not possible to have one size that fits all. Chimneys vary from a few inches in diameter to the size of a door, and every shape and dimension in between. Each size of Chimney Balloon will fit a range of chimney sizes but you need to get the sizing correct in order for the Chimney Balloon to fit correctly.
Yes I have to concede the Chimney Sheep is a pretty effective chimney draught excluder. However it is generally used in the lower part of the chimney, to block the throat just above the fireplace. The Chimney Sheep will also fit in cast iron “letter-box” style fire surrounds. The Chimney Balloon is designed to fill the entire chimney. So they work in a slightly different way, depending on what type of fireplace or chimney you have.