How to Lower energy bills over the summer?

Q: – Jason, I live in Texas and it is HOT HOT HOT here over the summer. I bought a Chimney Balloon to fill my damper-less fireplace chimney, but what else can I do. – GW

A: GW – I did some blog searching to find a specialist in the area of saving energy in Texas. I live up north so i thought a southerner would give you better input. Here is a posting to a blog entry that gives some great tips on energy savings in Texas. http://texashomecentral.wordpress.com/2007/04/20/lower-your-summer-utility-bills/ They are short concise tips that are useful anywhere. Follow the link above but here is a snippet from their article:

“How do I lower energy bills in the Summer? a) If you don’t want to block your view, think about applying window film to the glass. Like auto window tint, these applied films will reduce radiant heat while allowing you to see through them b) Replace air conditioner filters regularly to ease the air flow. Dirty filters make the unit work harder to force the air through the filter. On this same note, unless you suffer from severe allergies, use the cheaper 30-day air filters. They do the job while making it easier for the air to flow and cost a heck of a lot less c) Air dry dishes instead of using the dishwasher’s drying cycle (good excuse to put-off putting away the dishes)”

See how much heat your neighbors are wasting!

See how much heat your neighbors are wasting!

Hot map

The UK has a new energy spy technology called hot mapping http://hotmapping.co.uk/. This allows an individual to look at their neighborhood and identify houses an being heat wasters or heat savers. This could spark a new revolution of “Keeping up with the Jones’s”.

Personally, i don’t have a problem with this type of invasion of privacy. I would want to be able to see how my home stacks up compared to my neighbors. And if I am doing a bad job…Shame on me! I should weatherstrip some more!

Here is a blog that has sparked a discussion on this hot mapping matter: http://blogs.business2.com/futureboy/2007/05/for_energy_wast.html

How long does a custom Chimney Balloon take?

Q: I ordered a 18×18 Chimney Balloon on Monday of last week. So it has been 9 days since I placed my order, and I have not received it yet. How long does it take to get a custom Chimney Balloon? – FR

A: Dear FR, It does take 14 days to ship a custom Chimney Balloon from our facility. The balloon has to be built to specification and tested before it is sent. We do try to make that clear by posting on all the custom order pages that “Custom Chimney Balloons require a 14 day build time before shipping.”

Since you order is going to be ready in the next few days here I will track your order personally and email you a USPS delivery confirmation number when your Custom Chimney Balloon is ready to ship. Your custom Chimney Balloon will be well worth the wait, and you will be glad you were patient enough to wait for it.

Chimney Balloon new to North America

Chimney Balloon™ Brand Chimney Pillows Now Available in
the US and Canada

Janesville, WI – September 15, 2005 – Chimney Balloon LLC is proud to announce the
opening of North American distribution of the Chimney Balloon™ chimney pillow.
Homeowners and retailers can now purchase Chimney Balloon LLC products online through the website www.ChimneyBalloon.us

What is a Chimney Balloon™ or a Chimney Pillow?
A Chimney Balloon™ is a reusable inflatable device that is inserted into your chimney to stop the cold draft that is the result of having a missing, damaged, or warped damper. Installing a Chimney Balloon above your fireplace damper can save the average homeowner $200 per heating season. If a fireplace has a severely damaged, warped, or missing damper the savings can be well over $500 per heating season.

Due to global demand, natural gas and heating fuel prices are on the rise each year. It is
essential to efficiently generate and retain heat in your living space. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent by North American homeowners each year by adding insulation, replacing doors and windows, and adding weather stripping. Yet one of the major locations of heat loss in a home can be found in the dormant fireplace. “Many people don’t think about their fireplace damper until they feel the cold draft in their dormant fireplace. The Chimney Balloon provides an inexpensive and easy do-it-yourself way to stop that cold draft and stop the heat and money from going up the chimney,” comments Jason Raddenbach of www.chimneyballoon.us

What is the History of the Chimney Balloon™?
The Chimney Balloon™ has been manufactured and in fireplaces in England since 1990.
David Woodman of Chimney Balloon Co. in Hants, England originally came up with the idea, patented and manufactured the Chimney Balloon. With England’s abundant historical architecture the Chimney Balloon became a fast hit with British homeowners that owned aged chimneys with very old dampers or no damper at all. When this popular British fireplace accessory began selling on the Internet it gained an international audience. 2005 saw the start of http://www.chimneyballoon.us to serve the United States and Canadian Market and www.chimneyballoons.co.nz to serve the New Zealand and Australian Market.

What is the Cost of the Chimney Balloon™?
Because every flue is different, the Chimney Balloon™ is offered in stock and custom sizes ranging from 9”X9” to 40”X96”. The 10 standard stock Chimney Balloon sizes are between 9”X9” and 15”X36” and range in cost from $40-$50 USD. They are designed to work with any type or size flue or damper.

The one thing you forgot to check this winter is costing hundreds of dollars

Chimney Balloon saves homeowners more than 30 percent on home heating

JANESVILLE, Wis. (December 28, 2006) – Chimney Balloon, USA today is issuing a notice to homeowners across the United States that warped, inefficient, and improperly sealed chimney flues can add hundreds of unnecessary dollars to home heating bills. And it’s not too late to fix the problem.

Plastic wrap around windows, checking for gaps, cracks, and holes, extra insulation and storm windows are all great methods to keep heat in the home during winter months. But millions of homes fail to stop the often noisy, cold draft from chimneys. A draft that can be easily fixed with an inexpensive, easily-installed product like the Chimney Balloon.
“It’s as simple as blowing up a Chimney Balloon, and you never have to climb up on the roof,” notes Jason Raddenbach of Chimney Balloon. “Homeowners can order the product online, install it within minutes, and with a simple yearly check for any damage and extra inflation, the product can last more than five years. For an investment of $40, the solution is simple.”

Millions of households across the nation have seldom-used or dormant fireplaces. The Chimney Balloon is a solution to stop drafts from entering the home and heat from escaping. More than half of the homes built in 2005 had fireplaces, and many homeowners are installing fireplaces to add value.

For more information, a product sample, or to schedule an interview with Jason Raddenbach, contact Mark Mahoney with the above information.

Chimney Balloon is a specially engineered polyethylene bag-like product, introduced to the United States in 2005. The product was designed in the United Kingdom, where millions of homeowners have experienced the ease, and return on investment the draft-stopping device offers.

About Chimney Balloon
Chimney Balloon™ is a reusable inflatable device that is inserted into your chimney to stop the cold draft that is the result of having a missing, damaged, or warped damper. Installing a Chimney Balloon above your fireplace damper can save the average homeowner $300 per heating season. If a fireplace has a severely damaged, warped, or missing damper the savings can be well over $500 per heating season.
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