by blogediter | Aug 10, 2018 | Save Energy
Natural Gas price crash
I received a statement from Alliant Energy in my email last week that Natural Gas prices are quite low this year (See attached graph provided by Alliant Energy). I am not a person that follow commodity prices real closely but I do know that I hat my home and office with natural gas so a lower cost of natural gas this winter will give me some relief from the higher bills I paid last winter.
Oddly enough Alliant Energy also sent me an invitation to standardize my gas bill for this next year by paying $57 per month in their “Budget” program. I never go with these programs because I know there are convenience fees built into the program that adds to the cost on my bill. This year it is especially important for me not to go with this plan since the cost of natural gas has slid so far this year. – Jason
by blogediter | Aug 6, 2018 | Fireplaces, Chimney Problems
Fall and Winter
Q: When I light my wood burning fireplace, my gas furnace pilot light on the other side of the house blows out. How do I stop this? – ST
A: Dear ST, Well without actually seeing this particular situation in action it is hard to tell. Two major questions are: How old is the furnace, is this an open fireplace or enclosed fireplace?
If I had to take an educated guess…I would say that the stack effect in your home is rather strong, and the draft is accelerated through your furnace when you light the fireplace and this is blowing out the furnace pilot light.
When you open your fireplace damper there is heated inside air immediately rising out of the chimney. As you light and stoke a fire the volume of air escaping your house through the chimney is higher and higher. That is why heating with an open fireplace is a losing battle. Since your home has to take in air in other areas to replace the air it is loosing out the flue, your normal drafts in your house (around baseboards, outlets, doors, windows & furnace flues) are under pressure to allow in more and colder outside air. This type of increased draft could be what is blowing out your furnace pilot light.
This has the potential to be a dangerous situation so you will want to have an HVAC tech over to check the furnace draw during the fireplace use. – Jason
by blogediter | Aug 3, 2018 | Chimney Problems, Gas Logs
Downstairs fireplace
Q: Jason, I live in a main-floor condo with one upstairs neighbor. We have separate chimneys that are contained in one wood encasement. When my neighbor is burning a fire in his fireplace I have a strong smoke smell in my condo. My best guess is that the smoke is getting in through the top of the chimney. Is the seal on a Chimney Balloon tight enough to prevent this from happening?- MH
A: Dear MH, Maureen, This is a classic case of smoke crossover from one chimney to the other and it is a very common issue especially in apartments and condos, but it happens in homes with more than one chimney as well.
The answer to your question is, Yes, the Chimney Balloon will stop the smoke and odor from entering your home through the chimney. Your condo is “breathing in” through the chimney (which is often the path of least resistance for air entry into a home). And your neighbor’s condo is outputting smoke right next to your chimney. After putting in a tight-fitting Chimney Balloon your home will no longer be taking in air through the chimney. The air will find another entry point that is easier to draw through like a window or door jamb. This change of entry point will prevent the smoke from entering your condo. – Jason
Followup:
Q: Jason, I figured an update might help someone unsure if this product works. I received and installed my Chimney Balloon a week ago and it has made a drastic difference! I am no longer smoked out! What a relief! Because my chimney was very small(9″ round),(and my damper door was angled in such a way that it was impossible to get my arm around it)I had a friend come over and help me remove the damper door, position the Chimney Balloon, and then reattach the damper. I am so glad I did. Thank you!- MH
A: Dear MH, Sometimes the damper hardware can be very difficult to contend with. I’m glad you applied your ingenuity to get past the troublesome damper hardware to solve the smoke chimney crossover problem. As you found the Chimney Balloon will seal the chimney flue tightly so the home will not “breath” through the chimney anymore and take in the other chimneys smoke. – Jason
by blogediter | Aug 1, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Zero clearance Majestic brand fireplace
Q: We have a zero clearance fireplace manufactured by Majestic. I’ve tried another fireplace product which is supposed to fit at the top of the firebox to cover the flue. It did not fit properly because there are two metal “fins” that extend downward from the top of the firebox on either side of the flue. Does your product work with zero clearance fireplaces?
P.S. Was glad to read the question and answer about burning candles while the Chimney Balloon is in use. Thanks for the info!- TP
A: Dear TP, The Chimney Balloon does work with Zero Clearance fireplaces like the Majestic model you are referring to. As a matter of fact, I am using a 9×9 Chimney Balloon in a Majestic Zero clearance fireplace in my own living room.
Since the Chimney Balloon is installed up into the flue you can get it up past these fins and inflate it into place. I would recommend though that you use an HEK extender with your Chimney Balloon since the fins are so obtrusive in this model fireplace. Give us an email or a call if you have any more questions. – Jason
Followup: Just wanted to follow up to say that the 9×9 Chimney Balloon fit my zero clearance perfectly. This has made a major difference in the drafts attributable to our fireplace. Thanks for a terrific product!- TP
Reply: Hi TP, Thank you for checking back with us. I’m glad everything worked out so well for your application. It is a relatively simple fix with a Chimney Balloon. – Jason[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row]
by blogediter | Jul 30, 2018 | Save Energy
We had a published article on GreenBuildingElements.com on the inefficiencies of open fireplace use and how home heat can be saved with a Chimney Balloon fireplace damper.
The article will look familiar since we had also posted it on our blog a few weeks ago. Here is a link to the complete article: http://greenbuildingelements.com/2008/09/22/how-to-stop-your-fireplace-from-being-an-energy-eater/
