by blogediter | Jun 18, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Oval flue liner
Q: Jason – I have a cast in place poured chimney liner with a round opening of about 8 inches. Do you have a Chimney Balloon specifically for round or oval liners? – DD
A: DD, A 9X9 Chimney Balloon will work just fine with a 8″ diameter cast in place poured chimney liner. The 9×9, 12×12 and 15×15 will work well with a round or oval shape flue. Attached is a picture example of how a 9×9 Chimney Balloon collapses its corners to fit in a 8″ diameter round flue.- Jason
by blogediter | Jun 13, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Stuck fireplace damper
Q: Jason,
I’m the guy who talked to you on the phone and had a fireplace damper stuck. Finally got it open. What a pain to lay on your back and look up into the chimney at a stuck fireplace damper. Now I have another reason to hate my fireplace!!
I have two fireplaces. The upstairs fireplace damper is in good shape. The opening immediately above the damper is large, but it tapers down to an ~12″ circular flue. The round flue is 32″ from the top of the damper. Problem is that your extender is only 16″ long. Can you put two of the extenders together, or make a custom long extender?
The downstairs fireplace is the one with the rusted damper. I finally got it to open and now it moves ok. The opening immediately above the damper is ~42″x20″. This tapers down to a circular flue. The flue is on the left side of the fireplace (the two fireplaces share a chimney). I could put a 12×12 chimney plug in the lower fireplace, but the circular opening is 48″ above the top of the damper.
The house was built in California in 1960. It doesn’t match any of your standard sizes. Are the construction details unusual? Can I get a longer extension and use a standard chimney plug? -BE
A: Dear BE,
I’m glad to hear that the damper finally opened up. A stuck damper often requires safety goggles, a whole can of WD-40, some serious elbow grease, and patience.
Lets address the upstairs fireplace first… You can make an HEK extender longer by making some non-authorized adaptations to it. See this article on how to make a longer Chimney Balloon extender: http://www.chimneyballoonusa.com/blog/2007/01/i_talked_with_j.html
An easier solution would be to get the measurements just above the damper in this fireplace and install a Chimney Balloon there at a lower point.
Now, with the downstairs fireplace…If the dimensions are 42×20 in the smoke shelf just above the fireplace damper then that would be the easiest location to install a Chimney Balloon. We do make a custom size 42×20 Chimney Balloon and you can see it on the Custom Chimney Balloon page of the website: http://www.chimneyballoon.us/customchimneyballoon.html
Be sure to call again if you have more questions on how to measure in the smoke shelf area. – Jason
by blogediter | Jun 13, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Beth yellow fireplace
Q: Jason, I’m trying to measure my fireplace for a Chimney Balloon, but what part of the flue do I measure? When I open the glass doors on the front of the hearth I look up and see the damper. When that damper is open (it opens downward) I see more of an open amount (Seems like the width of the fireplace) and then it slowly decreases in size to the main tunnel way up to the damper on the top of the chimney. This picture is taken just above the fireplace damper.
This main tunnel is approx 6 -9 inches by 12-15 inches. Did I measure correctly?
A: The expanded location (smoke chamber) just above the damper is the more convenient location for your Chimney Balloon to be installed, but that will probubly require a larger Chimney Balloon. You are looking for an area in your Chimney that is close enough to touch with your hand and has roughly parallel walls. Since the tapering starts after the damper opening the spot right above the damper is a perfect spot for the Chimney Balloon. Both gravety and the firepalce flues taper will hold the balloon down close to the damper and help it seal well. Here is a link to the Chimney Balloon sizing page that will help you see the best way to measure your flue. http://www.chimneyballoon.us/Chimneyballoonsizing.html
If odor is the main issue I usually suggest that the Chimney Balloon be installed as low in the chimney as possible to seal off more of the odorous chimney surfaces. – Jason
by blogediter | Jun 11, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Customer Diagram
Q: Jason – Here is a drawn diagram of my fireplace and how the hearth, smoke shelf, damper, and flue are interlinked. I am thinking that the best place to have the Chimney Balloon is right in the area that is 8″x18″ above the smoke shelf. How do I install the Chimney Balloon that high? – JA
A: Dear JA, Thank you very much for the diagram. We spoke about this application on the phone, but it really helps to see exactly what you are looking at.
I agree with you about the best location to install the Chimney Balloon. The spot above the smoke shelf that narrows down to 8×18 is the lowest spot possible to install the Chimney Balloon. The tapered walls of the fire box and smoke chamber make it too hard to install anywhere else. Since the smoke chamber is 13″ tall, you will want to purchase a HEK extender with your Chimney Balloon so the handle will have enough length to reach all the way up to where the Chimney Balloon needs to be. – Jason
by blogediter | Jun 8, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Fireplace damper swivel
Q: Jason, My fireplace has a small flue that is 7.5 inches in diameter. The type of fireplace damper I have is a small swivel type of damper. The damper is a round plate with a metal rod handle that goes through the middle of the round plate. See photo taken from inside the fireplace firebox looking up at the damper. Can I use a 9×9 Chimney Balloon on this chimney flue? – DC
A: Dear DC, Thank you for sending the photo of the swivel fireplace damper in your fireplace. A picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to describing fireplace dampers.
I would guess you have a gas log fireplace considering I think I see a clip on your damper holding it open. Often these clips are put on dampers according to building codes that dictate that a fireplace with a gas log fireplace unit must have the damper disabled or clipped open if they have a vented gas log. This code was written so that a family will not be asphyxiated with Carbon Monoxide if someone turns on the gas log without opening the damper first. The unfortunate thing is having your damper open all the time lets in a lot of cold air and lets out a lot of expensive home heat.
A Chimney Balloon can be used in this flue and I would recommend a 9×9 Chimney Balloon with an HEK handle extender. When you insert the 9×9 make sure you DO NOT pre-inflate it at all. Simply attach the handle extender to the handle before installation, so that you will have plenty of reach to get the Chimney Balloon past the swivel damper and into a clear spot in the flue. Then slide the Chimney Balloon past the open damper and inflate it in place once you have it in the flue.
Since the 9×9 is slightly over-sized for this 7.5″ flue. If you start overinflating the Chimney Balloon you will notice that it will tend to want to tilt or tip sideways in the flue. If this starts to happen, simply remove a little air from the Chimney Balloon and coax it back down into horizontal position by pulling lightly on the handle valve. Let me know if you have any other questions. – Jason
by blogediter | Jun 6, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Blown insulation
Q: Jason – Do you have any other advice on how to save heat in my house? I’m looking for some little-known advice, not the same stupid stuff about “buy a setback thermostat” and “put a sweater on”. I read that stupid advice and say “Well-DUHHH!” – YT
A: YT – I will try not to let you down with my advice to you. I don’t want you to get done reading this and say “well-DUHHH!”
1) Don’t burn a fire in your open or zero clearance fireplace. The US DOE estimates that burning in an open fireplace can cost you an additional 10% on your heating bill. If this is a myserty to you, be sure to read the blog article on fireplaces and how they waste home heat.
2) If you are looking to do an upgrade to your home that will save you heat and cost some money then upgrade your furnace. In most cases this will get you a higher return for your money and your effort that buying a corn burner, a fireplace insert, replacing windows, or most any other upgrade. Unless of course you already have a high efficiency furnace.
3) Look in your attic. how many inches on insulation do you have up there? If it is less than 2 feet you should look at maybe adding some. A harware or home improvement store can tell you what you should have up there. The meards near me even lent me their insulation blower to blow the stuff into the attic with. It is not hard to do but you need two people and a good mask for the guy running the hose.
4) If you have a basement look to see if the wood is insulated where the concrete basement wall stops at the top and the wood base of the house comes together. This spot is rarely insulated and it allows a bunch of cold to convect through this bare uninsulated wood to your floors and basement. See picture.
5) Put on a sweater! HA! I couldnt resist YT. Please forgive me – Jason
