by blogediter | Nov 30, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Lock top damper cable
Q: Jason – I currently have a chimney cap installed with a stainless steel wire and handle on the end which is mounted to the side of the firebox on the face of the brick. The metal damper is removed and this wire extends up through the smoke chamber and up the flue to the cap. Can I still install a Chimney Balloon? – JR
A: JR – This type of damper is often referred to as a Chimney Top Damper. Many are made by a company by the name of Lymance or Seal tight.
Yes, you can use a Chimney Balloon in this configuration. As the Chimney Balloon inflates it will envelop the wire (as in the picture above). You will find the double draft protection of the chimney top damper and the Chimney Balloon together to be very effective. Here is a link to an article that talks further about lock top chimney top dampers and Chimney Balloons work together http://www.chimneyballoonusa.com/blog/2007/11/my-lock-top-or-.html – Jason
by blogediter | Nov 19, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Vent
Q: Jason – I am relatively certain of the dimensions of my flue and the area in which I wish to install a Chimney Balloon. I think it is a 32″x14″ opening. Would a 36″x15″ Chimney Balloon work for this size flue? – RT
A: RT – When you say you are “relatively sure” of the flue dimension it makes me think you may not have actually measured this area of the flue with a ruler or tape measure. It you have not, I would encourage you to measure it again. You will find that a wooden folding carpenters ruler is very useful to measure up in a flue. Bend the ruler into an L shape and use it as a feeler gauge to reach up and get a measurement of the area you plan to install a Chimney Balloon into. OK, now that you have measured and found your flue to be 32″x14″ as you previously said, then yes a 36″x15″ Chimney Balloon will work just fine. Even though your Chimney Balloon will be a little large, it will function perfectly.
As a side note, you can easily install a Chimney Balloon that is no more than 6″ too large in either dimension if your chimney flue area is at least 24″x12″. However, do not buy a Chimney Balloon that is too small for a flue dimension. That is like having a submarine door that is a little too small…it just doesn’t work.
by blogediter | Nov 14, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Ebay Chimney Balloon
Q: Jason – I read in the Chimney Balloon USA blog that you liquidate your “like new” Chimney Balloons on eBay a couple of times per year. I would like to know when you do that. -GG
A: GG – This is not information that we circulate a lot, but yes we do liquidate our “like new” and used Chimney Balloon stock a few times per year. This usually takes place in the summer months when our return team has time to test and list the remanufactured and incorrect size returns. If you wish to know when we are selling these Chimney Balloons you can add Chimney Balloon USA (our eBay seller name) to your favorite seller’s list. eBay will notify you when we list these Chimney Balloon products.
Rest assured these “like new” Chimney Balloons have been tested to ensure they function properly, but you may notice they are not perfectly folded and can sometimes have small traces of soot from a previous installation. – Jason
Open Round Center Pivot Butterfly Damper High Above the Fireplace.
by blogediter | Nov 12, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Bad Insert
Q: Jason – The wife is interested in getting a wood burning insert for the fireplace. We’re regular users of our fireplace and keep a supply of inexpensive hardwoods around. With upcoming increases in electricity costs around here, we thought it was about time that we sunk the $4-5K into a wood burning insert.
A: DW – Since your goal is to save money on heat and you mention your concern about electrical prices…I have to assume your home is now heated by electrical heat. Is that correct?
Well, if your goal is to save heat and therefore save money I would probably point you in an entirely different direction. First of all, stop using the fireplace for heat. Due to the stack effect in your home and the draw of combustion and rising air from the fire you are losing more heat than you are creating. Fireplaces are notoriously inefficient. The Department of Energy estimates using a fireplace raises your heat energy costs by 10% on average. The best thing you can do is plug the flue with a Chimney Balloon and look for other options.
Your other installed option, electric heat, is the second most inefficient type of standard heating. So I would also steer you from using that.
You could go with a fireplace insert and have the hassle of consuming wood, the maintenance of maintaining a clean flue and chimney, the constant feeding of the fire and the increased home insurance rates. With this option, you can get an average 60% efficiency for your labors. See below for a picture of a bad hack job of a fireplace insert install that leaks smoke. This picture is not my house, By the way.
Or, you could go a more traditional route by applying your money to a direct vent gas furnace and ducting that will give you a 90% efficiency. Granted this may cost you more since ductwork has to be laid, but it will be less laborious and costly than any other option in the long run. You won’t need a chimney either since it can be vented easily through the side of the house in a minimally invasive way.
I considered the very question you were pondering about 4 years ago when I had an aged furnace and an open fireplace. I decided to plug the fireplace tightly with a Chimney Balloon to stop the heat loss through the bad damper and flue and upgrade the furnace to a direct vent 90% efficient. I have been so happy with this decision, and I would do the exact same thing again if I had the choice. I hope you find this input/testimony helpful – Jason
by blogediter | Nov 5, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
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.
by blogediter | Oct 29, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Issue: Millions of households across the United States are losing precious heat through inefficient, warped and improperly sealed chimneys. And it’s not just northern region homes.
According to Department of Energy statistics, chimney flues properly sealed for winter months can save more than 30 percent on an average heating bill. Calculated during a four-month period, a medium-sized home can save $300 each winter season.
So why are so many not utilizing technologies offered by products like the Chimney Balloon? Difficult to install, don’t have the time, don’t know what I can do, and where do I start, are just a few of the remarks Jason Raddenbach hears as he educates homeowners on heating efficiency. Simply put, the Chimney Balloon is a product designed to stop heat from escaping up the chimney during cold months, and cold air from leaking out of the home during summer months.
It’s a specially engineered polyethylene bag-like product available in hundreds of sizes. It’s easily installed by inserting the bag into the chimney flue, and inflating the bag until the edges are securely sealed against all sides of the flue. The balloon requires a yearly maintenance check and can be effective for more than five years. Available on the web at www.ChimneyBalloon.us and a cost of approximately $40, it’s a simple solution for an expensive problem.
