Fireplace candles, Can I burn them with a Chimney Balloon installed?

Fireplace candles, Can I burn them with a Chimney Balloon installed?

Jason – If the Chimney Balloon fireplace damper is inserted in the flue can you still burn candles in the fireplace? Thanks! – NC

Dear NC, The answer to this questions is a definitive…sometimes.

You see, the Chimney Balloon is designed to burst and release at right around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. So if you burned a few candles and kept about a 3′ distance between the flame and the Chimney Balloon and kept your glass doors open (if you have them) then you will probably be OK to leave the Chimney Balloon in while burning the candles.

I know my wife has lit candles for up to 4 hours in our fireplace and not removed the Chimney Balloon and everything was fine. The key is to keep the wicks trimmed on the candles. If you get along yellow flame on your candle you can really get some serious heat coming from a candle that might get over 200 degrees.

So keep the candles short and away from the Chimney Balloon, keep the wicks trimmed, and keep your glass doors open and you should be fine.

Slotted vents under the damper, How do I close off the fireplace flue?

Slotted vents under the damper, How do I close off the fireplace flue?

Q: Jason, I have a Heatilator Mark 123 fireplace that has a fireplace damper that is actuated by a pull chain. It is very cold in the winter and I can feel a draft come down and out of the fireplace. I see that you recommend putting the Chimney Balloon in above the damper, but the damper is about 3′ up in this application. Also, just below the damper, the walls of the flue in this area are perforated by a series of linear vent slots in an area that is about 10″ vertically. The firebox of this fireplace is trapezoid in shape (25″ length in back, 32″ length in front and 16″ from front to back) and lined with firebrick. There is a slight 1″ ledge just above the firebrick and then the metal flue immediately starts gathering upwards like an upside down funnel. My question is…where do I install the Chimney Balloon? Above the damper, below the damper, or just above the firebricks and the firebox? – FF

A: Hi FF, This Heatilator fireplace is a very common fireplace (especially in condos) and we are often asked about this particular application. We have found that it is possible to put a Chimney Balloon in any of these locations you mentioned, but installing a Chimney Balloon just above the firebox on the 1″ ledge is by far the easiest install point.

How to do the Low Install on the 1″ Ledge:
Take a 36×15 Chimney Balloon plug and unroll it out of the package so it is flat. Hold the Chimney Balloon by the valve handle in one hand and connect the inflation tube to the Chimney Balloon, and then connect the other end of that inflation tube to a Chimney Balloon pump. You will find it is easier to do this install with a pump since you will need both hands to get the Chimney Balloon into place as it inflates.

Tuck the Chimney Balloon material around all 4 edges of the ledge that is just above firebox while you hold the Chimney Balloon in place with your other hand. When you have the balloon roughly in place turn on the pump and it will start to inflate. As it inflates continue to hold the balloon in place with one hand by holding the handle valve. At the same time use your other hand to continuously work the edges of the balloon material and make sure it is staying above the ledge as you inflate. As the balloon gets tighter you will feel it start to grab and lodge itself in place.

* Note* Do not adjust the position of the Chimney Balloon while it is fully inflated. If you need to adjust its position leave the valve open and let some air escape first so the Chimney Balloon will be more pliable.

The Chimney Balloon may be slightly visible from the hearth since the install is very low, but the clear Chimney Balloon is hardly noticeable especially if you close the spark screen.

How to do the High Install just above the damper:
For a bit more of a challenge you can install a 9×9 Chimney Balloon in the flue just above the damper but you will need an Extra long 26″ HEK Extender for the handle (the 26″ is a special sized HEK extender that is not listed on the website yet, so you will need to call in your order). Attach the extra long HEK extender to the 9×9 Chimney balloon and unfold the flattened Chimney Balloon, so it is perpendicular to the long handle. Put the Chimney Balloon through the open damper so the handle sticks down through the open damper door and then inflate the Chimney Balloon into place. It is a bit tricky to get the Chimney Balloon to inflate flat in an area that is so high, so you may want to have your folding carpenters ruler handy to prod it into place if necessary. This higher install also seals well, it is just a little harder to do.

– Jason

Janesville Messanger Newspaper writes on the Chimney Balloon and Energy Audits

Janesville Messanger Newspaper writes on the Chimney Balloon and Energy Audits

Energy Audits

Last week I hosted a press open house at my home in Janesville to show how simple home envelope sealing like using the Chimney Balloon and adding insulation can save a homeowner money. I invite Mark Furst from Grading Spaces LLC and Bob Wilson from Janesville Insulation to come and show how they can help a homeowner save heat and energy. The Janesville Messanger wrote a story on the helpfulness of Energy Audits and used my home and testimony as an example. Below is a small excerpt from the article:

“After sealing up his home, Raddenbach decided to join the energy-efficiency industry. He was so impressed by the Chimney Balloon a device inserted into the chimney to stop fireplace drafts  he wrote a letter to the devices manufacturer.

He now is the manufacturers sales representative for North America, and said the product continues to gain popularity.

Sales have just taken off, he said. More people are concerned about the same thing we were.”  The above quote is witten By Sarah Zeller copyright belongs to CSI Media.

To read the entire article follow this link: http://www.janesvillemessenger.com/jm.html

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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Home Energy Expert speaks on less known ways to save money on home heat

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.