by blogediter | Feb 16, 2019 | Chimney Plugs
Lock Top Damper Cable
Q: Jason, I have a 113-year-old house with 6 fireplaces … they were originally coal-burning units .. they all have the lymance lock top damper on the top of the chimney … will the Chimney Balloon work with that configuration? – GB
A: GB, WOW 6 fireplaces! that has to be some kind of record! It is very wise that you have a chimney top damper on these chimneys, however the chimney top damper still allows the warm air of your home to rise up into the chimney and cool in the chimney and sink back down. You may notice a slow cool release of air from your fireplaces. That cool air is likely not outside air, but just cooled inside air sinking back down again. We have had customers with chimney top dampers that have used the Chimney Balloon on the bottom of their chimney in addition to their top damper and it has made a difference. With 6 chimneys the difference would be significant.
Q: Jason, thanks for the response … one of my concerns is if the damper cable will interfere with the Chimney Balloon sealing property. And if I am using a Chimney Balloon and a lock top damper … could I just use a Chimney Balloon, and not bother with the lock top damper? – GB
A: GB, Recently a homeowner in Detroit asked me the same question you are asking when he ordered 3 Chimney Balloons for his home. He had Lock-top dampers just like you, on all three chimneys as well. After he installed the Chimney Balloon he reported that it sealed just fine despite the chain or cable. The Chimney Balloon simply presses the chain or cable against the flue wall if the cable is relaxed. Or if the cable or chain is tight, the Chimney Balloon will envelop and expand around the cable causing no noticeable leak or draft. To read more on how to deal with the tight cable read this article: http://www.chimneyballoonusa.com/blog/2007/11/my-lock-top-or-.html As for your second question… a Chimney Balloon can work just fine all by itself. – Jason
by blogediter | Mar 21, 2018 | Save Energy
Save on A/C when it is hot outside
Q: Dear Jason,
Is there any purpose to using the Chimney Balloon in the summer to seal off chimneys in a house in Arizona that will be closed for the summer? And what if the property is occupied? Does it help with A/C savings? Keep in mind it gets very hot here, will that hurt the Chimney Balloon?
I understand its purpose in the north. I have a home in Illinois for which I am getting one. – KG
A: Dear KG,
We actually get this question a lot. I understand it does get very hot in Arizona (over 110 degrees F). The Chimney Balloon is essentially an air sealing and insulation device that plugs a major home envelope penetration (the chimney). Because of this, it saves A/C in the summer as well. Cool air doesn’t rise like hot air does so the difference is not as noticeable in the hot weather as in cold weather.
But, when you plug a hole in your house tightly it makes a difference on energy bills just by tightening the energy envelope of the home no matter if you are heating or cooling. Besides the insulation factor, homeowners often install a Chimney Balloon in the summer to stop chimney odors and insect and bird/bat entry through the flue.
Also, the Chimney Balloon can handle any temperature up to 180 degrees F. So as long as you don’t have a forecast of 185 degrees *whew* you should be fine. – Jason
by blogediter | Feb 8, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
The first thing to do before inserting the Chimella is to check the direction of your chimney. You need to know if your chimney goes straight up, does or it go to the left and does it go to the right. Look up and check the direction of your chimney. Place one Chimella and see how it will keep you warm, will save your energy and will save your money.
by blogediter | Jan 31, 2018 | Chimney Problems
Flies in fireplace
Flies in Fireplace
Q: Jason, I have an awful fly problem, and I think they are coming down the chimney looking to get away from the outside heat. Will the Chimney Balloon stop flies for sure? – MH
A: Hi MH, From our conversation on the phone, I was glad to hear you had your fireplace cleaned recently. Sometime fireplace flies have to do with a dead animal in the flue, or pigeons using your chimney top as an outhouse. But since you have a screened chimney top and a clean flue we can rule that out.
Flies and wasps coming down through the fireplace is a very common issue, and the Chimney Balloon does stop them. Especially in spring and fall insects follow food and other smells down into the fireplace chimney and end up inside. We get this questions so frequently there is a section of our website dedicated to it: http://www.chimneyballoon.us/bat_wasps_in_fireplace.html and some other blog articles regarding wasps as well: http://www.chimneyballoonusa.com/blog/2009/11/help-wasps-are-coming-in-through-my-fireplace-damper.html
The key to stopping flies in particular is to get an accurate measurement. Here is a section of the website that outlines how to do that measurement: http://www.chimneyballoon.us/Chimneyballoonsizing.html also you can give me a call or email pictures if you want advice on the measuring.
Once you have the measurements we need to get a Chimney Balloon for you that is as close to your measurements as possible (even if we have to go with a custom size), so you get a perfectly tight seal. Flies and maggots can be persistent in their entry techniques so you don’t want wrinkles in the Chimney Balloon from the too much extra material. – Jason
