by blogediter | Mar 29, 2019 | Fireplaces
Q: Dear Jason, Help! I have a very nice EPA rated wood stove that was put in about a year ago. It was installed in my lower level and the trouble is it smells of creosote and smoke smell when I am not using it. I know it is negative pressure bringing the smokey stink back into the house. Can I plug the flue with a Chimney Balloon to prevent the backdraft from bringing the smell back in? – TW
A: Dear TW, It depends on what type of stove you have. The image to the left is the inside top of an Avalon woodstove that has firebrick baffles on the top of the firebox. These brick baffles can be removed and it gives you easy access to the round flue so you can install a 9×9 Chimney Balloon when it is not being used. In the picture, you can see the one brick is being lifted because they just set in there by gravity.
Other wood stoves are completely metal-clad in the firebox and the baffles are welded steel. In these fireplaces, you often have no access to the flue through the firebox.
On occasion, you can get access to another part of the chimney through a clean-out door portal. Usually, these are outside and near a bend in the chimney or pipe.
You have to have access to the woodstove flue or chimney to plug it with a Chimney Balloon. – Jason
by blogediter | Oct 3, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Fall & Winter
Q: Who can come out to measure the size needed for the installation of the Chimney Balloon? Do they install?
A: If you prefer not to do the sizing and install of a Chimney Balloon yourself, you can have your local chimney sweep do it. Most Chimney Sweeps are already familiar with the product. It is good to have a chimney cleaned every so often anyway to remove dangerous creosote buildup. When the chimney sweep comes over to clean your chimney you can show him or her the sizing page on this website (or you can email them about it in advance) and they can certainly size a Chimney Balloon up for you according to the directions. It is a very simple measurement, so it should not cost any extra in labor.
Installation of a Chimney Balloon is even easier than measuring for one, this page shows how it is installed. http://www.chimneyballoon.us/chimneyballooninstall.html
But you could call any chimney sweep to install it as well. That will likely cost you another house call though.
by blogediter | May 7, 2018 | Chimney Plugs
Q: Jason – I bought a Fireplace Chimney Creosote Sweep Log. You burn it like another log and it is supposed to release fumes to loosen creosote in the chimney. Do those things really work? – FW
A: It would be unfair to say that the chimney sweep type logs make no difference in your fireplace chimney. They, in fact, make such a small difference that it is almost imperceivable. But they do have a very effective marketing strategy. I don’t recommend them as maintenance items for fireplace chimneys. The chimneysweep type logs tend to give a homeowner a false sense of proper maintenance on sweeping their chimney. Nothing beats a good old brush scrubbing and inspection. – Jason
