How do I size up a coal burning fireplace with no damper for a Chimney Balloon plug?

How do I size up a coal burning fireplace with no damper for a Chimney Balloon plug?

Q: Jason, We have a coal-burning fireplace that we will never use. The chimney has a smoke shelf and (as far as I can tell) no damper. The chimney measures 14 X 16 just above the smoke shelf. I guess that means we will need to order a custom Chimney Balloon. How much would that cost and how do we go about doing it? – ST

A: ST, Just to be on the safe side I would go with a 15”X18” custom Chimney Balloon.

FYI, If your smoke shelf is far up your chimney you can also measure the space below the smoke shelf and before the damper if that allows enough space for the Chimney Balloon. The most important thing is to look for the most convenient space to reach. If the best location is higher than 12 inches past where you can touch with your hand, consider purchasing an HEK Extender with your Chimney Balloon. – Jason

Do I need a damper to use a chimney balloon, or can I just install it in a open flue?

Do I need a damper to use a chimney balloon, or can I just install it in a open flue?

Q: Jason, I’m originally from Florida and don’t know anything about fireplaces. I just bought a house in Utah and there is a very ugly wood burning furnace/insert in the fireplace. We plan to eventually put a gas insert there because air quality is bad in Salt Lake and we will never burn wood. So, we want to remove this fireplace insert monster but have no idea if there will be a flue/damper remaining in the chimney because there is already one that is a part of the insert.

My question is – should we put a damper on and then buy a Chimney Balloon? If we use a Chimney Balloon, do we need a flue/damper? If we need a damper, what type works well with a Chimney Balloon? – BU

A: Dear BU, I have good news and bad news for you in the damper department.

The Bad news; when you remove your insert you will very likely remove the damper as well. Most of the time when a fireplace insert is put in, the original fireplace damper is removed. There is usually a damper built right into the insert. Occasionally there is a throat butterfly damper as well but that is mostly with free standing stoves, not inserts. So let’s assume when you remove your insert you will have no damper.

The Good News: You can put a Chimney Balloon in the flue without a damper. On this website, we show all kinds of diagrams of how to install a Chimney Balloon around or with a damper because in most American fireplaces they have one. But if you have no damper it is actually easier to put in a Chimney Balloon because you have no hardware to contend with. So just measure the lowest spot in the flue that has parallel walls, and buy a Chimney Balloon that will fit that spot.

Let me know if you have more questions, I am happy to help. – Jason

How to seal plug a chimney with no damper.

How to seal plug a chimney with no damper.

Mikes Chimney

Q: Jason, We are trying to measure our chimney interior, but it is definitely impossible for us to get an accurate measurement. I personally thought it was about 24″ x 15″, while my financée thinks it’s 16″ x 14″…

We need to guess because we cannot reach the part where it begins to shrink in size. Nor will be able to stand in the chimney to place the Chimney Balloon inside. Currently, the only option we have is to lay on our back and reach upwards…Any suggestions?

We just moved into this house last month, and have realized that there is no damper. I personally noticed this when we got an $1100 oil bill after only 3 weeks..so all our heat escapes straight out the chimney. Any suggestions?

Also, the shape of our chimney is not at all like any of the examples you have on your site. How do we get some help on sizing, and learn exactly where to place the chimney pillow. We would like to get this in place as soon as possible, as it’s REALLY cold this time of year! Would it help if I drew an approximation of what our chimney looks like, and sent that your way to help? An immediate response would be greatly appreciated. Thanks-OTCR

A: OTCR-That drawing was very helpful, thank you. I have a few more questions for you before I answer with the best location. Is the inside surface of the chimney a rough material like brick or is it metal lining? Down near the base (the bottom of your drawing) is that the hearth opening? Does the top of the hearth have parallel walls? Regarding the lip drawn at the bottom of the drawing, is that a ridge at the top of the hearth? – Jason

Q: Jason – The chimney is definitely brick. Here is a scanned copy of what my chimney looks like. the bottom drawing is the view when laying on one’s back and looking up. Does this help with deciding the size and location of the Chimney Balloon?

As for the hearth, or what I believe you’re asking, there is a lip and then it opens up again before it becomes narrow. it only looks to be parallel at the very top where the chimney levels off and goes straight up. The bottom picture is exactly what i/we see when I lay on my back and look directly up.

(my fiancée drew the picture!!). I would guess that the opening is almost parallel. – OTCR

A: OTCR- Great, that is the best of all situations for surface texture and location. The slant of the chimney walls will force the top side of the Chimney Balloon downward, and the lip will force the bottom of the Chimney Balloon upward, effectively sandwiching it into place. The texture of the brick will also help the Chimney Balloon grab and seal to the sides of the flue wall.

So, measure the length and depth (width) of the opening just above that lip. When you know what those dimensions are, you can email them to me and I will let you know the size you need. There is a high probability that this will require a standard size Chimney Balloon. But custom sizes are available up to 3 feet by 6 feet in dimension.

Q: Jason – Okay I did the best I could when measuring just above the lip… I got 24 inches (or JUST short of 2 feet) by 14-15, possibly even 16 inches… boy is it cold in there… it’s definitely wasting our heat and we just had a huge snow storm…OTCR

A: OK a custom 24×16 would be the best fit for your fireplace. Unfortunately, it is a custom size that will take 14 days to build but I will get a hurry-up on your order and see if we can get done earlier. I feel very bad for you with that $1100 heating bill. – jason

My fireplace is cold and it doesn’t have a damper at all, should I convert it to a gas fireplace?

My fireplace is cold and it doesn’t have a damper at all, should I convert it to a gas fireplace?

Bath Yellow Fireplace

Q: Jason, My wife and I recently bought a fixer-upper and are almost ready to move in. We knew that we had to do some work to our brick wood burning fireplace, and have been really swaying toward putting in a gas direct vent insert. When I looked up into the flu I was surprised to see that we don’t have a damper AT ALL. The previous owners had removed it leaving us with a 1′ x 2′ opening going up into our flu. My question is, will the Chimney Balloon work for me if I want to convert my existing fireplace into a directly vented gas log? -JD

A: Dear JD, Considering the outside temperature isn’t getting any warmer at this time of year, I would suggest you get a Chimney Balloon in this fireplace very soon so you won’t be loosing your interior heat up the flue.

It could be that the previous owner had a vented gas log in this fireplace when he lived there (he must have taken it with him) and that is why the damper was removed. Building code states that a vented gas log fireplace must have the metal damper removed or clipped open regardless if the fireplace is in use or not.

The reason for this code is to keep people with vented gas logs from accidentally asphyxiating the occupants of the home by burning the gas log with the damper closed. The side effect of this building code is wholesale heat and A/C loss 24/7 through the flue.

Many vented gas log owners opt to use a Chimney Balloon in the flue to stop the heat and A/C loss. If they accidentally light the gas log before manually removing the Chimney Balloon it is designed to shrink and burst and still allow the fireplace gasses to escape. This saves the occupants of the home but sacrifices the Chimney Balloon.

When you install a direct vent fireplace insert I suggest you have it vented through the wall and have the flue plugged with a Chimney Balloon. Even if you decide to wait on upgrading the fireplace get that balloon in right away. If you decide to vent the new direct vent gas fireplace up the chimney, you will still have to work out some way to plug the rest of the flue around the vent pipes. – Jason

#99: What Chimney Plug Do I Use if I have No Damper?

#99: What Chimney Plug Do I Use if I have No Damper?

#99: What Chimney Plug Do I Use if I have No Damper?

Fireplace #99: Wide-Open Smoke Chamber and Flue, No Hardware

These fireplaces with no damper or hardware are usually quite old. They represent a worst-possible-case-scenario for heating and cooling loss. Once you get this plugged, you will notice an immediate difference in the home.

You can basically take your pick from the chimney plugs we offer. You just need to select the height you want to plug the flue, and measure length and width of that location (image 99-1)
Here are the advantages of each:

  • The Flueblocker comes in many sizes. So you can select one that is slightly larger than your measurements and press-fit it in place. This wool pad offers a tight seal and insulation properties.  This is good if you prefer a fix it and forget it solution. (image 99-3)
  • The Chimney Balloon provides a tight seal and sound buffering capability. It is an inflatable, so it is less durable that the wool plug. The Chimney Balloon is about 10″ tall when inflated. So you must install it low in the flue where the walls are parallel, so it can grab the walls. It does particularly well at stopping odors and bugs. (image 99-4)