Don’t forget to add a dust mask or respirator to your chimney sweep outfit when sweeping the flue. Creosote is considered a carcinogen.

A plug, also known as a chimney balloon or draught stopper among other names used for these devices, and there are several benefits to using them, take a look at some of the benefits below: Energy efficiency You can’t use regular garbage bags for this, you need construction grade garbage bags that are tough enough to not tear when you force them up the chimney. You can test your chimneys condition with a smoke test. Use smoke pellets to see how the chimney draws and if it leaks.

Seal Your Fireplace Forever!

We are now hosting a wide range of chimney cowls from the Metal Anti-Down-draught company MAD. They have been manufacturing chimney cowls and associated ventilation products for over 20 years! In this time they have developed the most comprehensive chimney cowl product range. This consists of anti down draught cowls, bird-guards, caps and spinning chimney cowls. Their main focus is offering a quality product to reduce or eradicate any problems that are being experienced. Work gloves. If you’re using fiberglass or mineral wool, you’ll want to protect your hands. Otherwise you’ll be really itchy. That’s really all there is to it. When you decide to have a fire, gently remove the plug and try not to rip the plastic bag. But if you do rip it, just replace the bag. You can do that about 70 times before you’ve reached the cost of one chimney balloon! Seal both fireplaces lower in the chimney using 2 pieces of the Chimney Draught Stopper (or potentially 2 Chimney Draught Stoppers- depending on size). Once you have determined the size of the chimney flue, select a chimney plug that is slightly smaller than the flue.

You’ll need to measure your flue and choose the brush that’s about ¼ inch larger than the flue. An estimate of the length of the flue will tell you how many rod sections you’ll need. It’s been about a month since we did this DIY, so I don’t have any financial results to report on yet. I can tell just by standing in front of each fireplace that air is not drafting in and out any longer. The bag in the dining room fireplace has not budged, but we did have to shove the bag in the living room fireplace up once after it slipped down. So far, it is defying gravity and staying put the second time around.Balanced flue gas fires are available in inset or outset versions and are glass fronted. They require installation on a suitable outside wall of a property. By cutting out draughts, you can keep your home nice and cosy. You will also use less heating, which is a win win: reducing your bills and helping the planet. The climate is changing due to emissions of greenhouse gases resulting from human activity, and heating buildings currently accounts for more than a third of the UK’s emissions. Your CO detector should be placed within 300 mm from any wall, between 1 and 3 metres horizontally from the appliance as high up as possible and not within 150mm of the ceiling. Fortunately, there’s a more reliable and economical option for air sealing your chimney. The Department of Energy’s otheradvice, if you don’t want to buy a chimney balloon, is to just make a chimney plug yourself. Yes, folks—the cheap and effective DIY solution below is also an official recommendation from the United States Government! What You’ll Need Fiberglass plugs are lightweight, easy to install, and can withstand extreme temperatures, normally they are less durable than metal stoppers.