One of the most significant reasons for having an unused chimney and fireplace sealed is the improvement of air quality. 0800 246 1250. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Inflation tubes for easy install are included with all chimney balloon orders on purchase.ie orders and we won't be beaten on price anywhere. Features a hole in its center. More layers of bricks are added until the fireplace opening is shut or blocked off completely. All of these reasons are valid and help determine the next line of action to take in sealing up the fireplace or chimney. If you want an easy way to temporarily block and unused fireplace flue to stop a draft, you should consider installing a top sealing damper. Miller holds a diploma in social services from Clarke College in Belleville, Ontario. You can cap your chimney or – if you use it occasionally – block the draught with an inflatable chimney … Sealing it airtight prevents household moisture from escaping and this can cause decay. Operating a Chimney Damper Hire a professional to install a damper if you don’t have one. Being unable to use a chimney may be due to multiple reasons. Chimney caps protect the inside of your chimney and the inside of your home from weather damage and outdoor pests. Remove the cap on the chimney. In short YES, There are many factors to why you should cap off a unused chimney, but it has to be done properly and just not blocked off at the top of the stack. You may need to use a screwdriver to loosen screws holding it in place. External chimney pots – Here you can see how the chimney pots connect to their corresponding flues and in turn to the fireplaces. Fit a chimney cowl to the chimney at the top. Very easy to install and can easily be removed if necessary. Block chimney draughts. How to permanently block a chimney. Do not attempt to use the chimney after it has been closed. So, how should you maintain balance when sealing your chimney to prevent energy loss? That is because a chimney needs some ventilation. Any of these methods will serve your needs. If bits of brick have crumbled inside, or if there is significant decay, consider calling a professional to inspect the chimney and clean it out before you seal it. The rain cannot get in, but it is not sealed air tight, which does allow any inside moisture to slowly get out. Consider sealing it only at the top or the bottom. Is it acceptable to block off the top and bottom of an unused chimney in a new house without providing ventilation to the space? When used daily as they are intended to be used, fireplaces can be efficient. Understanding these two terms is necessary for deciding on the appropriate actions and calculating costs. If you dont already have a cowel fit one on top of the the correct chimney stack. Just mentioning these chimney sealing methods won’t be enough without providing some form of information. Watch and listen to Shell answer a question from one of his HouseSmart Club members who wants to know how to block off their unused chimney. We’ve seen that this process is either temporary or permanent. Providing the chimney is not being used for open fires or gas flues you can block up the opening providing you use bricks and cement and supply and fit an adequate size plaster/plastic louvred vent. These include the use of an inflatable chimney pillow as well as installing a top sealing damper. When moisture gets trapped due to the absence of ventilation, it adversely affects the chimney. Treated energy from HVAC systems is bound to escape through the chimney or fireplace when it isn’t sealed. This is followed by the cementing of masonry using special bricks known as air-flow bricks to aid with ventilation. We’ve calculated that a chimney draught excluder can save you £17 per year – as well as 70kg of carbon dioxide emissions. This example is a 1930’s semi detached, the neighbour’s pots can be seen in the row behind. I want to block them up to try and keep the heat in a little better. This can either be done permanently or partially depending on what works for you. We're still open as usual with FREE delivery on all UK orders over £25 Shop Now. Only one chimney is still in use for a multifuel burner, one was sealed many years ago while the other two have vents into the bedrooms where fireplaces used to exist. This means sealing the chimney at the top and the bottom. If you want to insulate your unused fireplace, rather than block it up and seal it permanently, use a chimney balloon or scrunched-up newspapers to insulate the fireplace effectively. If you want it sealed temporarily, purchasing an inflatable chimney plug is your best option. How to block disused chimney? It doesn’t matter the size of your chimney crown. As people spend more of their time indoors, it becomes necessary to ensure that there’s enough supply of fresh air in the home. Warn guests in your home that the chimney is not in use and has been closed. Leaks and structural damage are the most common reasons for wanting to remove a chimney stack, and in such cases, you will have the option of simply covering over the rest of an unused chimney when you extend the roof over the gap left by the stack. This is because quite a lot of work is needed to make a fire, and maintain the general functionality of the chimney including the removal of creosote and soot among others. Certain fireplaces are pieces of art. Search (0) Home; Shop. If you wish to temporarily seal up an unused chimney, there are effective ways to go about it. There is no need to remove the fireback from the fireplace, although if a back boiler is fitted, this should be removed once the plumbing has been isolated and disconnected. Most people prefer to hire a professional when capping their chimney, but you can technically install a cap on your own. However, such a delicate task shouldn’t be performed by you especially when you have little experience or know-how about the task at hand. A secure chimney cap must be installed to keep out debris and moisture. This significantly increases the appeal of the fireplace. Then if you're keeping the fire place close up the throat and this will stop soot and lining material falling but you must keep a small vent to allow air flow. Purchase a chimney balloon. A functional fireplace adds both visual and decorative warmth to a room, no matter how cold the air outdoors. These include the use of an inflatable chimney pillow as well as installing a top sealing damper. While the idea of a fireplace is romantic, it might be a nuisance in practice. 9" Round Chimney Flueblocker – Herdwick Wool Wood Stove and Fireplace Draft Stopper Plug Excluder, Better Than an Inflatable Balloon or Pillow Saves Energy Blocks Drafts Fireplace Smells and … Draught-proofing your chimney is best done by installing a Chimney Draught Stopper into your fireplace. Plus it keeps the chimney as an asset to the home. Also, the sealing damper keeps out moisture from your chimney. Ventilation needs to be provided to the chimney space to avoid moisture collecting on the soot and smoke deposits within the chimney and forming damp areas, this can easily be achieved by building in … Luckily, there's a way to keep the cold downdraft out by installing a chimney balloon. When used daily as they are intended to be used, fireplaces can be efficient. Even new cast-iron dampers allow air loss. A damper … Block unused chimney. There are a few products you can purchase to block the chimney just above the damper. Not everyone wants to temporarily seal of their unused chimney and fireplace. I have a leak in my roof because of flashing that was badly installed by the previous owners of the home. If you want to permanently block a chimney, the extreme solution would be to brick up the front of the fireplace or chimney breach, tear … The primary reason for that is the fact that concrete block chimneys are by far the most porous and hence require extra protection. If you fall under this category, sealing your unused chimney may be your best bet. Now, ventilation is necessary to allow for moisture escape. It is common for an unused chimney to be reused later on. Chimney balloons come in lots of different sizes to ensure you get a snug fit within the chimney, helping to keep draughts at a minimum. Warning! The Insul-Plug blocks old, unused thimble holes in masonry chimneys. Is it acceptable to block off the top and bottom of an unused chimney in a new house without providing ventilation to the space? This example is a 1930’s semi detached, the neighbour’s pots can be seen in the row behind. Plus, you can even decide to have it removed altogether. Unlike the inflatable chimney pillow which is placed at the chimney bottom, true to its name, the top sealing damper is designed to be placed at the top or above the chimney crown. The procedures involved can be overwhelming for some people. None have been used in the nearly 30 years that I have been in the home but I am contemplating installing a wood burning stove in one of the fireplaces and using one of the flues. One of the decisions you’ll have to make at some point regarding your chimney is to either seal them temporarily or permanently. Simply cut a tight fitting plug out of foam insulation and block the hole on the bottom. Put on heavy work gloves, and use tin snips to cut a piece of sheet metal to the same measurements as the chimney opening. There are a few products you can purchase to block the chimney just above the damper. One of them includes a chimney that has run out its course. Operating a chimney can be stressful for some people. Can you block up a chimney? Whatever the reasons may be, sealing a chimney and fireplace the right way is more important. In most cases, the need to seal a chimney will be due to it being underutilized or completely unused. What energy? Measuring 1000mm long x 300mm wide and 100mm thick, a Chimney Draught Stopper is easily trimmed to shape and be inserted into the throat of your chimney. Even new cast-iron dampers allow air loss. Before deciding on whether your chimney needs to be sealed temporarily or permanently, there have to be real reasons. Cooled or heated air from inside your home can escape through the chimney, causing your HVAC system to work harder. When it's time to use the chimney again, all you have to do is deflate the plug and pull it out. External chimney pots – Here you can see how the chimney pots connect to their corresponding flues and in turn to the fireplaces. Another reason for being unable to use a chimney has to do with local ordinances prohibiting the use of wood as burning fuel for chimneys. Sealing an unused chimney and fireplace is necessary as it helps keep it safe. They are easy to use, but only if you have access to the interior of your chimney. There are multiple top-sealing damper sizes to choose from. Sealing up an unused brick fireplace chimney will save money on your heating bills and increase your comfort level at home.In addition to letting in cold, these chimneys pull hot air out of the house. It is relatively simple to insulate a chimney to reduce heat loss now, but not eliminate the possibility of using it again in the future. Chimneys used with open fireplaces are designed to extract air from the house, whether or not a fire is burning. Such modifications may have to do with the creation of storage space. Unused chimneys usually aren’t ventilated properly, so moisture can easily get trapped inside with no way out. There are different approaches to doing this. When implementing such modifications, however, it’s necessary to ensure you make provisions for ventilation as discussed earlier. Any of these methods will serve your needs. Blocking an unused chimney. ... a good idea so that the chimney is still a ventilated space so consider leaving a small gap or hole somewhere when you block the chimney off.