Chimeny cowl to prevent heat loss

Dayglo

Hi folks,

Alot of my heat in my sitting room dissappears up my chimney in winter time.
My chimney does not have any cowls on it and I located a product on this website:

http://www.dunboygreenerhomes.ie/Brochure.pdf

Was just wondering has anybody here got one of these installed on their chimney, and was it worth it???

Any advice much appreciated

Thank u

JohnnieK

Never seen them before to be honest. A chimney balloon is the best way to seal your chimney. That's what I used for a couple of years and it was great. I installed an inset stove last year and that's just as good for sealing when not in use as the balloon.

hopalong_ie

My solution was an old fleese dressing gown in a black bag jammed up the chimney :-) Currently in the process of making up a plug with ventilation hole from a Polyiso board. As with you my heating bill is noticibly less since I blocked it. I do make a point of lighting two good fires a month in winter and one a month in summer dependent on weather and if it has rained heavily or snowed I will take it out and put on a fire. No issues to date with this although it is tempting fate.

Should note I only have electrical heating and no sources of Carbon Monoxide bar the fire itself so I can get away with it.

DGOBS

FYI this cowl cannot be used with gas appliances, and could present a danger of spillage of flue gases into the room

Blocking any flue is a dangerous practice, I have had contact with one instance where the flue was stuffed with a pillow, subsequently the house was sold and new owners lit the gas fire and 2 died! please be extremely careful with this practice

JohnnieK

DGOBS wrote: »

FYI this cowl cannot be used with gas appliances, and could present a danger of spillage of flue gases into the room

Blocking any flue is a dangerous practice, I have had contact with one instance where the flue was stuffed with a pillow, subsequently the house was sold and new owners lit the gas fire and 2 died! please be extremely careful with this practice

Wow holy ****e. When did this happen? I've only heard stories but the worst I've come across was a blocked vent.

DGOBS

Was about 5-6 years ago now, but came across nearly the same thing last year (was paper stuffed up that one) and was checking the flue while there on a boiler breakdown! fire looked very tatty, do did a few checks...thank god!
As they had been using the fire for over a week for short periods in the evenings.

Another occurred a few months back, think it was Clare, but not 100% where some ladies were having afternoon tea I believe, and lit the gas fire but a bird had nested in the flue, seemingly one went home sick and raised the alarm, when emergency services arrived they were found unconscious in the room.

A relation of a good friend of mine lost their life in a horrible CO accident in Co Laois a while back when they climbed into a pellet stove hopper to unblock the auger, the mans wife tried to get him out and nearly lost her own life too.

CO kills!

Lex Luthor

sorry to jump on in this thread but I'm also looking for feedback on this chimney closure

We've started to use our open fire after many years but only plan to use it occasionally. As a result, I have removed what we had permanently stuffed up the fireplace to stop drafts.

On the occasions that we wont be using the fire, which is more often than when we will be using it, I'd like a solution to block off the chimney to stop drafts.

I've seen 2 devices on the market

Chimney Damper by Eco Efficiency

Chimney Closure

The chimney damper by eco efficiency is €275 supplied & fitted and the chimney closure is €375 supplied & fitted

We have a crow guard already installed, but doesnt seem to stop smaller birds coming in and I've seen crows squeezing thro them aswell

Does anybody have either of the above products and if so, share your experience of them?

Is the product from eco efficiency just a flap that closes the opening when the chain is pulled? Is there a chance over the years that the seal on this could be compromised with soot build up?

Just wondering what the pros & cons of both products are...

DGOBS

Think I would prefer a ballon to either, at least it will pop with the heat generated by an open fire.

NEVER close or partially block a flue for a gas fire

Lex Luthor

mine is a solid fuel fire...