Blocking chimneys

BadAngel

We are living in an old house (more than 100 years old). There are 6 fireplaces in the house and I am convinced that they are largely to blame for the amount of head that is escaping. Can anyone suggest how we could block the chimneys? It is possible to pump them with insulation?

I would use a chimney ballon, fairly inexpensive and easy to fit.

You have to be careful when blocking a chimney because if it's not easy to identify it's been blocked and someone lights a fire it can end badly .



http://www.chimneyballoon.ie

BadAngel

Thanks, have already tried that but it's not great. As it's an old chimney, it's a bit of an odd shape so the balloon doesn't seal it as well as it would if it were a newer chimney. Does heat only escape up through the fireplace or can it escape further up, ie through the chimney breast over the fireplace?

I believe there are chimney pots that can be put on the chimney to seal it, these make me nervous because I have heard of more than one instance where the fire was lit with the chimney capped.

If you do cap the chimney then that will reduce your heat loss.

The chimney is a void allowing your heated air to leave the room, if you block from the bottom the rest is open to atmosphere but I can't see that being a big problem as you've stopped air movement, if you blocked it from the top the chimney will still absorb heat but I would expect that to be minimal depending on your loft installation.

BadAngel

Thank you, Gary71

Billy Bunting

If its over 100yrs then its could be stone built, oil stone houses are hard to keep the heat it i know i have one, i dry lined all my wall but found i was still getting a draft, it turned out the be the wall between floor and above the ceiling where the stone wasnt plastered, over time the lime mortar had broken down and was allowing a draft from the loft, firbeglass insulation against the wall below the floor cued it.

hotpotato

Hi. OP We are in a very simar situation to you. Could I ask whether you solved the issue? And what did you do? I think we are heating the atmosphere through our chimneys