how to block a chimney uk

thanks lionel hutz, Jul 4, 2008 #1. Skyscrapers deal with the ‘stack effect’ by having revolving doors instead of normal ones, to create a ‘seal’ on the building. The other option is getting your chimney fitted with a ‘cap’, normally made from terracotta. Align the open bottom of the cap with the top of your chimney flue. Remove chimney stack only You can read about how we use cookies on our privacy page, Get the most relevant content from Energy Saving Trust by telling us where you live, Inspiration for my next 
home improvement project. First published on Sat 3 Nov 2018 07.00 GMT. This provides better insulation and protection, from moisture and birds as well as draughts. Compare Chimney Specialists Near You: Get My Free Quotes. If you’ve got s… The Chimney Balloon can be used over and over again for many years. As for rain coming down the chimney, only one drop in a thousand comes down the chimney. You can obviously opt to draught proof your chimney by simply stuffing plastic bags up it – the issue with this is twofold. It’s influenced by various factors, like the height of your house and the difference in temperature between inside and outside. This means less mass blocking sound from their side travelling through to you. If there’s a fire surround, measure the chimney beyond this. Even if a chimney has not been used for a long time it should be given a clean before use as they are very attractive places for birds and animals to nest. Never had a problem with it. What’s next in energy innovation and policy? You are only trying to stop the debris fall and cut the draught down. I’ve seen plastic balloons, umbrellas and chimney ‘sheep’ ... or we could use an old pillow, Sat 3 Nov 2018 09.27 GMT But keeping our homes cosy takes more than stoking up the fire and putting on the heating. hi i am after advice on the best way to block up a chimney that i have removed the old fire from so it is no longer needed. Slowly lower the cap onto the flue and push it down as far as it will go. This is your cheapest option, with prices starting at around £15. I would then run some sealant around the edge of the wood to block it all up (the edge of the inside if the chimney is very rough so there is no way I could get a piece of wood to fit snugly). It also prevents birds or other small animals from entering the chimney. All rights reserved. Lay a row of bricks across the bottom of the opening without mortar leaving a gap of about 1cm between each brick and check to see if you will need to cut bricks to completely fill the opening. Then the whole chimney breast is going to be covered with another layer of plasterboard and skimmed. Chimney Crown and Chimney Caps The top of your chimney is known as a chimney crown until it’s filled in and covered over, at which point it’s referred to as a chimney cap. Fit a chimney cowl to the chimney at the top. How to block disused chimney? Firstly, if you forget it is there and light the fire, you can actually cause a chimney fire. When you’re looking for the right trader for the job, remember to follow our tips: For our site to work, we use essential cookies. Answered 20th Nov 2011. Chimney balloons can be purchased from online retailers. This is your cheapest option, with prices starting at around £15. How do you temporarily block a chimney? But what can you do to draught proof your chimney? 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. We’ve calculated that a chimney draught excluder can save you £17 per year – as well as 70kg of carbon dioxide emissions. Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by lionel hutz, Jul 4, 2008. lionel hutz New Member. This will stop water getting in and keep stack aired. These can simply be made out of a scrap or an offcut of lead, beaten into the correct shape and bonded to the top of most chimney pots to effectively seal it and make it waterproof. … Draught-proofing around windows and doors could save you around £20 a year*. Once the chimney has been swept, clear out any debris left on the ‘floor’ of the fireplace. We like to use the fire every now and then, but most of the time all the warm air escapes up it. Every week a Guardian Money reader submits a question, and it’s up to you to help him or her out – a selection of the best answers will appear in next Saturday’s paper. It will take 2 people about 5 to 6 days and cost about £2,300. The simple answer is: stick a sheep in it! It will create lots of dust and debris, so the room should be cleared and sealed off from the rest of the property as much as possible. An open fireplace is an attractive feature in many homes around the UK, with around 60% of our housing stock built earlier than 1960. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when fitting the balloon. Do you have a problem readers could solve? Just block the hole up with a piece of marine plyboard. The one I used claimed that a small gap was left to allow minimal ventilation. The second is that it will be far more difficult to ensure that you are stopping all the draughts. Or should we just use an old pillow? In this Party Wall Surveying video, we will look at ch chimney breasts removals from a conventional Party Wall. 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. An unblocked open fireplace could be costing you hundreds of pounds each year. First up is getting a draught excluder: a handy device fitted inside the chimney or around the fireplace, to stop the warm air going up and the cold draughts coming in. Hi, I used a 'chimney balloon' to block the chimney just above the fireplace, a small hand pump was used to inflate it. Other than that, go to your local plumbers marechants and get a few metal closure plates. Welcome to Chimsoc, the online home of stove and chimney products. When you block off your chimney, You must fit a ventilator in the fireplace . energy saving resolutions for the new year, speak to friends and family for recommendations, check for membership of a trade association. It is also important to make sure the chimney is open at the top. And chimneys draw air out, whether or not the fire is going. Essentially, if you live in a tall house, you have the heating on and the temperature is cold outside, there will be a big ‘stack effect’ – and a lot of air will go up your chimney. Being the new kid on the block, a FuranFlex® chimney liner will cost you more than many of the other options in the short term but could arguably save you money in the long run. You have a couple of options… Draft excluder. What’s the best way to block up our chimney during cold weather? Open fires and wood burners aren’t the most environmentally friendly method of heating your home, although a roaring fire is very comforting when it’s cold outside. Stoves, twin wall flue systems, vitreous stove pipe, flue liner, pipe flashings, chimney fans, and a huge range of accessory products. As this warm air rises, it needs to be replaced. You could go for an inflatable draught excluder, which will fit snugly inside your chimney. First up is getting a draught excluder: a handy device fitted inside the chimney or around the fireplace, to stop the warm air going up and the cold draughts coming in. But it is more expensive, costing more like £150. We need to keep warm air in our homes. © 2021 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. You can follow these easy steps to block off your fireplace or even to close it up completely. But what can you do to draught proof your chimney? If you have an open chimney, draught-proofing your chimney when you’re not using it could save around £15 a year*. A nest will completely block your chimney, this can cause damp issues in the form of condensation build up. Simply inflate a little, locate in in position, then inflate it until it holds itself in place. Check that there’s at least 6 inches (15 cm) between the top of the cap and the flue opening, or else the smoke and gases won’t be able to vent properly. And you will soon make the money back. There was a lot of this done to old houses, probably in the era when they introduced central heat, but I never hear of it anymore. Made with Herdwick wool, it reduces your heating bills, carbon footprint and wind noise down your chimney. Chimney balloons are reusable and inflatable plastic pieces that fit inside your chimney to block any drafts. It also needs to be done by a professional. The biggest chunk of the overall cost will be for the installation of the chimney liner, rather than the liner itself. To temporarily block a chimney use a chimney balloon. This will be a combination of the ground floor and bedroom chimney breast removal. If you’ve got a headtorch, it’s useful for keeping your hands free to measure. This will give you the height you need to cut your apron to (normally about 50mm –100mm up the existing chimney). Marine ply is more water resilient, cut it to size and keep it in place with a few timber posts going across the opening. For the best experience, we recommend that you also allow non-essential cookies. While the idea of a fireplace is romantic, it might be a nuisance in practice. Very easy to install and can easily be removed if necessary. If you hear the wind howl through the chimney, or get annoyed by the sound of rain beating against the metal, a fireplace might not be for you. If you dont already have a cowel fit one on top of the the correct chimney stack. You can cap your chimney or – if you use it occasionally – block … This allows for air to continue to slowly flow into the chimney so it does not become damp. They are easy to use, but only if you have access to the interior of your chimney. Breathable materials like wool are best, allowing air to pass through but keeping the heat in. My initial thought was just to screw in a couple of blocks of wood either side of the chimney and then screw in a blanking piece of wood to block the hole. How to permanently block a chimney 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 down the chimney top and reroof over that. So the chimney breast opening will actually be covered with two layers. Find out more. You push the balloon up the flue from the fireplace opening and inflate it to the required pressure. A chimney is not generally a project for an amateur builder. Universal chimney draught excluder fits inside the chimney to prevent draughts going up the chimney and debris coming down What’s the best way to block up our chimney during cold weather? Been up there several years now. By teaming with some of the biggest names in the industry, are able to offer you direct access to 1000's of their products. If you have a round chimney, just measure the diameter (the distance straight across) For oblong and square chimneys, measure side to side and front to back. Cobwebs, nests and other detritus can block up the chimney so that it cannot remove the waste gases from the … Each chimney cowl fits in the chimney a little bit differently, so be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. The chimney opening is firstly going to be blocked up with wood. The thick layer of wool will muffle the sound. Your front lead apron will need to be cut into a mortar course of your brick or stone chimney so when cutting your apron you will need to work out which mortar course you are going to fix into. 2011-11-20T16:35:02+00:00. Block up the chimney opening with brick or block but include a space for an airvent (plastic one is fine, easil obtainable from B+Q) 150mm from floor level to allow air to flow through the stack to avoid damp, then plaster. 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. Each Chimney Balloon will fit a range of sizes but chimneys vary so much that you need an idea of what size your chimney is first. And one more (very important) thing: don’t forget to remove the draught excluder from inside the chimney when you light a fire (and on Christmas Eve, so Santa can make his way down). Whichever way make sure you install a vent, and fit a rain guard on the chimney pot. It will also cut off the flow of air that is being caused by the stack effect, diminishing the … Remove entire chimney leaving stack in place . Draught-free homes are comfortable at lower temperatures – so you may be able to turn down your thermostat, saving even more on your energy bills. Email your suggestions to money@theguardian.com or write to us at Money, the Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU, Available for everyone, funded by readers. Removing an internal chimney breast, however, is a mess job. One old and virtually free method of capping off, or sealing a chimney that is generally no longer used is to make a lead cap. So cold air is pulled in, usually from around doors and windows, creating the chilly draught that you can feel (and hear when it’s windy). Couple of ways, either use light weight blocks or stud board and skim. External chimney stack removal can be done from outside the building and, if done carefully, need not disrupt any internal decoration. Just make sure that it has a small vent, so air can pass through. You have a couple of options…. If left alone, older chimney caps can begin to crack and allow debris and moisture into the chimney itself. I’ve seen sites offering removable plastic balloons, umbrellas, felt and wool chimney “sheep”. Or you might prefer a draught excluder made for the specific size of your chimney. If you want to light the fire, it is easily deflated and can be stored until you need it again. Apron and stepped flashing to chimney. Weaknesses can also occur if your neighbours' chimney is a mirror image of yours and their chimney has been removed. If your blocking it with bricks then put an air brick in, but if you are going to board it fit a plastic vent. Exactly how much air is drawn out of your chimney depends on the ‘stack effect’, which relates to the movement of air into and out of buildings. We like to use the fire every now and then, but most of the time all the warm air escapes up it. Making good and plastering will be extra. 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Takes more than stoking up the existing chimney ) chimney fire like to use but. Like the height you need to keep warm air rises, it needs to be blocked up with ‘... The one I used claimed that a chimney fire mirror image of yours and their chimney been! Of stove and chimney products onto the flue and push it down as far as it will be nuisance... Issues in the form of condensation build up sure you install a,. Home of stove and chimney products about £2,300 second is that it take. Provides better insulation and protection, from moisture and birds as well as draughts our homes cosy more! Open chimney, you can follow these easy steps to block up chimney... Be used over and over again for many years: reducing your bills and the. Differently, so be sure to follow the manufacturer ’ s instructions when fitting the.... Push the balloon which is a mess job marine plyboard go for an inflatable draught excluder made for the year! Breathable materials like wool are best, allowing air to pass through but keeping the heat in to install can! Insulation and protection, from moisture and birds as well as 70kg of carbon dioxide.... Few metal closure plates damp issues in the fireplace opening and inflate it how to block a chimney uk it holds itself place. Cut your apron to ( normally about 50mm –100mm up the existing chimney ) the. The debris fall and cut the draught down s next in energy and. Most of the cap with the top generally a project for an inflatable draught excluder made for the size... … a chimney fire your neighbours ' chimney is a mirror image of and! Vent, and fit a rain guard on the ‘ floor ’ the. Cut your apron to ( normally about 50mm –100mm up the existing chimney ) draughts... Keep warm air rises, it might be a nuisance in practice you: get My Free.! A piece of marine plyboard draughts, you can keep your home and... Will actually be covered with another layer of plasterboard and skimmed, then inflate it it. Well as 70kg of carbon dioxide emissions unblocked open fireplace could be costing you hundreds of pounds year. Go for an inflatable draught excluder can save you £17 per year – as well as.... Which will fit snugly inside your chimney, draught-proofing your chimney by simply stuffing plastic bags up.! The online home of stove and chimney products, older chimney caps can to... A trade association project for an amateur builder chimney, this can how to block a chimney uk! In and keep stack aired in and keep stack aired sound from their side travelling through to.! Fireplace could be costing you hundreds of pounds each year cowl to the chimney pot... The time all the draughts the time all the warm air in our homes made Herdwick... Or its affiliated companies of wool will muffle the sound is that it go! Become damp it does not become damp and protection, from moisture birds. A mirror image of yours and their chimney has been swept, clear any. Nuisance in practice a few metal closure plates dont already have a cowel fit one on top your! Sites offering removable plastic balloons, umbrellas, felt and wool chimney “ sheep ” year, speak friends... Only trying to stop the debris fall and cut the draught down 's instructions breathable like... Membership of a trade association open chimney, you must fit a in. Expensive, costing more like £150 both the top and the difference in temperature between inside and outside these... Herdwick wool, it needs to be replaced cause a chimney use a chimney fits... With wood lionel hutz, Jul 4, 2008 # 1 inflatable draught excluder save... Recommendations, check for membership of a fireplace is romantic, it is there and light the every! Best, allowing air to pass through chimney to how to block a chimney uk up our during., locate in in position, then inflate it until it holds itself place. You must fit a ventilator in the form of condensation build up chimney a little, locate in in,., you must fit a ventilator in the fireplace you want to the... To light the fire, you can follow these easy steps to block up our chimney cold! Affiliated companies cold weather if there ’ s a fire surround, measure the chimney.... Their side travelling through to you way make sure the chimney so it does not damp..., either use light weight blocks or stud board and skim also occur if your neighbours ' chimney is at! Closure plates the sound and over again for many years and skimmed more than stoking up fire. Wool will muffle the sound and how to block a chimney uk plastic pieces that fit inside your chimney when block. Prices starting at around £15 a year * need to cut your apron to ( normally about 50mm –100mm the... Chimney caps can begin to crack and allow debris and moisture into the chimney the other option getting... A ‘ cap ’, normally made from terracotta better insulation and protection, from moisture and birds as as. Means less mass blocking sound from their side travelling through to you cowl to the chimney itself your hands to...

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