Temporary chimney plugs (ventilation)

[Grenage]

Hi chaps,

Our new place has reasonably sized fireplace, which is great,as we always wanted an open fire for the occasional bit of evening ambiance. It's not going to be used too often, so I figure I should put some sort of plug in place during inactivity. I'm aware of chimney balloons and the like, but I can't see why I need to spent £30 when a bag of old t-shirts or rockwool will do the job.

I figured I'd stick a pipe through the middle of the plug for a bit of ventilation (and useful for putting in and taking out), but I don't know what the minimum should be. Am I looking at overflow pipe diameter, or 40mm waste diameter?

Cheers in advance.

 

[foxhole]

You economy methods will block the chimney but ulikely to be 100% effective so you will still have ventilation.

 

[Grenage]

Ah cheers, I'll not stress too much about it, then!

 

[Bosswhite]

I did the same with our open fireplace, a bin bag filled with old plastic shopping bags, as Foxy says the its not a tight fit so there is ventilation at least it stops the high winds that blow down the chimney during the winter when the fire is not in use.

 

[Grenage]

Cheers! To be honest I've not really felt a breeze coming down or going up the chimney - but it must have an impact on the room, as it's a ruddy great hole to the open sky.