Chimney Balloon for woodburning stove

[agentgonzo]

I got a stove installed in my living room last year. It's a DEFRA-approved clean-burning stove, which means that you can't close it down completely. As a result when it's not in use (which is only 2-3 times a week or so - Central heating is fine and the fire is for fun only!), there is a small downdraft into the living room. It's not a major problem, but as I'm a bit of an efficiency freak, I'd like to stop this draft.

I've looked at chimney balloon, but most of them are large (to fit an entire chimney). The house doesn't have a chimney, so there is an external flue that goes up to the roof. The internal diameter is 5" (~150mm). Does anyone know of any chimney balloons for the purpose of putting in a flue-pipe that is easy to use and remove before each fire and put back the following day?

Thanks.

 

[Norcon]

So you want to stuff the flue pipe and someone walks in some day or forgets and lites the fire and smokes the whole house out.

Yeah that makes a lot of sense.

 

[agentgonzo]

Norcon. Very helpful. Thanks. Anyone want to answer the actual question rather than be a dick about it?t

 

[Burnerman]

I think the best you can hope for is to close off all of the dampers, really - that should cope with most of the draught.
I would have thought that access to the flue wouldn't be too easy anyway - isn't there a baffle in the way?
John

 

[Peter1919]

Is it just me thinking close the doors on the stove and you will cut off the draft?

 

[agentgonzo]

Closing the doors and dampers cuts out most of the draft, but as its a clean-burning stove you can't totally close all the dampers. Think of it as a traditional wooden front door. You close the door and it blocks most of the doorway, but there are gaps around the door where drafts can get in unless you use a draft excluder. Maybe I shouldn't worry about it too much and just bung more logs on it when I have a fire.
There is a baffle, but you can get around that and to the flue that comes out the top.

 

[Norcon]

but there are gaps around the door

Should be a rope seal around the door/s to make it air tight or just about.

 

[agentgonzo]

The door seals fine. There are just vents that don't totally close (by design). Maybe I should modify it a bit so they totally close.

 

[RickMoore]

Chimsoc do a number of balloons and there is a little tag on them that hangs out the flue to remind you it is there. I don't know how long one would last being removed a few times a week and I wouldn't recommend one in your situation. It would be far too easy to forget it's there. Definitely do not modify the stove and or flue it's the way it is for a reason.

 

[agentgonzo]

Rick,

Thanks. I'll take a look at them. Maybe as stated it may wear out if removed/added each time I light the fire, but it may be a good solution for autumn/spring when it's not quite cold enough to have a fire on, but still a little chilly - so have it up the flue to block it for half the year when not in use.

Thanks.

 

[Diyisfun]

So you want to stuff the flue pipe and someone walks in some day or forgets and lites the fire and smokes the whole house out.

Yeah that makes a lot of sense.

Chimney balloons are designed to burn if a fire made.
I have used one for years & they are very good.

 

[RigidRaider]

Stuff a used condom up the flue?

 

[Corgigrouch]

It is a bit of a palava to have to remove the baffle in order to cut what should be a very minimal draught but the very design of a DEFRA exempt stove dictates that the air stops can only be closed so far..... Is it really that bad?..... Did you need a DEFRA exempt stove in the first place?

 

[agentgonzo]

It doesn't matter whether I need a DEFRA exempt stove or not. I have one. I'm not about to install another stove.

 

[Onetap]

Chimney balloons are designed to burn if a fire made.
I have used one for years & they are very good.

They'd burn if they get hot. Thet won't get hot if the flue is completely blocked by a balloon.

And please don't tell me heat rises, it doesn't.

Norcon. Very helpful. Thanks. Anyone want to answer the actual question rather than be a dick about it?t

Norcon seems to be a knowledgeable heating installer. If you found his answer unhelpful, I'd suggest it's because you didn't understand it rather than any defect in the answer.

HETAS mentioned a case on one of their training courses in which a couple entered a property in which a flue had somehow become blocked. ISTR there was an estimated 60 seconds between entry and incapacitation and a trail of body fluids left by one of the victims in crawling towards a window they never reached.

You still want a balloon to stick up your chimney?