Chimney Balloon fireplace damper

How to fix a damper with two chain pulls coming down under it?

2013-05-17T09:25:00-05:00

Hi Jason, This is an old fireplace that is brick and masonry. When I look up the chimney I see the long rectangular metal damper door that pivots in the middle, and two pull chains [or linked pull rods] on the left and right that open and close the damper door by flipping it from horizontal to vertical like a big carberator choke. The area below the damper is 52"x17". How can I size a Chimney Balloon for this type of fireplace? - AE

Hi AE, From looking at the photo it looks like the damper is set up about 12 inches vertically above the termination of the lintel. This will give you enough room to put a large chimney balloon under the damper. I see the walls taper some on the sides, but are ressonable straight up and down in the front and back.

I recommend we go with a custom size 52"x17" chimney balloon below the damper. As you inflate the balloon the chains will be pushed off to the side and the balloon will seal around them.

BTW, you are going to want a pump to inflate this 52x17 Chimney Balloon. It takes a lot of air to fill a balloon of this size. - Jason

***three weeks later***

Hi Jason, I got the 52x17 balloon in the mail a few days ago and Saturday I got it installed. Attached is a photo from the floor looking up at it.

After I inflated it I noticed that about 2 inches of the belly of the balloon is still visable below the lintel, but since the balloon is clear it is not very noticable. Especially since I keep the chain spark screen closed anyway. This isnt going to negatively effect the seal the balloon offers, is it? - AE

Hi AE, This large of a custom balloon will be about 12 inches tall when inflated, so it is not too surprising is portrudes below the lintel a bit. However, the balloon is clear and the firepalce is dark so you wont notice it.

And, no the seal will not be effected by the chimney balloon hanging down below the lintel a few inches. The contact seal will be on the upper side of the balloon anyway. If you use a strong flashlight to look through the balloon, you will see how the balloon sealed to the walls.

Godo Job BTW with the measurements and the install. You handled that application like a pro! - Jason

If it gets really hot outside will my chimney balloon burst?

2013-04-26T10:25:00-05:00

Q: Jason, Are there any restrictions in using the Chimney Balloon in areas of the country where temps in the summer exceed 120 degrees? We live in Arizona and the outside temperature gets very high. I imagine it is even hotter by the chimney top on the roof. I dont want my Chimney Balloon to burst from the heat. - KL

A: Hi KL, As long as the thermometer outside doesn't go past 180 degrees F your Chimney Balloon will be fine, but if that happens we will have other things to worry about.

All kidding aside... The Chimney Balloon is heat reactive. If someone accidentally lights a fire under it. At about 180 degrees F the balloon material is designed to burst and shrivels like a shrinky-dink, so it can get out of the way fast.

But keep in mind your balloon is installed low in the chimney by the firebox. The balloon will be nice and shaded in there, so even if you roof temps get close to 180, that won't bother the Chimney Balloon. - Jason

How to prepare a Chimney Balloon to install it high into the flue?

2013-04-19T12:46:00-05:00

Q: Jason, I have two chimneys and I am not using them. I just bought the house so I don't plan on using them this year at least. My heater is always on like every 10-20 minutes and as soon as the heater is off the house gets cold quick. I think that my chimneys are causing the heat loss.

I measured my chimney chute/hole and it looks like 12x6 (LxW). The problem is that it is about 36 inches up to reach this small 12x6 hole. I plan on getting a 36" extender and two 15x9 ballon, is that a good size? Please let me know. - AX

A: HI AX, Yes, you did size this application up well. A 36 HEK and a 9x15 should go into your flue tile nicely. You will want to pre-fluff the chimney balloon when you go to do this higher install though.

Pre-fluffing means to separate the top and bottom membranes of the balloon and crumple in the sides in, so effectively you are crumpling the balloon material up on top of the handle valve. This gets the balloon material to stand proud of the handle, but without adding air volume into the balloon. (See image at left)

Take the balloon with the extender attached and align the crumpled balloon material into the 12x6 spot you want to fill, then put a big puff of air in it. The sides of the balloon will pop out horizontally and fill the cavity. If the balloon starts to tip when you put in this initial puff of air, remove the balloon and squeezee the air out of it and try again.

Once you are sure the balloon is going in horizontally top it off with a little more air and close the valve on the bottom of the HEK extender. Higher installs can be a little tricky, so if you have any questions give us a call right away. - Jason

I have a problem with flies comming in through the fireplace.

2013-04-12T10:08:55-05:00

Q: Jason, I have a awful fly problem, and I think they are coming down the chimney looking to get away from the outside heat. Will the chimney balloon stop flies for sure? - MH

A: Hi MH, From our conversation on the phone, I was glad to hear you had your fireplace cleaned recently. Sometime fireplace flies have to do with a dead animal in the flue, or pigeons using your chimney top as an outhouse. But since you have a screened chimney top and a clean flue we can rule that out.

Flies and wasps coming down through the fireplace is a very common issue, and the Chimney Balloon does stop them. Especially in spring and fall insects follow food and other smells down into the fireplace chimney and end up inside. We get this questions so frequently there is a section of our website dedicated to it: http://www.chimneyballoon.us/bat_wasps_in_fireplace.html and some other blog articles regarding wasps as well: http://www.chimneyballoonusa.com/blog/2009/11/help-wasps-are-coming-in-through-my-fireplace-damper.html

The key to stopping flies in particular is to get an accurate measurement. Here is a section of the website that outlines how to do that measurement: http://www.chimneyballoon.us/Chimneyballoonsizing.html also you can give me a call or email pictures if you want advice on the measuring.

Once you have the measurements we need to get a Chimney Balloon for you that is as close to your measurements as possible (even if we have to go with a custom size), so you get a perfectly tight seal. Flies and maggots can be persistent in their entry techniques so you dont want wrinkles in the balloon from too much extra material. - Jason

How to stop the smell from a top style damper with a wire down the chimney?

2012-11-12T14:58:48-06:00

Q: Jason, I have a top style damper with a wire that comes down into the fireplace to pull tight. When I install a chimney pillow, should I open the top damper? I know doing this will allow the pillow to seal better at the location where the wire comes down, but I don't know if it is ok to leave the top damper open. I have a terrible smell that I am trying to seal off and hope the pillow will help solve this. Also, I have an ash pit opeing on the bottom of the fireplace - should I seal this with a pillow as well? - MF

Q: Hi MF,

HI Mike,

Your application is exactly like an application I walked through for a customer in Rockford, IL and we got it resolved quite easily. I attached some pictures of the Rockford install for your reference.

The trouble you are running into is the top damper is bottling up the chimney at the top, so when the cold air conducts through the chimney bricks the cooler creosote-laced air in the chimney has no place to go but come down into the house. Often the negative pressure in the house that the HVAC introduces, coupled with the open portal between floors through the ash cleanout, will amplify the smell problem.

So here is how we fix it…. Install a Chimney Balloon just above your old low metal damper frame (top left photo). For now, install it with the chimney top damper open so the cable is slack. This will allow your chimney to vent the smell out the top, but not let the smell in the house. For the ash cleanout, take the cover off the chute for the cleanout and measure the hole going down (bottom left photo). Most of the time it will be smaller than a 9x9, so you can just install a 9x9 upside down into that chute. This effectively stops the air exchange through the chimney and the ash cleanout. After a few months you can close the top damper after it has time to air out.

One side note though. Make sure your chimney top has a built in screen over it to keep squirrels and birds out? - Jason

How to stop a lingering burnt smell from the fireplace.

2012-09-19T16:42:38-05:00

Q: Dear Jason, I inflated the 15 x 15 balloon and placed it above the damper to get rid of chimney smell. It's much better, but I still smell it a bit after about a week. Any suggestions on how to completely get rid of the odor? Thanks, EP

A: HI EP, Fireplace odors can be tricky but here are some tips. Feel with your hand around the edges of the flue wall to make sure you have the Chimney Balloon installed as tight as possible.

If the positioning is good then it is likely that the firebox have some stinky cresote and ash residue that is creating the lingering smell. Make sure you vacuum out the firebox again real well with a shop vac. Then take a couple of boxes of baking soda and throw it all over the firebox surfaces blow the Balloon. Throw the baking soda against the firebox walls, against the damper, shake it out on the firebox floor and just basically coat everything with baking soda. If you have a hard time getting it to stick to vertical areas use a light spritz of water to get it to grab.

Let that set in your fireplace for at least 48 hours, or if you can stand the sight of it leave it for a week. The longer the better. Then shopvac all of it up. That should take care of the left-over smell. - Jason

Can I use an air compressor or tank to inflate a Chimney Balloon?

2012-02-03T15:21:12-06:00

Q: Jason, I know you recommend using an air bed inflation pump but can i use an air compressor or holding tank to inflate a Chimney Balloon? - MM

A: Dear MM, I can appreciate your question, but I still recommend an air bed inflation pump or even a shop vac kicked into reverse. Below is a story of why that is the case...

How much does it cost to run a gas log fireplace?

2011-08-01T10:37:00-05:00

Q: I know vented gas log firepalces are inefficient to run, but how much does an hour of use cost if you are burning propane in an average vented gas log? - DR

A: Hi Dr, Well the cost will depend upon your cost of propane and the BTU of your device but lets make an estimate:

Say you have a 45,000 BTU unit and Propane costs $3 per gallon. The cost would be about $1.50 per hour to operate it. (Since a 90,000 btu unit will consume 1 gallon in an hour)

Keep in mind as well that you are getting very little if any heat gain from this fuel consumption. That is the travesty of vented gas logs. - Jason

How can a home inspector or energy auditor use a Chimney Balloon to solve fireplace downdrafts?

2011-07-27T10:45:00-05:00

Q: Jason, I have a wood buring fireplace with a cozy great heater insert. I have a top of chimney and traditional damper installed. I have bad downdrafts and soot smell on rainy, windy days.

I am a Home Inspector and I am in the middle of a Certified Energy Training Program with RESNET. I just received a copy of Energy Magazine and read about your product. Looks like a good idea. I am going to try the vinegar tip. I need to measure my flue and I will order to try on my house. Once I get my blower door I will try the test like you did. I have doors, 2 dampers and the balloon. Thanks.- MW

PS. I will tell all my clients if I have success with your product. Nice website by the way and I am posting it on a few inspection association boards for others to try.

A: Hi MW, That was a great article you were referring to in Home Energy magazine (Mar/Apr 09) the energy rater that did the testing of the Chimney Balloon (Mark Furst) for that article did a great summarizing his testing of the Chimney Balloon. Mark was chosen to do the review/test because he had no experience with the Chimney Balloon, and could give an unbiased opinion. Mark also has a great reputation in Wisconsin for being very thorough at energy rating. We cannot re-post the article for copyright reasons, but you can click here to see a PDF of a summary of the Chimney Balloon article.

We would really welcome your comments and test results if you decide to do your own blower door testing of the Chimney Balloon with your fireplace.

We have not had the opportunity yet to compare the Chimney Balloon to the top seal dampers in blower door testing. I know the top seal dampers tend to seal tighter than traditional low-in-the-firebox metal dampers, but the trouble that is often experienced with a top seal damper is you are sealing the chimney and all of its creosote and soot content into the homes interior air envelope by bottling the chimney at the top. What further compounds the issue is the fact that the warm interior air that naturally ascends the chimney and is trapped there by the top damper tends to cool against the uninsulated brick walls of the chimney and the cold metal of the top damper and then that now-cool air drops again to the firebox. This convection process and air movement creates a draft and odor sensation at the hearth and into the room. That could be what you are experiencing.

The Chimney Balloon installed low and close to the firebox seals of the chimney from the homes interior air and eliminates this convection and air movement. - Jason

Is it easy to remove the Chimney Balloon. Can I remove it for fires and put back in ?

2011-07-15T11:11:50-05:00

Hi Jason, Is it easy to remove the balloon. I have a gas fireplace with a warped damper. We use sometimes in winter. Would the ballon be easy to remove and put back in for fires? - KN

Dear KN, Your questions is very common for Chimney Balloon users, and I can answer it from my own experience with our living room fireplace as well. Uninstalling and installing the Chimney Balloon in smaller gas log fireplaces is really very easy so it doesn’t hinder your ability to use the fireplace seasonally at all. The first install usually has a bit of a learning curve to it, but once you do the install you will have a method down pat on how to do it again.

Personally, I have found using the Chimney Balloon has me clustering my fireplace uses in the winter. For instance...I will tell my kids and wife that when we put up the Christmas tree I will uninstall the chimney balloon and we will enjoy using our fireplace for those festive weeks before the holidays come, and I will just use the old damper during those weeks. After New Years the tree comes down and the Chimney Balloon gets reinstalled in the fireplace, and then I know it is sealed up tight again. This allows everybody to get their fireplace fix for the year, and I am only doing one install and uninstall. Sure the living room is a little draftier during that time when the balloon is out, but it also helps me appreciate the difference when the Chimney Balloon is installed and saving me on the heating bills.

I hope this answers your question KN. Let me know if I can help further. - Jason