Blocking an unused chimney

Slime

Slime

Slime

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10 Nov 2006
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Hi,

Have recently moved into a new place which has original victorian fireplaces. As pretty as they are, I am losing pretty much all my heat through them and as we live in a smoke control zone (meaning we aren't allowed to light our fire) I want to block them up to try and keep the heat in a little better.

A quick look online has thrown up a few options such as a chimney sheep and a chimney balloon but I was wondering if anyone has done this themselves and has any advice at all? I'm wanting a more cost effective solution than £20 per chimney.

Thanks :)
 
Ours in the lounge and one fireplace in a bedroom has some cement board fixed in a location you can't see with insulation behind it, however our chimney has a vent in the loft to stop damp building up.

I'm not sure what the situation of blocking a 'working' chimney up is, if you seal all air from circulating i wouldn't be shocked if you start getting damp problems.
 
I will be watching this thread with interest as I am currently giving my lounge a makeover and it will involve boxing in the fireplace and I too wondered what is best to do about the chimney. I've read all sorts of differing opinions, from leave it open and ensure there is ventilation so air is drawn up it to prevent damp to blocking at both top and bottom...
 
You should be able to burn seasoned wood and smokeless coal.

We used to just shove screwed up paper up the chimney but it's got a habit of being sucked up.
 
You should be able to burn seasoned wood and smokeless coal.
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This, what the neighbours told me when I had real fireplaces.

You can't seal chimneys completely, you'll need to vent however you go about it.
Victorian houses were not built on modern building principals, airflow and allowing the property to breathe is paramount, if you wanted a property which would keep all the heat in all the time using modern systems you should not have bought a Victorian property quite simply.
 
pitchfork said:
This, what the neighbours told me when I had real fireplaces.

You can't seal chimneys completely, you'll need to vent however you go about it.
Victorian houses were not built on modern building principals, airflow and allowing the property to breathe is paramount, if you wanted a property which would keep all the heat in all the time using modern systems you should not have bought a Victorian property quite simply.
Click to expand...

Exactly, totally correct, Victorian houses were built with lime mortar,it needs to breathe, etc, stop this process & you upset the equilibrium of the building, you will get damp, & many other issues.
 
What about a 1940s/50s brick built house, does the same apply there?

My plan is to put some sort of mesh or something up to stop all the muck that falls down the chimney from getting on my boxing in, then put in a brush vent, a bit like on a letter box in a door, to allow air to move but to cut down on drafts, does that sound like a reasonable solution?
 
Lime mortar was still used in the 40's.

In past I have fitted bearers to opening, & to that a piece of ply with a cutout for a louvre vent fixed over that.

On the chimney side of the ply, I attach two bearers & to that a piece of ply larger than the cutout, this stops any soot,rubbish from blocking louvre vent & still allows airflow.
 
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Make your own chimney balloon by filling a plastic rubble sack with loft insulation then shoving it up there. Tape the sack's opening with duct tape forming a handle you can just grab if you ever need to remove it. :)
 
Does anyone take any notice of smoke controlled areas these days?

You can by "smoke free" coal and coke which is allowed. Anyway, I sometimes add sea coal to my fire if someone locally is selling it cheap.
 
I've got a chimney balloon in the lounge chimney (and a bidbag full of old newspaper in the dining room one). It's worked a treat. They have a truncated corner to allow a small amount of airflow so the chimey can breathe but my lounge was noticably warmer when it went in.
 
Hmmm Might have to give this homemade chimney balloon idea a go. Is it ok to use them as a 'permanent' means of blocking ie rather than just for time when the fireis not going to be used, as I will be putting shelving into the fireplace...
 
Our chimney is disused and we have 3 open fireplaces. The chimney itself is capped. Would installing makeshift balloons cause any issues with damp?
 
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