Chimney Sheep alternatives

[LemonSwan]

They are so expensive and we have way too many chimneys! 6 to be exact.

What can I use instead? I found a roll of loft insulation for £30 but will this just breakdown and leave shreds everywhere?

I like the idea of chimney sheep, they sound cute.

Buy your own rods and rod them yourself?

You are trying to clean them with loft insulation??

I have strong ethical concerns with using sheep, but do admit the wool is probably quite effective at scrubbing soot deposits from the inside of the chimney. And of course, it’s a sustainable solution, as I assume that they are reusable.

I’m on the fence on this one, if I’m honest.

One of the problems with using chimney sheep is that you get chimney lambs in the Spring.

The ones for blocking the chimney draughts, not cleaning it? I need one of these!

Lol 😆 I think everyone thinks sheep is a typo.....they are an actual thing, keep draughty coming down the chimney. Sorry OP no idea if insulation would work the same way

A cheap pillow in a plastic bag or whatever old towels, ragging etc in a bag.

Just make sure you attach a string that will dangle down and tenons you to remove it before you light a fire.

I do like my chimney sheep though.

We've used a chimney balloon....

My mind is blown ... also thought it was a typo. Apparently not ... they are a "thing"
www.chimneysheep.co.uk/product-category/chimney-draught-excluders/

Thank you, because I was imaging the op with a large roll of loft insulation trying to clean her chimneys - was it young to be pushed up or dropped down the chimney to clear any blockages?

Good grief I thought sheep was a typo too , I imagined @LemonSwan trying to shove Sean ( Shawn? ) the sheep up the stack

I'd love their marketing people to call it a chimney tampon!!

Shaun

Too many options to choose with that name though!

Thank you @Itstarts my brain has gone to bed without the rest of me

Baaa - did somebody call?
I am not available for chimney cleaning or chimney stuffing, thank you.

Our fireplace has a flap at the top which closes over - might be worth a look?

I only discovered it when I was looking for something to block the chimney when we were getting two black kittens 😸 (20 years after we had it fitted!).

We used rockwool insulation to stuff our chimneys, either on its own (for the smaller ones) or to supplement the two where we used chimney sheep - well worth it, the draughts were deadly, and the house is much warmer now.

Hahaha well this has really brightened my day 😂 yes the sheep is real!

Ok very pleased we can use standard insulation. Might put it in a pillow like pps idea and then add a string and all bases covered.

Amazing thank you all 😂

I hate to think why they are called chimney sheep do we think actual sheep were used in the olden days!

Second vote for chimney balonz balloons.

Because they're massive clumps of wool. So they're made from sheep

It’s because they are made of sheeps’ wool, and it’s a play on chimney sweep.

For what it’s worth OP we have one and it’s coming apart after not all that much use. My chimney sweep was rather dismissive of them too.

I would be kind of insurance requirement around using chimneys and having them swept. If you use your fire it is highly likely your insurance will require an annual certificate to show it is suitably lined and swept. Not doing so might invalidate your insurance.
The sheep can’t sign a certificate, however we’ll trained.

If you use them they need to be swept or your insurance is invalid. And that’s not doing mad internet fixes.

You can get a Chimney Typhoon, flexible brush on Amazon that you attach to a power drill to make it rotate. Make sure you use plenty of sheeting for the mess and you can do it if it's just soot.
You might need a decent cowl properly fitted though if you are getting anything coming down.