does anyone use a chimney balloon?

[pesme]

if so are they any good?

bump

bump

Yes me! Our Edwardian house has fireplaces in most of the bedrooms. When we moved in we found an assortment of revolting old clothes shoved up the chimneys. We got chimney balloons for each one - they are not cheap but I think they are a quick and easy way of stopping drafts (and reducing noise from outside). You probably need to re-inflate them a bit every couple of years but we have had our for 6/7 years and only had to do it once (and it wasn't too fiddly to do)

Why haven't I heard of chimney balloons? They sound completely mad and yet, much more attractive than the plastic bags of old clothes that are stuffed up our chimneys and have been since long before we moved here

Message withdrawn

Oooh, I'm tempted. We only have two fireplaces, but it sounds like a good idea.

Message withdrawn

Obviously if it is a fireplace you light a fire in occasionally, you need to remember to remove the balloon first!

Does this mean I should have something up my chimney, be it old clothes or whatever? Am I missing a fundamental point here? Our chinmey is still 'open', but just got a very thin bit of plywood type across the bottom. Sorry for being so uneducated !

What's wrong with being tempted? I'm continually freezing these days, so anything that might help ...

Message withdrawn

I stuffed some foam up our chimney - and then forgot to take it out when we lit a fire....but that's another story

We get a howling gale down our chimney if it's not blocked by something

Ah, I don't do handbags. I think I own one, somewhere. I guess I'll have to get a chimney balloon instead.

The pigeons used to drop cherry pips down the chimney, but the cherry tree is gone, unfortunately.

Mustrunmore - the plywood thing is fine. Chimney balloons are great for those who don't have the skills or the inclination to try to cut a piece of plywood to fit exactly....

Message withdrawn

NQC - we have a plague of cherry pips as well - or used to until we got a cage thing on top of the chimney.

Message withdrawn

thanks for all the replies! we do have the skill and inclination to cut out bit of wood but we use the chimney and thought a balloon would be a simpler solution. i am just worried about all the crap falling everywhere every time you take it out.

cage, dior, what is that?

you get them on line. but i am unsure about the ease of getting them in and out.

right just ordered one. thanks everyone for your advice.

from the chimney balloon company of course!

No idea if this company is any good mind, just the first I found when I googled it just now. We've just opened up a fire place in the bedroom - Effin freezin now. Thought I had imagined these things before I saw this thread. Hurrah!

And the winner of 'MN Bizarre Thread of the Week is.......'.

We have six chimneys that we don't use so this will cost quite a lot. I may trial one balloon and see how I get on with it.

A what?????