Unfortunately, the breast has a habit of protruding into all the rooms it passes through. reduce droppings from potential chimney nest-makers. A retired chimney should be sealed only at the top or bottom. The glass fibre will slow down the draft up the chimney but not seal it and the chimney breast will be within the thermal envelope of the house. I've heard about cavity wall insulation but have been advised that this may lead to damp in my house. reduce the amount of other debris that might fall into your chimney. However, it all depends on what you want. Caution Some fiberglass batts come backed and/or faced with kraft paper or foil. I don't consider simply capping the basement end of the chimney, as the furnace installers have done, to be a proper way of dealing with the unused chimney. John enjoys home improvement projects that improve the quality of home living. At the bottom, cut a hole into the insulation where the fireplace snout will connect to the rest of the fireplace, and secure this snout using a metal band. If you forget to close the flue when you're not using the fireplace, the loss of heated air continues. Using a long stick a pushed the first one about 4 m ( 12 ft) down the chimney. The rain cannot get in, but it is not sealed air tight, which does allow any inside moisture to slowly get out. Posted on 25th November 2012 by Sally Phillips. I really don’t understand why the issue of heat loss up chimneys is not more high profile. Hold in position, and then pull the connection band around the liner, securing it to the top plate. Draught Exclusion & Insulation. I reckon this serves a similar purposes as the exterior insulation suggested in the previous post, but I see 2 advantages: -there is a bedroom located on the other side of the inner wall of the brick chimney. So in preperation for this winter I made a simple unused chimney insulation. True, not insulating the exterior keeps the aesthetic the same, however, depending on how the chimney integrates with the wall of the house, I would be concerned that the stone or brick would still act as a thermal bridge. Rigid Foam Insulation Drafty Fireplace. A few years a go I saw something about device that you blow up to block your chimney. Remember that if left unchecked, fires present great risks to your personal safety and your belongings. We're still open as usual with FREE delivery on all UK orders over £25 Shop Now. No need to have airflow through an unused chimney. The fireplace flue can be a major source of energy loss. Re: Chimney breast insulation « Reply #1 on: September 21, 2011, 01:33:17 PM » Be careful if you block both ends as it can cause condensation resulting in stains appearing on your walls, the usual advice is to maintain some ventillation in an unused chimney. Happyhomeowner. Apply rubber cement to label and affix to black metal portion fireplace. I stuffed some batting from insulation up into the fireplace as we don't use it..also installed glass doors. I would recommend having a professional mason inspect for missing mortar and cracked liner. The chimney balloon is an inflatable, balloon-type seal. So a lot depends on how your chimney is set-up. Finally, use the paint can tool, select black, and the rest of the background will change to black. Posted on 25th November 2012 by Sally Phillips. Fit the cap over the top of the place, and clamp into position. The next time you want to use your fireplace, simply deflate and remove the pillow. There are so many different options nowadays to cap off an unused chimney. A hit-and-miss ventilator has a sliding plate which allows you to close it if you want to for any reason. Sealing up an unused brick fireplace chimney will save money on your heating bills and increase your comfort level at home.In addition to letting in cold, these chimneys pull hot air out of the house. The one shown here is 12" x 12" (medium) and fits many chimney flues. Learn how to stop cold air from coming down the chimney. £9.99 to £23.99. I removed it completely -- including the gas log set, the propane tank, and the connecting tubing. The best solution is to seal the top of the chimney (to stop the rain) and to remove the chimney breast, the next best is to insulate the chimney, covering it with an inch or two of polystyrene. Replace the damper. Vermiculite or Micafill: I … Air from your room, already heated at some expense, is lost up the chimney in the draft. If you don't expect to be using your gas log set, I would recommend removing it as I did. All the above advice is for redundant and disused chimneys. I would place this over the fire retardant fireplace cover that I already have. My unused flues have a "bung" of glass fibre stuffed up them and pushed up to the level of the loft insulation (~ bedroom ceiling level). Spray foam insulation is one of the versatile and best materials to use when insulating your home. The air between the liner and the chimney wall will insulate the liner (air is a good insulator) although the liner obviously touches a cold wall in many places. Warm air in your house rises drawing cold air inside through cracks around windows, doors, vents and other places. We like to use the fire every now and then, but most of the time all the warm air escapes up it. This one from Amazon features a fire-resistant (not fireproof) Pavenex fabric cover. Question: I have a gas fireplace which I want to close off. What’s the best way to block up our chimney during cold weather? Learn how to stop cold air from coming down the chimney. Finally I I installed a Dimplex electric fireplace in the fireplace opening. I never thought of sealing off our fireplace but I'll look into it for this winter, how to permanently seal an unused fireplace. This will allow air to pass through the chimney and help prevent problems caused by moisture. Place the chimney plate over the top of the liner, and press into the caulk. Block up the chimney opening with brick or block but include a space for an airvent (plastic one is fine, easil obtainable from B+Q) 150mm from floor level to allow air to flow through the stack to avoid damp, then plaster. I really don’t understand why the issue of heat loss up chimneys is not more high profile. No need to have airflow through an unused chimney. Rolls of foam insulation are cheap, says Brennand, and three rolls of … This was a few years ago so it might not be the correct way now strappy, Jul 4, 2008 #2. nextlonestar New Member. I think what you describe would actually lead to a colder bedroom wall. If you do not want to purchase a fireplace sealer, you can make one yourself. Does an Unused Chimney Need Ventilation? Insulate your chimney. Spray Foam insulation. Stainless Steel Stove Pipe Cowl / Metal Chimney Cap / Flue Liner Pot. As early versions o…. Once you've capped the top of the chimney, you will need to insulate the bottom of it. Battic Door is the US distributor of the fireplace plug. Keep the warmth in your home with a Chimney Sheep draught excluder. Capping an unused chimney/flue. Not only will it save you from a steep expenditure on fuel and heating, but it also will probably save your life. Free postage. When you go to bed at night, you should leave the damper open if there are embers remaining from the fire. Fireplaces are huge energy wasters when used incorrectly. Sealing off the fireplace My question concerns the now unused chimney, which has been dripping condensation into my basement all winter. Choose carefully between Polyisocyanurate, EPS & XPS or Mineral Wool & Hemp as the wrong choice can reduce insulati…, Crawlspaces are becoming rare for new home construction in USA & Canada. My unused flues have a "bung" of glass fibre stuffed up them and pushed up to the level of the loft insulation (~ bedroom ceiling level). How can I do that in way where I may be able to use it again in the future if we need it? This difference causes an upward draft in the chimney, sucking warm room air around the edges of the closed flue damper. For a more lasting seal, check out this DIY article on how to permanently seal an unused fireplace. Chimney Insulation. Get the Chimney Bottom Insulated. For more info on how this works, see the whitepaper by Mark Tyrol, P.E., Seal Fireplace Dampers With Weatherstripping to Conserve Energy. You should then secure th… Then right-click inside the select box. Newspaper insulation. You’ll then be in a position to begin tackling the problem. How To Reduce Your Energy Bills / Energy Conservation Begins at Home. What you want to do is essentially create ‘plugs’ of insulation (Rockwool is recommended) by compressing it and putting it into the opening, it will then expand slightly and fill the hole. You may not be able to fill cavity walls with insulation but you may be able to cut down heat loss from your roof. Clean the fireplace grate and damper with a stiff brush to remove any ash, dust and soot deposits. The bottom is even easier. Now think about the cooling season. If you seal up more than one fireplace, you can save even more. To stop your chimney from being a major source of heat loss you need to insulate inside the chimney from the top and bottom, in addition to insulating the exterior. Sealing and insulating the clay flue at the top and bottom of the stack will ensure the job will yield these desired results. I would place this over the fire retardant fireplace cover that I already have. But what can you do about the four largest “holes” in your home -- the folding attic stair, the whole house fan or AC return, the fireplace, and the clothes dryer? Sorry for the inconvenience. When installing a new liner for your heating appliance — whether it is a furnace, hot water heater, wood-burning insert or stove, or existing fireplace — consider insulating the liner. Having an insulated chimney plays an important role in any chimney construction or modification. Sealing and insulating the clay flue at the top and bottom of the stack will ensure the job will yield these desired results. Instead of insulating the exterior of the brick chimney, we were actually advised to fill the interior cavity with loose fill insulation. But there are still air leaks around ducts and cracks around windows. However, it is often not difficult to insulate a liner (just adds cost) so it is up to you. It should be installed just above the damper, or in the bottom of the smoke shelf. You will also find information about why masonry fireplaces are so inefficient and just how much money might be going up your chimney. If this is the case, consider installing an insulating liner in your chimney. The ventilator is needed for the unused chimney, not to ventilate the room. Measure each side of the opening just below the damper seal and transfer the measurements to a pattern drawn on cardboard. For more info: https://discover.hubpages.com/living/Replace-Propa... John Dove (author) on September 18, 2019: Thanks, Beverly for offering a decorative way to cover an old fireplace. Dec 17, 2014 - Explore Tamara Verushka's board "Fireplace draft stopper" on Pinterest. Insulating unused chimney (10 Posts) Add message | Report. Made with Herdwick wool, it reduces your heating bills, carbon footprint and wind noise down your chimney. 7 watching. There are two major terms which will come up repeatedly in a chimney project. Vitoligno 300-C: compact, fully automatic wood pellet boiler for new constructi…, Fitting extra insulation to an older home when renovating can be a great idea, but when insulating exterior walls from the outside take care to do it right. The chimney would then be benign thermal mass inside the building envelope, and maintain the same temperature as the rest of the conditioned space. EarSlaps Tue 17-Nov-15 18:59:50. Insulating your whole house professionally can seem expensive to some. 5. After tieing the top of each plasticbag, I connected them all together with a string. Have your assistant hold the bottom connector in position, while you apply caulk around the crown of the chimney. However, it is often not difficult to insulate a liner (just adds cost) so it is up to you. Do this from the top and then cover the opening with galvanized sheet metal to prevent water from infiltrating. This becomes particularly expensive when you have a strong wind blowing across the chimney providing an express route for your hot air to the sky. Plug the bottom opening with insulation as well, then seal it to prevent air leakage. We have a chimney in our living room that seems to be completely open (you can feel a massive draught when you stick your hand up there and the wind is making quite a noise blowing over the top of the chimney). You can add a bunched up ball of unfaced fiberglass insulation if you desire; it won't hurt but neither will it have any positive results. Make any adjustments to your measurements so that it fits tightly in place. If your chimney top is higher than the top of your house (as it should be) the "neutral zone" is higher than the "neutral zone" in your house. After capping the chimney top, the next step is to look for a way of insulating its bottom. Another effective fireplace draft stopper, the Large Fireplace Plug is a rectangular inflatable pillow (38" x 16") that is pressed up against the damper with an adjustable height pole to keep the pillow pressed tight. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters. There's no need to fit this particular type. You should see black text on a white background. This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Spray Foam insulation One of the best ways (in my opinion) is to use a Chimney C Cap. Question What's the best way to insulate an unused fireplace and chimney? EarSlaps Tue 17-Nov-15 18:59:50. Cut out the pattern and put it in place to see if it fits. Spray foam insulation can be used under the roof and floor, or between the walls with ease. The topic ‘insulating an unused chimney?’ is closed to new replies. Contrary to pre-fab fireplaces and chimney systems, masonry fireplaces are built on-site and are part of a home's structural design. As the fire burns down and out, heated room air continues to be drawn up the chimney. The first one ends in the ceiling space between the ground floor ceiling and the first floor floor. Chimney C Caps are a plastic terracotta cap with an bird/insect guard that sits in side the cap. How Do You Cap An Unused Chimney? As such, it can be used to insulate a chimney. But DIY loft insulation is a possibility. Install a heat-exchange system. fiberglass insulation (no vapor retardants) plywood; I would cut the fiberglass to the size of the plywood, then take a slightly larger piece of foil and wrap it around, then tack and tape it in place. Just make sure to remove anything you put in the chimney hole before starting any fires. Near the top of the chimney, the pressure is higher, near the bottom it is lower, and in between is the "neutral" zone. After capping the chimney top, the next step is to look for a way of insulating its bottom. The chimney breast is both the most visible and vital portions of a chimney. I don't consider simply capping the basement end of the chimney, as the furnace installers have done, to be a proper way of dealing with the unused chimney. And it's fairly easy to uninstall. Only one chimney is still in use for a multifuel burner, one was sealed many years ago while the other two have vents into the bedrooms where fireplaces used to exist. The technician that fitted the electric boiler cut back the flue the the ceiling, filled part of the flue with insulation, and then applied cement to the underside to seal it. This … If the fireplace is masonry and you're experiencing cold drafts, your flue liner is cracked and there is leakage through the brick in the chimney. I need a bit of advice re the ventilation of unused chimneys. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, by sealing and weatherstripping fireplaces, a typical homeowner can reduce air leaks by up to 14% and save as much as $275 a year. Installing wood stoves with existing fireplace chimneys: How to Find Qualified Green Building Professionals. If you want to insulate your unused fireplace, rather than block it up and seal it permanently, use a chimney balloon or scrunched-up newspapers to insulate the fireplace effectively. This brick wall encases the flu and other functional parts, providing extra insulation and major structural support. It fits most any masonry fireplace. We have a gas fireplace that is rarely used and a standard chimney flue system on a house built in 1997. I think it is a good idea to place a small label on the fireplace noting that it is sealed. It is relatively simple to insulate a chimney to reduce heat loss now, but not eliminate the possibility of using it again in the future. If you have one or more masonry fireplaces in your home, you can save big money on your heating bills by sealing them off when not in use (or permanently, if you never plan to use them). It is taking quite a while to dry out (i have dehumidifier in there) the builder that did it said that we need to put two brick vents on the outside so that its vented and to help keep it dry. Vermiculite or Micafill: I have my reservations about these methods. Reduce energy bills and keep the heat in by blocking your unused chimneys. Cover the entire stack of bricks with a layer of rigid insulation (rockwool or expanded polystyrene) and half inch-thick plywood, which can then be covered to match the rest of the house. However there still is some drafts. 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Liner in your house chimneys is not more high profile kraft paper or foil or.