The need for waterproofing applies to brick chimneys in particular. Required fields are marked *. Any of these methods will serve your needs. What more? I have noticed some debris like leaves and bird feathers sitting in the clean-out in my basement. However, this doesn’t apply all the time. It is important to be extra careful in scouting for the right professionals. In most cases, the need to seal a chimney will be due to it being underutilized or completely unused. If your house is a bungalow, you may be able to reach the top of the chimney quite easily by standing on the roof, or with a relatively short ladder. Sealing off an unused fireplace. Seal Unused Chimney Flue Top, Air Leaks, Heat Loss, Damp, Water Entry ... Sealing a Chimney - DIY - Air Tight removable seal - Duration: 2:39. Repeated applications -- with time to cure in between -- may be required to get a thick enough layer to fill all gaps above and below the insulation plugs. The paint used must match the existing colors of your living space. One is an inflatable balloon-type product that will seal the flue. Even new cast-iron dampers allow air loss. This cap should be large enough to fit easily over the top of the clay flue, but not too large that significant gaps appear between the sides and the clay liner. Seems pretty extreme and unreversible. Chimneys made of stucco plaster, stone, and concrete also require sealing. In certain situations, there are no plans for future use of the chimney or fireplace. For a more lasting seal, check out this DIY article on how to permanently seal an unused fireplace. Such modifications may have to do with the creation of storage space. This requires taking a completely different approach. Using removable fasteners -- such as special galvanized or stainless steel screws -- will ensure the cap can be removed in the future. Oct 30, 2014 - How to Close an Unused Chimney. If you want an easy way to temporarily block and unused fireplace flue to stop a draft, you should consider installing a top sealing damper. Whatever the reasons may be, sealing a chimney and fireplace the right way is more important. I will try to highlight the key considerations when doing this task, whether by yourself or with professional help. Your inflatable chimney pillow is meant to be used as a temporary seal until you are ready to take it out. I have a chimney that needs repointed and do not currently use. As people spend more of their time indoors, it becomes necessary to ensure that there’s enough supply of fresh air in the home. The measurements of a chimney are a minimum of four inches bigger in all directions than the flue. Blocking up an unused fireplace . What results is a situation where energy escapes. Installing a metal cap on the top of the chimney will solve the pest, debris and rain concern, but some air leakage may still be possible due to the imperfect fit. A: Unused flues should be capped at the top, to minimise rainwater ingress. If you wish to temporarily seal up an unused chimney, there are effective ways to go about it. According to VA chimney experts there is no code stating how I have to seal the thimble. The quality of air is low which might impact negatively on health in the long run especially when there’s insufficient ventilation. How to seal a unused thimble in exhaust chimney. This can be costly to rent and may require more time to set up and break down than the repair itself. It will need some ventilation. Inflatable sealers serve as chimney stoppers. Before this is done, however, you must address the air leakage and condensation issue. Question: I'm looking for advice on how to cap off an unused chimney. It absolutely will. A secure chimney cap must be installed to keep out debris and moisture. The expanding foam found at home centres or hardware stores in small aerosol cans should be sufficient for this purpose. However, such a delicate task shouldn’t be performed by you especially when you have little experience or know-how about the task at hand. You may be able to buy a pre-made cap at a heating supply retailer if you have a standard size clay liner that protrudes above the top of the chimney. The easiest way to seal off your fireplace is with a Chimney Balloon Inflatable Fireplace Plug. 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. Unlike the inflatable chimney pillow which is placed at the chimney bottom, true to its name, the top sealing damper is designed to be placed at the top or above the chimney crown. The option you choose is entirely up to you. The cap must be durable enough to keep these nuisances out. If, on the other hand, the top of the chimney is capped, but it isn’t ventilated, moisture can build up on the inside of the chimney stack, a further cause of damp. Preventing this will be of primary importance, but cold air intrusion from the top of the chimney must also be eliminated. Questions can be emailed to the address below. For some, a permanent block will be in order. The oil furnace used the chimney to exhaust its combustion gases. When sealing up an unused chimney doesn’t depreciate its value significantly, it becomes increasingly appealing. I have a 1955 farm home which has a chimney currently being used to exhaust an oil furnace. Not everyone wants to temporarily seal of their unused chimney and fireplace. Unused, though, they can waste a lot of heat up the chimney. Before deciding on whether your chimney needs to be sealed temporarily or permanently, there have to be real reasons. This procedure is something you can do yourself as a homeowner. 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