On Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:23:24 +0000, (Steve Firth)
wrote:

Anyway whoever told you that was a downright liar. They are a pointless
waste of time and money. If you get a good strong wind as we have today
you will find the balloon being sucked up the chimney. And you will have
to re-inflate them far too often.

That doesn't seem to happen, our bedroom one has been in situ for 5
years and only needed re-inflating once, the dining room & living room
ballons get removed either when there's a longish power cut, at xmas
time - last time was last December and they're both still inflated
and in place. We've never had a balloon get sucked up a chimney
despite the storms we've had and living a rather windy part of the
Cotswolds.

Granted, there are a lot of windier part of the UK but they work here.
The ability to removed them and put them back eaily has been
invaluable given that we live in a village that seems to have a third
world power supply and can be without electricity (to power the pump
on the gas boiler) for 12 hours or more 3 or 4 times a year.

Obviously there are a lot of cheaper ways of doing this, but the
balloons do work and are convenient.

I you're closing a fireplace (mad option IMO) then do so properly. Have
it capped with adequate ventilation arranged at the time and have the
opening blocked off.

Better IMO to have enclosed stoves or to have an inset with a glazed
door. That stops the cats getting into the fireplace and also makes use
of them.

It's a lovely idea but the cost of doing that for 3 openings vs £20
for the balloons, just wasn't do-able at the time. Our main living
room fire-place *will* have a stove in a year or so when we get around
to that room, but given the cost of the balloons they've been a useful
stop-gap (literally!). Sometimes you just have to work with what
you've got until you can get what you want.