Anyone got one? Anyone found any better/DIY options? Noticed how severe the updraught is when I happened to hold a large piece of polystyrene sheet near it and pinged against the opening like it was magnetic. As our fire is pretty much entirely for show and occasionally curling up next to we rarely use it (but would like to occasionally), so I'm thinking of blocking it up in a temporary fashion, though £25 for a bit of plastic* seems steep.
*OK it's a bit more complex than that, but not much.
They work - but obviously make sure you remove them when lighting fire, which my granddad didn't do.
Read up on them recently.
Currently using a bit of cardboard to block off old fireplace.
Did't cost me a penny.
Considered the card option but it's not so easy to get up to our flue area - the fire opening is fairly small, it then opens to a larger cavity above, then cramps down again. Worth a try i suppose. I've loads of spare polystyrene sheet too.... It's just I expect the balloons seal better on uneven brickwork etc
do leave some space for ventilation or you may get damp in the chimney.
Leaving any notable space effectively negates the point of the balloon? I've 90% blocked the hole and it's now a howling gale through what's left of course.
you just need half a dozen holes the diameter of a pencil so maybe 99% block it?
I've no idea where you got the hole number and size from but I'm going to blindly accept it and start cutting polystyrene as I've no better info to go with!
Cheers all!
years of experience 
well, actually I looked at the little vents I fitted to our chimneys that were blocked off and extrapolated.
I think the key is really just to let air go up the chimney - because it's warm it'll tend to keep the inside of the stack dry as you'll get rain water coming down the inside from the top.
I shouldn't get any rain in from the top, I've got a fancy stainless multi-baffled hat up there.
After 20 mins with bits of polystyrene and scissors I'm covered in soot, my ornamental white fireplace is full of soot and brick dust and I've given up, I'm going to drop £20 on a nice balloon!
DIY = Bladder form a winebox.
John Lewis have got Space Hopers in for £10 
A large pigeon, dead. Live ones can be messy
small child?
Wine boxes not large enough, my opening is 16x12 inches. 
But I'm liking that thinking - keep following that line!
Small child - none handy, but I like the idea. Feet as "dont put fire on" warning too, clever.
Pigeons - got some crows but I dont think they're large enough.
Spacehopper might be a tad too big!
I'm using a bin bag filled with newspaper.
That is one option I suppose - no problems with it falling down or bringing all sorts of tat down with it when you remove it?
No falling down problems. I don't use it in the fireplace that we have a fire in, so don't know if it would make a mess when removed, although I expect it would.
We use an old pillow. It gets a bit dirty and damp if it rains, but it breathes a bit so keeps the damp down without letting a howling gale through.
Must remember to remove it though - it doesn't burn that well
Ben
I'll bet it does burn well!
I got a tip off a stove installer who said stuff some spare loft insulation into it. It stops the draughts but does allow a small amount of breathability.
Simple trick and it works very well, our front room had the newspaper/ carboard stuck up it and we repalced it with a very large handful of loft insulation and the difference was immediate. Plus you can pull it out if you want to use the fire. Obviously use gloves and mask etc....
sl2000 - MemberI'm using a bin bag filled with newspaper.
Mine been up for 4 years now, bit worried what I might find above it now when it does come down 
Santa wees on chimney balloons.
scotabroad - what was the difference you noted? Sounds like a good idea, and I do have some of that lying around!
Santa doesn't wee.
On Christmas eve...leave a load of food on your roof. When Santa comes along he'll eat it, then half way down the chimney he'll get stuck. Problem solved.
Then eventually decomposition will allow his corpse to gently slide into the fireplace which you can use to start a fire with...assuming it's not too damp.
Just conducted a fair bit of internet research and decided to spend £23 on one rather than burn my house down.it just pops IF the fire is ever lit or turned on.
If coffeeking is telling the truth - his big jelly belly may be an sherry/milk fueled extended bladder- best not be on his naughty list - you'll never get a fire lit.
Q: Does Black Pete's coal burn well?
How about shoving a tin of spam up the flue?
*** SPAM *** (Reported)
(Why do we let new members join and post replies to year old threads??)
STW Mods dont. All 12m+ threads are locked now. This is only 11m.
Can't we have a rule that new members can't put links in threads until they have made 10 previous posts.
And can't drag up threads more than 4 weeks old until they have made 20 posts?
That should be punishment enough for spammers.
"Holy Thread Resurrection Batman"
(as BikeRadar-ers would say...)
I'm glad someone did resurrect this - I've been wondering how to prevent my chimney fro leaking out all the lovely warm air I've just spent all my money heating
Loft insulation for me I think. I can pinch some from the loft to trial.
careful with chimney ballooooons:
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