Preventing heat loss up the chimney

In an earlier post, we looked at putting an umbrella up your chimney. But you could also put a sheep up there!

Having an open chimney in a property is like leaving a window open all the time. The Buildings Research
Establishment state that 80 cubic metres of air travels up a chimney per hour. We don’t necessarily notice the warm air escaping, but this warm air needs to be replaced so cold air is pulled in from around doors, windows and other leaky parts of the home creating the cold draughts we do notice.

Chimney Sheep is a simple and effective ‘chimney blocker’ made of felted sheep wool from Herdwick sheep from the English Lake District.

It works by being a bit larger than the chimney opening – and as the felted wool is rigid but compressive it holds itself in place while conforming to the uneven sides of your chimney. It lodges in the throat of the chimney and blocks 93% of airflow. It also significantly reduces other cold draughts from around the home by cutting out the stack effect and eliminating that cycle of warm air out / cold air in.

If your tenant wants to light a fire it is easily removed and then put back again after the fire has gone out. There is also a warning card for you to put in a prominent location. Although you should also mention this in your tenants’ welcome pack.

The Chimney Sheep, which has BAA certification, has been extensively tested. It saves around 250kg of carbon per year. It prevents around 5% of household heat loss, saving about £50 off a typical energy bill. It also prevents warm air from entering during periods of excessive heat and retains air-conditioned air during the summer months. Other benefits include a reduction in wind noise and prevention of debris and wildlife falling down the chimney.

You will find a lot more information on the website (with some helpful FAQ) and you will find contact details here. You can also easily order your Chimney Sheep from Amazon.

Take a look now at the explanatory video and then we have some great images below which were sent to us by the company.