Preparing for winter III

toottifrootti

MOAM :A:A:A I had lost the link so will get one ordered - was going to use an old spare pillow but dont have any and this is much more sensible - thank you x

Fruball

toottifrootti wrote: »

MOAM :A:A:A I had lost the link so will get one ordered - was going to use an old spare pillow but dont have any and this is much more sensible - thank you x

How about buying a MrT value pillow and popping it into a black bin liner? I have heard of other people doing that and it would cost only a couple of quid...

tugrin

Think the pillow in a black bin bag is probably the best idea - I have seen a lot of reviews that say the actual trademarked 'Chimney Balloons' ofen deflate after only a short time - I have all my old carrier bags (I know, shame on me) stuffed into a big carrier and stuffed up there and its working wonders do far!!

toottifrootti

Hi Frugal another good idea thank you xx

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

Mum_on_a_mission wrote: »

Tootifrooti - once your chimney has been swept please consider getting a chimney balloon, they really do stop heat disappearing up the chimney and can make the room nice and cosy. But can be removed for fires when needed.

http://www.chimney-balloon.co.uk/ or similar!

We bought two for our downstairs fireplaces and they have made a big difference to the background heat levels- and no more draughts!

Moam

Just wondering,this seems a brilliant idea and I've read all the info on the site.
However could I ask from a users perspective,are they realy easy to fit up the chimney and remove when you want to have a fire on.
I know they say they are on the website but is that realy the case.
Never heard of these before but they seem a very good idea.

abwsco

Even cheaper than a chimney balloon or a pillow is newspaper in plastic bags:) That's what we did until we had the old fire removed and swept last year.

I'm doing the happy dance as I decided to brave the weather and drive to Asda to get some de-icer. Bought nine cans for £9 and also bought a small slow cooker that's on offer at £9 instead of £15ish. We already have a slow cooker but it's a big one and sometimes I don't want to do big batches of food in it.

lizzyb1812

MOAM - Thanks for the post re the chimney balloon - went onto the site and thought it would be a good idea. And thanks to other posters for all the alternative suggestions - which is what I'll be trying first, but would never have thought of a "soft" thing before reading MOAM's post - I was thinking on the lines of wood, etc - would have been much more difficult to fit, so thanks again, MOAM

triticale

My Yaktraks have arrived! I was humming and harring over whether to spend on them, but a friend put some money in my birthday card so I decided to go for it .

They seem nice and sturdy, I need some ice and snow now to test them out (joking - don't lynch me for wishing for bad weather!)

maryb

We popped into our local 'upmarket' pub tonight for a glass of wine. It was a quiet night so we sat on the nice sofas by the fireplace where they have a lovely open fire in winter. It wasn't lit tonight and the draft coming down that fireplace would have blown a match out! We got so chilled we thought about lighting the stove when we got back but decided to hold off for a bit. That's the bit I love about autumn - being all cozy. I could take an edited version of the bit between January and March, however.

I confess I suspected we had a troll in our midst and thought I was being uncharitable. I'm still suspending judgement and maybe it's just the majority of us tend to be less forthright. Interesting that this thread and the other have NOT been derailed - which suggests either it's not a deliberate attempt to stir or we are just unbelievably nice level headed people - long may it continue

NualaBuala

I have an old pillow stuffed in a bin bag stuffed up the chimney and it really does help. I've been wondering if there would be any benefit in wrapping some cardboard in foil or a space blanket and wedging that on the room side of the pillow. Or does it only work with radiators - not sure if it would reflect ambient heat back into the room?