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history of chimney balloons

(Article reproduced with kind permision from Fireplace Specialist, September 2000)

November 1990 was windy, very windy. It whistled down David Woodman's chimney and round his feet. But the chimney already had a large wad of newspapers supposedly blocking the flow of cold air.
Something more effective was called for. The first idea was an ordinary party balloon inflated in the chimney to seal the gap. It worked - for a day - as the air gradually seeped out. But, Eureka! As David was an Engineering Designer, he was able to locate a very special plastic bag that was non-porous but thin enough to inflate into the chimney nooks and crannies.

That was the first Chimney Balloon and it worked. In fact it worked so well that David started manufacturing and selling them through fireplace shops and by mail order, and is now celebrating the tenth anniversary of the business. His current version, which comes in several sizes, has been much improved over the years. Selling many thousands a year, he now finds that keeping up with demand is a full-time job.

The Chimney Balloon was originally conceived just to stop cold draughts but, having fitted one, David quickly realised that it would soon pay for itself with a substantial reduction in heat losses. Another benefit revealed was that it held back not just birds' mess and soot from chimneys, but birds themselves. Then customers quickly reported back that it considerably reduced outside noise as well.

From a simple need, this completely new product, providing several benefits, has evolved. It appears to be in increasing demand as customers tell their friends how effective it is.