“Open chimney flues are the biggest source of heat loss in a home” says Chimney Sheep. And heating is one of our biggest sources of carbon emissions. So how does a homeowner stop chimney flue heat loss?
It is estimated that 37% of our total greenhouse gas emissions (Gov UK) come from heating (space heating, industrial heating, hot water and cooking). And as much as 20% of your home’s heat can escape up the chimney (Homebuilding & Renovating). In older and harder to heat properties this is often overlooked as a source of heat loss. Solutions to this issue include capping your chimney, chimney balloons and chimney sheep.
Chimney caps are permanent or designed to be in place long-term. If you want to use your chimney a temporary solution is required. Whereas chimney balloons are made of plastic (although the ones made by Chimney Balloons Co are not and they are the sister company of Chimney Sheep), chimney sheep are made of wool, which is recyclable and replaceable when worn out.
What is a chimney sheep?
Chimney sheep are draught excluders, made out of the wool of Herdwick sheep. The wool is felted to make a plug for the chimney and has a handle so it is easy to install or remove. The chimney sheep is available in common sizes or it can be made to order in the specific size and shape required for your chimney, whether it is a round stovepipe or a square brick chimney.
The idea behind the chimney sheep is that it stops the cold air entering your home through the chimney in the winter when the fire is not in use. It also stops the warm air from escaping. Chimney Sheep says “Open chimneys will draw an average of 80 cubic metres of air out of a building per hour.” This saves you money as you are not paying for heating that is lost.
A recent University of Liverpool study assessed the heating savings for houses in Aberdeen, Liverpool and London. They found that the average saving for gas central heating in a 3 bedroom home was between £137.67 and £187.38. In addition, the use of the chimney sheep reduced the carbon emissions by 209.13 and 270.98 kilograms of Co2e.
Sally Phillips, inventor at Chimney Sheep, estimates that if every home in the UK were to use a chimney sheep, it would reduce Co2 emissions by over 2m tonnes! Given that heating our homes is one of our biggest sources of carbon emissions in the UK, any savings are desirable. A chimney sheep will cost you under £30 – the largest in the range is £24 and £3 postage.
Stop chimney flue heat loss
The chimney sheep is a relatively inexpensive way to stop chimney flue heat loss over the winter when energy prices are high. The chimney sheep will pay for itself within the first few weeks of use, so it is a low cost solution. If you’d like to know more about chimney sheep, or any of the other ingenious products for your home & garden that Chimney Sheep team have designed using wool, visit their website at chimneysheep.co.uk