Chimney draught-proofing is often an overlooked and undervalued energy-saving measure.

However, with households starting to turn their heating on for the winter, now is the time for them to put a Chimney Sheep draught excluder in their chimney flues!

If residents with chimneys in the West Midlands draught-proofed their chimney with a Chimney Sheep draught excluder, residents could save a total of £53,065,440 in heating bills annually and reduce the area’s total carbon output by 141,507,840 kg per year.  

Based on government data, there are 552,765 houses with chimneys in the West Midlands. Using a Chimney Sheep chimney draught excluder will stop 5% of a household’s heat from escaping, according to a study conducted by the University of Liverpool. 

This equates to a saving of £96 per year for the average household (based on the current Ofgem Energy Price Cap of £1,923) and an average reduction of 250kg of carbon dioxide per household. With the lifetime of a Chimney Sheep estimated to be ten years, it will save each household a total of almost £1000 in heating bills and reduce a household’s carbon footprint by 2500kg. 

Prices of a Chimney Sheep start at just £18.00, making the wool draught excluder one of the simplest and most cost-effective energy-saving measures currently available for properties. A Chimney Sheep draught excluder is designed to be inserted into open chimney flues and can be removed if a fire is to be lit.

The simple device is made with a thick layer of felted Herdwick wool which is durable, breathable and malleable. The tool reduces household draughts by blocking 93% of airflow.

Using a Chimney Sheep will not only reduce a household’s energy bills and CO2 emissions but it will also:

  • Make a room feel more comfortable in temperature by blocking most of the airflow into and out of the chimney (whilst naturally permitting sufficient ventilation). The product works to prevent warm air from escaping up the chimney and stopping cold air from coming in via other leaky parts of a building and the chimney when not in use, reducing the ‘stack effect’ phenomenon. This reduces the amount of cool air in a room and the amount of cool air movement making it feel markedly warmer.
  • Reduce wind noise coming through chimneys on a windy day. The thick layer of wool muffles the sound and will cut off almost all of air flow being caused by the stack effect. It will also help to reduce external noise pollution such as traffic and fireworks.
  • Stop wildlife and debris falling into the hearth by acting as a physical barrier from the top of a chimney to the hearth.  It will also stop any curious pet cats sneaking up the chimney and getting stuck. 

The innovative tool is the only chimney draught excluder on the market to hold a prestigious BBA Agrément Certificate, which provides industry reassurance of the product's fitness for purpose. Each product has a clamp and handle attached to it which makes it easy and convenient to insert and remove as needed.

The Chimney Sheep and a range of other draught-proofing measures are available to buy at chimneysheep.co.uk and Amazon. The product comes in a range of shapes and sizes to fit a variety of chimneys.