Open Fireplace Chimney Damper

If you start a fire when the damper is closed you ll realize the mistake quickly when the room fills up with smoke.

Open fireplace chimney damper.

Fireplace dampers come in two main types. The damper must be open before a fire is started or smoke will come into the house rather than up the chimney. Unlike traditional throat dampers a chimney top damper is installed at the top of the chimney allowing it to close and seal properly. The chimney houses the flue which is just the airway in which the smoke rises from the fireplace and exits through the roof.

How to use a fireplace damper. They usually feature mesh guards to keep critters out of your flue and a leak proof gasket to keep moisture at bay. A damper plate located at the top of a chimney within a top mounted damper is usually square in shape and spring loaded to open or close via a pulley chain with the chain handle to control the damper located within the fireplace. The damper is a steel or cast iron door that opens and closes the throat of the firebox into the flue.

Operating the fireplace with the damper partially closed will not. It prevents heated air loss through the chimney or down drafts when the chimney is not in use. Unless you have a vent free fireplace the first step you should take before lighting a fire in a wood burning fireplace or gas fireplace is to open the damper. Always make sure the damper is fully open before lighting a fire in the fireplace.

How to open your chimney damper. If you have a top mounted damper that s located at the top of the chimney you re likely to have a chain that hangs down into the fireplace which can be used to open and close the damper. Opening the damper is straightforward. Often a damper becomes difficult to operate or sticks in one position.

Chimney top dampers sit at the top of the chimney with a chain and lever to open and close it. This allows the chimney to draft at maximum efficiency during startup and effectively remove smoke. Chimney top and throat. Throat dampers sit lower in the flue just above the firebox.

The damper is an important part of your wood fireplace chimney. Closing the damper is more. Close it when it s not it use. One of the most pervasive causes of a stuck damper is rust often caused when rainwater enters the chimney through a faulty or nonexistent chimney cap.

Many people wonder about how to properly use a chimney damper.