How To Open A Fireplace Flue

A chimney damper prevents conditioned (warmed or cooled) business firm air from escaping through the flue when you're not using the fireplace. You demand to open the damper when you commencement a fire to let for proper airflow and let the fume out.

A airtight damper tin can restrict airflow and go a prophylactic issue since fume would fill your house. Here's how to tell if the damper is open or airtight.

What Blazon of Damper Do You lot Accept?

There are two main types of chimney dampers. Start by identifying what kind of damper is in your chimney if yous're wondering if it'south open up or airtight.

Throat Damper

Pharynx dampers are a common selection because they're convenient.  A pharynx damper closes the base of your chimney and insulates your home from cold air.  It's easy to check if a pharynx damper is open up or closed since information technology's built into the fireplace and tin can be seen at the top of the firebox.

The throat, or upper portion, of the firebrick that lines the dorsum of your fireplace should take a slight angle to guide smoke upwards and out while reducing cold air intake and may slant towards the throat damper. This damper, located at the top of the firebox, swings downwardly to seal the throat shut when you don't apply the fireplace.  Most dampers are constructed of cast iron or steel and will exist blackness or rust-colored.

You tin achieve inside of the fireplace opening and backside the lintel to touch the damper. Y'all should be able to open and close it with a knob  (this is usually located on the front end face of the fireplace) or rod (located in the fireplace, above the firebox).

Top-Mountain Damper

A elevation-mount damper seals the chimney cap. This, in plow, insulates the unabridged chimney flue. The advantage of a top-mount damper over its throat-mounted cousin is that it prevents animals, birds, insects and droppings from falling into the flue.

In that location is a spring that keeps the pinnacle-mount damper open, and the controlling cablevision or handle is usually attached to the fireplace wall. The open position is the default, and y'all will have to pull on a chain or cable and work confronting the spring to close the damper.

How to Know if the Damper is Open

How to tell if the damper is open up or closed depends on the type of damper you accept. Your house will chop-chop fill with smoke if you start a burn with a closed damper. You should get into the habit of checking whether the damper is open or not earlier starting a fire for safety reasons.

Here are different methods you can use to determine if the damper is open or closed.

Experience for a Draft

An open damper will allow air circulate freely in the chimney flue. You should be able to feel cold air by moving your hand or face into the fireplace.

Annotation: This is non a foolproof method if you have a top-mount damper. Cold air stored in the chimney flue can requite you the impression that the damper is open.

Visually Bank check

A visual check is one of the surest ways of checking whether the damper is open or not. Simply stick your head in the fireplace and look up.

If y'all have a throat damper, the closed damper immediately higher up your head volition block your vision. You should be able to achieve upwardly and bear upon the closed damper.

If you have a tiptop-mount damper, check for daylight at the top of the flue. If you can't run across daylight at the top, the damper is closed.

Check the Controls

The current position of the controls (cablevision, rod, handle, etc) tin assist you lot decide if the damper is open or closed as long as you're familiar with the chimney and its controls. If you find yourself in an unfamiliar house, it'due south all-time to perform a visual check afterward looking at the control position.

Practise Not Offset a Fire in the Fireplace if You Are Not Sure the Damper is Open

Some sources suggest yous can cheque whether your damper is open up or closed by simply starting a fire in your fireplace.  Starting a burn down with a closed damper is extremely unsafe and should never be used equally a testing method.

Having smoke fill your business firm is more than an unpleasant experience. Yous gamble damage to the interior of your home, your belongings, and, virtually importantly, your health when a closed damper causes smoke to become trapped in the house.

If y'all ever start a fire without existence sure that the damper is in the open position, keep an centre on the flames and smoke and open up the damper as shortly as y'all notice that airflow isn't sufficient.

A closed pharynx damper volition cause smoke to fill your house immediately when you first a burn. If you take a chimney with a airtight top-mountain damper It might take a few minutes for fume to start filling the house, only you will eventually notice that there isn't plenty airflow.

How to Bank check the Controls and Open a Damper

It'southward always a good idea to check the controls before starting a fire since a partially open damper wouldn't permit for proper airflow even though you can experience a typhoon.

Different Types of Controls

Throat dampers typically have a rod that you push or elevator to accommodate the position of the damper (circled below):

Some chimneys accept a knob that rotates a rod to adjust the damper.  These knobs are generally found on the exterior of the fireplace, commonly centered above the fireplace opening, but sometimes off to the side.

Top-mount dampers use a spring-loaded design. They remain open up until you pull a chain or handle, usually  mounted on the side of the firebox, to shut them and secure the mechanism to go along the damper closed:

If the chain or handle isn't firmly secured in the bracket, the damper is open.

How to Open a Damper

If you have a throat damper with a rod control inside the fireplace, check to see if you can push button or lift the rod further.  A knob control on the fireplace outside tin be trickier since yous might not know in which direction to turn it.

There is a simple solution:  Rotate it all the way in one direction and stick your head in the fireplace to bank check the damper position. Information technology's an piece of cake way of figuring out which direction closes and opens the damper if the knob has no index markings.

If y'all take a top-mount damper, pull downward on the concatenation to encounter if you lot tin can close the damper. The damper will immediately spring support if you don't secure the chain. This is also a good exercise to do before starting a fire to ensure that the top-mount damper is open all the style.

Telling whether a damper is open up or closed volition exist easier as y'all get familiar with your chimney. You should be able to tell right abroad if in that location isn't enough airflow once y'all get used to the chimney and what a typhoon coming from the flue usually feels similar. Don't forget to close the damper to preserve your dwelling house'south conditioned (heated or cooled) air when you lot're non using the fireplace.

If your damper volition not open or close, information technology may need to be repaired.

Questions About Your Chimney? Ask a Sweep

If you're concerned that your chimney damper may not be working correctly or that whatever other function of your chimney is functioning improperly, the certified chimney sweeps and technicians at Priddy Chimney Sweeps are ready to help.

Wonder if your chimney is in skilful shape? Contact us today to have one of our skilled chimney sweeps evaluate your chimney and fireplace.

Source: https://www.priddyclean.com/how-to-tell-if-damper-is-open-or-closed/

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