Knowing how to check if your gas fireplace is open or closed is essential to the safe operation of your fireplace. When we get calls about dampers at Magic Mountain Chimney Sweeps, we are always happy to provide answers. How to open a chimney damper traditional fireplace pros basic home improvements do you the blog at fireplacemall work repair full service kansas city area dampers everything need know install in any vented flue gas grills parts fireplaces and learn about mendota america s luxury inserts clamp installation . You should be able to see the damper, normally located about a foot higher than the fireplace itself. Most installers put in a clip that will not allow the damper to close after the gas log is installed. To close the fireplace damper, hook the chain back under tension. Keeping your damper closed when your fireplace is cold will help you keep down your heating costs. On their website, they include a complete materials list and how-to videos. A device called a “lock-top sealing damper” is the answer. Costly Reasons Why You Should Close Your Damper In The Summer. Basically, this type of damper is a spring-loaded cap installed on the top of the chimney. Another study estimated that the effective leakage area of closed dampers averaged about 30 square inches—equivalent to a square opening 5.5" x 5.5" in size allow continual flow of heated air to the outside. Attached to the indoor fireplace end of the flue is a damper operated by a lever. The damper can be closed after you have allowed several minutes to emit the carbon dioxide from the residual heat. It is designed to close shut and seal off cool or warm air in the home from escaping when not in use. Every minute that the damper is open, when the fireplace is not being used, up to 600 feet of heated air can escape. But when you aren’t using your fireplace, leaving the damper open can allow warmth out and cold air in. The wood-burning fireplace has a damper right above the firebox that can be opened/closed with a metal lever and another damper at the top of the chimney with a long cable that you pull and latch to close it. How to Close the Chimney Flue. A fireplace damper, chimney damper, or “throat damper” is a metal plate located at the top of your chimney’s firebox. No. Close the damper after all the embers are burnt out. If a fire is lit and the damper is closed, the gas and debris have nowhere to go but into the house, causing a smoky situation. Fireplaces with installed gas logs are required to have the damper open at all times. The sheet of metal or other material is usually found in the hollow of a masonry chimney, called the throat, and is located above the firebox. Step 2 - Find the Damper. When the embers are cold to the touch, pull the cord or lever to close the damper. This is not only a fire hazard, it can also cause deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. 2. The fireplace damper should always be in the open position whenever you have a fire in the fireplace. ... You need to leave your chimney’s damper partially open to vent the carbon monoxide that the gas fire produces, so much of the heat generated by a vented gas log set goes up the chimney. How to use the fireplace damper to control the fire. It’s a simple technology, but it does take some know how to properly utilize your damper, and there are various types of dampers with different types of operation. Years and years of heating up to high temperatures and cooling down can take a toll on any damper. When there are coals and embers still in the fireplace, close the damper to stop heat from escaping through the chimney. The damper helps to control the draft in a flue. How To Open A Chimney Damper Traditional Fireplace Pros. The reason gas code does not want you to have a damper for gas fireplace is so that you don’t kill yourself or your family with CO. CO is the product of incomplete combustion, that is the fire does not get enough oxygen, the damper issue is lack of draft, air moves up and out the chimney drawing air to the flame. Check for a cleanout door at the bottom of the fireplace leading to the outside. Back. If you have installed gas logs in your fireplace, the damper should never be closed. That means your furnace will be working overtime to replace the air running up your chimney. Wait 5 minutes before closing the damper on gas fireplaces. When operated, the cable springs the cap up (or down) to open (or close) the chimney. How can you tell if a fireplace damper is open or closed? When the fireplace is not in use, the damper … It’s a gateway for frigid air to enter and for heated air to escape in the winter. Set a monthly reminder in your phone if need be. Its job is to seal off the firebox from the rest of the chimney, and can be opened or close with a lever. Is this a problem?, House, 15 replies Fireplace damper doesn't close, House, 2 replies How do I close the Flue on my gas fireplace?, House, 4 replies 2. A chimney balloon is an allowable substitute for a damper since it is not a permanent fixture in the fireplace and it will release if introduced to heat. So that is why. Even with the fireplace damper closed, there are air leaks around the edges of the damper. Shut Off the Pilot. Close it when it's not it use. Feel. The damper should be kept open until all embers are finished burning to prevent smoke from escaping into the home. How To Tell If A Chimney Flue Is Open Or Closed The Indoor Haven . This piece is imperative to home … This duct within your chimney includes a damper that can … If you start a fire when the damper is closed, you’ll realize the mistake quickly when the room fills up with smoke. While gas fireplaces also need the flue to be open while in use, there is often no mechanism to close it; instead, the damper is simply left partially or fully open when the gas insert is installed. If you’re converting a wood-burning fireplace to gas, and the fireplace has an operating chimney, Rosie recommends vented gas logs. That may need sealing up also. If you are sure the controls are in the open position and you don’t feel air, your damper may be broken. Do not close a fireplace damper until the fire is completely out. Shine a flashlight up your chimney. Basic Home … A cable is installed into the firebox. Basic Home Improvements How To Work A Fireplace Damper You. Do not use your fireplace until you are sure the damper is open. If the fireplace damper is closed when a gas log fireplace is operated, the combustion gases will come right in to the house. Once the ember bed is completely out, close the damper. 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. However, leaving the damper open at installation does not ensure that the damper will stay open forever. Whether your fireplace is gas or wood-burning, if it was built with a pre-fabricated insert, then it almost certainly has a damper. It has an ash pit with a little trap door towards the middle back of the fireplace. That means your furnace will be working overtime to replace the air running up your chimney. Partially closing the flue (chimney) damper can cause smoke to spill into the room when burning wood, or cause carbon monoxide (CO) to come into the room when using gas logs. Once your fire is burning, you can close the flue to allow only a small amount of air through the flue and out of the house. When you have an active flame going, you want to leave the damper open so the smoke can escape through the flue. Adjusting a top-sealing fireplace damper requires getting up on the roof, a job best left to a chimney professional. Products. A closed damper keeps cold air out of your cozy home. The damper must be in the fully open position when using a wood-burning fireplace. The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and when the fireplace is in use. Fireplace Damper Repair Full Service Chimney Kansas City Area. The damper should always be open when a fire is burning in the fireplace. If your fireplace is well-designed, it will have a damper you can easily adjust to control the flow of air up the chimney. Many homeowners know their chimney damper, aka fireplace damper, needs to be opened before starting a fire but don’t know how to tell if the damper is open or closed. The electronic-ignition models are much more energy efficient because they burn only when they are turned on. Keep the damper closed when the fireplace is not in use. Gas fireplaces use the same metal flue system as wood-burning fireplaces. Can I partially close the damper on my wood-burning fireplace so less air goes up the chimney? Make sure to close the damper whenever your fireplace is not in use! Be sure the damper seals properly. Want To Convert Gas … You can tell if the damper is open or closed by visually checking inside the flue, feeling unusual drafts, or checking the damper controls. You should close the damper as tightly as possible before smoke comes into the house. While the idea of a fireplace is romantic, it might be a nuisance in practice. Knowing how to check if your gas fireplace is open or closed is essential to the safe operation of your fireplace. If the original damper for your fireplace is missing or beyond repair, your WE LOVE FIRE expert will likely recommend a lock top sealing damper. Positioning the Fireplace Damper. The damper in your fireplace helps you control the flow of air when your fireplace is being used or not. The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and when the fireplace is in use. When properly installed, dampers should create an airtight seal that prevents airflow between the chimney and the rest of the house. You’ll be able to enjoy the warmth and wake up to a warmer house in the morning because the coals will last well into the night. And while older wood-burning fireplaces can function safely without a damper (gas fireplaces cannot), a chimney without a damper is just a gaping hole in the roof of your house. How to Open Your Chimney Damper. Step 3 - Remove the Damper. The damper in a fireplace is designed to use the warm air that is circulating in your home efficiently. Close it when it's not it use. Damper clamps keep the chimney’s damper from closing, allowing dangerous gases to escape the firebox in the case of a gas leak. Closing the Damper. Close the damper when the fire is extinguished. The damper is the part of the chimney that can open and close. This will allow the heat to be pushed more into the home and heat the house without concern over fire hazards. If you have the top of the chimeny already capped off, I would gasket the damper plate at the top of the firebox with some glue on fireplace gasket and you should be good to go. It is true that the building codes since 1991 have not allowed the use of fireplace dampers in new vented gas log setups. If you have glass doors be sure to utilize them. A flue directs smoke outside of a home when a fireplace is in use. The flap is located inside the chimney flue found inside the chimney. The damper can be closed or open. Although top-sealing fireplace dampers tend to be relatively trouble-free, sometimes the cables need to be replaced or adjusted, or debris interferes with the moving parts. 5. But, what do I do with my older home’s fireplace that has a missing or badly damaged damper? Learn all about fireplace damper basics below. Make sure your fire is completely out or else residual smoke could fill your home. Simply close the damper (or door) tight, and the heat is contained in the house. Once you have cleaned your fireplace you will then need to locate the damper. They can warp, twist or rust and begin to deteriorate. When To Close Fireplace Damper The Blog At Fireplacemall. Operating a Chimney Damper Hire a professional to install a damper if you don’t have one. Never close the damper or leave the fireplace unattended while there is a fire in the fireplace. When To Close The Damper On My Fireplace We Love Fire. Gas-log fireplaces are equipped with either a standing pilot light (one that is lit all the time) or with electronic ignition. The smoke won’t have anywhere to release and you run the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Use the damper to its potential. However, in a gas fireplace, that damper has to stay open. Dampers are, after all, a crucial part of fireplace safety.
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