Open Fireplace 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.

Open fireplace chimney damper.

The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and when the fireplace is in use. Conversely outside air can enter through the flue into the firebox. Often a damper becomes difficult to operate or sticks in one position. Always make sure the damper is fully open before lighting a fire in the fireplace.

Opening the damper is straightforward. Close it when it s not it use. This allows the chimney to draft at maximum efficiency during startup and effectively remove smoke. The chimney houses the flue which is just the airway in which the smoke rises from the fireplace and exits through the roof.

They usually feature mesh guards to keep critters out of your flue and a leak proof gasket to keep moisture at bay. The damper is a steel or cast iron door that opens and closes the throat of the firebox into the flue. It prevents heated air loss through the chimney or down drafts when the chimney is not in use. Unlike traditional throat dampers a chimney top damper is installed at the top of the chimney allowing it to close and seal properly.

Fireplace dampers come in two main types. Many people wonder about how to properly use a chimney damper. How to open your chimney damper. The damper must be open before a fire is started or smoke will come into the house rather than up the chimney.

Chimney top and throat. Diving even deeper down the rabbit hole the all important damper is located inside the flue. 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. Throat dampers sit lower in the flue just above the firebox.

How to use a fireplace damper. If you start a fire when the damper is closed you ll realize the mistake quickly when the room fills up with smoke. 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. Chimney top dampers sit at the top of the chimney with a chain and lever to open and close it.

Operating the fireplace with the damper partially closed will not.