Fireplace Damper Chain Open Or Closed

They usually feature mesh guards to keep critters out of your flue and a leak proof gasket to keep moisture at bay.

Fireplace damper chain open or closed.

The damper is a steel or cast iron door that opens and closes the throat of the firebox into the flue. After you ve opened the damper you should feel air coming down the chimney. Top mount dampers use a spring loaded design. In general chimney cap dampers are closed if the chain is hooked to the wall surround of your fireplace.

To open it take the chain off the hook and let it go. If the chain or handle isn t firmly secured in the bracket the damper is open. The damper can be opened and closed through a few different mechanisms including a latch a pull chain or a handle. If the chain is tightly attached to a hook the damper is closed.

One key aspect of this is understanding when your dampers are open and when they re closed. Chimney top and throat. A fireplace damper is a device that can be manually opened or closed with the purpose of allowing gases and other byproducts from a fireplace to be safely vented from a building when open but to also prevent air from escaping the building when a fireplace isn t being used. Throat dampers sit lower in the flue just above the firebox.

It s why so many of us prioritize purchasing homes with fireplaces in them. You should feel the chain spring up as the damper opens. Dampers are made to close tightly when you aren t using your fireplace in order to prevent air exchange between the inside and outside of your home. However before you use your fireplace it s important that you understand how to operate it properly.

To verify that take a mirror and hold it in the fireplace and look and see if you can see the sky above if you can then it is jammed in. Often a damper becomes difficult to operate or sticks in one position. If it s hanging freely the damper is closed. If you don t feel any air coming down the chimney or if you ve opened the damper but your fireplace is still smoking you should contact a chimney specialist.

Fireplaces are constructed fairly simply. 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. Fireplace dampers come in two main types. For chimney cap dampers look for a chain inside your fireplace.

Aside from the fireplace flue this handle may be located on the fireplace opening as well. If it has then the damper is jammed in the open position. It also creates a draft of the air necessary for this to happen. Chimney top dampers sit at the top of the chimney with a chain and lever to open and close it.