Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 24. Is Your House Too Hot How About Closing The Chimney . A flue directs smoke outside of a home when a fireplace is in use. (Make sure there has not been a fire recently as the flue gets hot.) LESLIE: Jo in North Carolina has some concerns about a gas fireplace. Air will be coming down the chimney. Before you build a fire or strike a match, open your damper and visually inspect it to confirm it's open. Opening the damper in a fireplace before starting a fire to avoid smoke damage to your home. Place your hands inside your fireplace and pay attention if you can freely feel the air circulating. Put your head in and look up. A Fireplace Can Be a Huge Source of Energy Loss. $7.99 $ 7. If it's dark out or you're not sure, you can reach your hand up to feel for the flue. An open damper is much like an open window or open door – interior air you are paying to air condition will be wasted and escape out any opening. The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and when the fireplace is in use. You’ll pay $3,500 to $8,000 or more, depending on fireplace quality and the amount of remodeling … The damper is the small metal flap you can open and close when looking up inside your fireplace and into the chimney flue system. A functional damper opens and closes easily just by using the handle or lever. The damper is a steel or cast-iron door that opens and closes the throat of the firebox into the flue. You should be able to dampen the flue as you would with a wood fire to slow burn rate. Do keep a carbon monoxide detector in service as a safety precaution. The throat, or upper portion, of the firebrick that lines the back of your fireplace should have a slight angle to guide smoke up and out while reducing cold air intake and may slant towards the throat damper. Wait, don’t light your fireplace just yet. It can also save you from air pollution arising from smoke and other gases – unless you want to install a kitchen exhaust fan. The term ‘open’ is only related to the way the air reaches the fire. A closed damper helps to: One common misconception about fireplace dampers is that leaving them open will help keep your home cool. The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and when the fireplace is in use. LESLIE: Jo in North Carolina has some concerns about a gas fireplace. During the summer, an open damper forces your air conditioner to work harder to compensate for the constantly incoming warm air; this, in turn, costs you more money through higher utility bills. You can check this too if you are into grilling and smoking. In theory, closing the … If the flue is open, the smoke will go out of the chimney without any problem. A chimney flue is essential in conveying smoke and harmful gases from your fireplace to the outdoors. It might be an ornery old beast, but you should be able to open/close the flue. Again, this is incorrect. ... Stanbroil Damper Clamp/Damper Stop Clamp for Fireplace Flue. A closed off fireplace can be a decorating challenge, but just think of it as a blank canvas. A chimney damper should be left closed during the summer months when the fireplace isn’t being used as often. Nevertheless, you can tell whether your damper is open or closed based on the position of the controls. Use a flashlight to observe both the open and closed positions to double check that the damper is open before proceeding. More Buying Choices $13.75 (4 used & new offers) Hanging Solid Brass Fireplace Damper Open Closed Sign. If you're not sure which position of the chain or lever indicates open or closed, you need look in the fireplace. Here are simple techniques on how to tell if a chimney flue is open or closed. The hazard is carbon-monoxide poisoning. Another cautionary note: A wood-burning fire must be completely out and the ashes cold before the damper can be shut or other sealing is put into place. Ask about our referral program for anybody you send our way and we get the opportunity to work with. You can use a flashlight to shine a light up the chimney when doing the checks. When it's open, you'll feel a rush of cool air in the fireplace and see an open vent.
Before lighting up that firewood, ensure the fireplace flue is open or else the smoke and gases will fill up your room. So I’ve fished her out and let her go. Attached to the indoor fireplace end of the flue is a damper operated by a lever. The damper can be closed or open. We keep our home cool (67 degrees) at night in the summer. Published March 13, 2018. The damper should always be open when a fire is burning in the fireplace. Promotion Available. You must open the damper every time you start a fire. 99. At the Chimney Safety Institute of America, we receive a lot of questions from homeowners who want to prevent heat from escaping through a chimney. However, I’m afraid if I leave the flue closed and she falls, she won’t be able to get back up to her nest. I've pulled, pushed, twisted, turned, and … An open damper can also allow other things, like birds and bugs, to fly right into your home through the chimney! In the summer, an open fireplace damper is like an open door. The damper allows heat and smoke to escape when open and prevents animals and cold air from entering when closed. Bring it down slowly and monitor for smoke intrusion. Are flues for gas fireplaces different? If the lever is in the open position, your flue damper should be open. I see a little handle that seems to be connected to the flue, as i can hear it connects to something (i assume the "valve" in the flue) when i jiggle it. If you can see up into the flue, the damper is open. Now if you have a warm/hot fireplace the number up the flue is higher by a factor of 3. Adding glass doors to the front of the fireplace can significantly improve its airtightness, as can tightly fitting a piece of plywood or rigid foam board under the damper opening. When it's open, you'll feel a rush of cool air in the fireplace and see an open vent. When the days get longer and the weather begins to warm, your fireplace will likely see less and less use. The intake vent draws fresh air into the fireplace while the exhaust vent safely removes fumes of the combustion (burning) process. In some cases, the damper may also be partly closed to help control the rate of combustion. Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 24. Why Close it? Gas fireplace insert flue open or closed. It may be best to open the flue when you light the candles. When Should the Flue Be Open? By the way, an open system does not mean that there is no glass plate at the front side of the stove. A closed damper will prevent twigs, leaves, rainwater, small animals, hot air from coming into your home. Most damper controls are of the pull chain variety. Knowing how to check if your gas fireplace is open or closed is essential to the safe operation of your fireplace. • Give your fireplace a thorough cleaning inside and out. Open Gas Fireplace Open Gas Fireplace Logs Open Gas Fire Can i cover the louvers on my fireplace or insert face. A fireplace damper, chimney damper, or “throat damper” is a metal plate located at the top of your chimney’s firebox. $16.99 $ 16. JO: Yeah, I moved into this house about 12 years ago and the gas logs were already here. Close it when it's not it use. If can see the sky, the flue damper is open. 4.6 out of 5 stars 45. In others, you need to push or pull to open the flue while in others it is by turning a knob in the clockwise or anticlockwise direction. Via a very realisticlooking replacement for real wood. A properly installed damper should be able to prevent a draft when it is sealed. An open Damper in the summer time allow hot air from outside to come right down the chimney and into your home reducing your heating and cooling bills. Summer conditions add to the smoke-smell problem because our noses sense smells more intensely when the air is humid. If the handle is in the closed position, your flue damper should be closed. The firebox has another source of air to continue combustion. That part seems to be right but the fireplace logs still shuts down and turns itself off and beeps until air is clear but I'm still scared. 3 types. In the winter, when you’re not using the fireplace, a closed damper helps to keep cold air from swirling down into the house. A damper that is left open typically won’t help to cool down your home in warm weather, and so it’s not necessary to leave your damper open in the summer. In effect, by keeping it open you are PAYING to heat/cool the great outdoors. Damper Operation Elkton Md Ace Chimney Sweeps. Use a flashlight to observe both the open and closed positions to double check that the damper is open before proceeding. Now that it’s springtime, there’s one important thing to remember to do to close off your fireplace for summer: close your damper. A closed damper helps to: 99. Another common myth about dampers is that leaving them open during the summer helps air out the chimney. Fireplace doors. The glass doors act like a fire screen would, and keeps the sparks and stuff inside the fireplace. So last year we used the wood fireplace and ignored the other one. However it wont latch in a different position. JO: Yeah, I moved into this house about 12 years ago and the gas logs were already here. (Insert confusion here.) You know the flue is open if you can see the sky or have a throat dumper. A chimney can act as a wind tunnel even when the damper is closed, sucking cold air down into your home through the fireplace opening.. A fireplace draft stopper is an efficient way to prevent this from happening. In a chimney flue, a damper closes off the flue to keep the weather (and birds and other animals) out and warm or cool air in. The cord or lever be on the top or side of the fireplace. $9.95 $ 9. It is important to use a glass or ceramic door that can withstand the heat of the fire. The combustion chamber is actually totally closed off. This duct within your chimney includes a damper that can be opened or closed by a lever or pull chains, in most instances. There is a pilot light which stays on and the tip if the flame stays yellow in color. The hottest months of spring and summer are on their way, and it’s important that you don’t simply ignore your fireplace without properly closing it. How to Tell if Your Fireplace Damper Is Open or Closed Visually inspect. How to Close a Chimney Flue. A fireplace is a huge source of drafts from the cold outdoors. Some dampers open by pulling a chain, while others have a knob to turn. You will stop the cold drafty air in the winter and keep warm humid air from coming in during the summer months. Given the two scenarios above, it means you need to this opening accordingly, and you can do it through the damper. Can You Use Existing Chimney With New Stove Stove Placement. First time homeowner here. Pull the lever or cord to open and close the damper. Is my flue open or closed? I tell folks to get the damper closed soon as possible after a fire. Here are the creative solutions I came up with. Check up into the chimney from your fireplace. This past summer, I was cleaning the rarely used room with the gas fireplace and noticed a hot draft while vacuuming around the hearth. Leaving the damper open removes the barrier between your chimney and the rest of the house, meaning chimney odors are more likely to seep through your home. I just noticed it today for the first time and it was in the up position. We are in an old house too and if the flue is open you can tell by the draft it creates. ©2020 The Indoor Haven
The controls used in dampers may vary. TOM: No, not slightly open; all the way open. Give yours a check to see open or closed it can help save money during winter keeping it closed when not in use. One of the most pervasive causes of a stuck damper is rust, often caused when rainwater enters the chimney through a … Pay attention to which position is open and which position is closed when the damper is installed. The flue is not open and I'm wandering if it should be. Besides this practical tip, the following are three things to do with your fireplace during in summer months: • Hire a professional chimney sweep to inspect and clean your chimney. In order to be a responsible fireplace owner, the first task you must do before enjoying a fire is checking to see if the fireplace damper is open or closed.. Why You Should Check. TOM: No, not slightly open; all the way open. • Tie together a bundle of birch twigs or logs and place the bundle in the fireplace. Some dampers open by pulling a chain, while others have a knob to turn. When you start up a fire in a wood-burning fireplace, you open up the damper--that's the small door that opens and closes the chimney flue. Although all fireplace users understand how important it is to have the damper open when the fireplace is in use, few understand that it is equally important to close the damper when the fireplace is not in use. The hottest months of spring and summer are on their way, and it’s important that you don’t simply ignore your fireplace without properly closing it. Use our magnetic fireplace vent cover to stop the inner cold air Call today to start the process to a cleaner, safer home or request an inspection online. However, I’m afraid if I leave the flue closed and she falls, she won’t be able to get back up to her nest. 12 Tips Before Starting Your Fireplace Or Wood Stove This. I wouldn't even be as worried about the money as much as being flippin' cold! Your chimney has a flue that exhausts air to keep a healthy circulation in your home. When the fireplace is not in use, the damper should always be closed. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon . If you're not sure which position of the chain or lever indicates open or closed, you need look in the fireplace. If you have a throat damper, you can tell if it is closed if you see a barrier above your head. Its purpose is to control the amount of smoke and air ventilation that drafts upward through the flue system. Either seal up the fireplace and never use it (they have magnetic covers which will work nicely) OR climb in there (clean out fireplace first, but it will still be quite sooty) and figure out how to open/close the flue yourself. Likewise, what does closing the flue do? Remember to Close Your Chimney Damper for Summer! Included as part of this conduit within your chimney is a damper that may be opened or closed as needed. Thanks. This past summer, I was cleaning the rarely used room with the gas fireplace and noticed a hot draft while vacuuming around the hearth. It makes sense, then, that during the summer and other times when your chimney is not in use that you should use something like a Chimney Balloon to prevent HVAC-treated air from escaping. Light up a fire. The damper is a rotating metal trapdoor that when closed, can keep heat inside your room, while keeping cold air out. Using a Fireplace Draft Stopper. Gas fireplace flue open or closed for sale, codes code requirement that run to travel up into the flue or fully open or cold air is required for a draft so the same as sealing up the hassle of carbon monoxide in most instances. One common misconception about fireplace dampers is that leaving them open will help keep your home cool. The final common myth our chimney contractors often hear is that the damper does not need to be closed, because the chimney cap protects the chimney system. Perform a visual check. Opening that damper is … $16.99 $ 16. So I’ve fished her out and let her go. An open damper can seriously impact the air temperature within your home. 95. And I was under the impression that when I operate the gas logs, that I need to have the chimney flue slightly open. Close the flue. Close it when it's not it use. Here are simple techniques on how to tell if a chimney flue is open or closed. It doesn't take much to maintain a chimney draft--maybe 25% open. The flue gases are exuded to the outside via a separate flue duct. Knowing how to tell if the flue is open in your wood stove or fireplace can help retain the heat needed in your home. If you leave the damper open, regardless of whether it is hot or cold outside, it will allow outside air to draft in and counter the effects of your heating and cooling system. You are absolutely right, it should be closed. 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The checks old house too and if the damper should always be open when a fire and the... I came up with lever indicates open or closed, can keep heat inside your.. It sits right above the firebox from the rest of the controls some concerns about a fireplace. Also allow other things, like birds and bugs, to fly right into your home through the is. Let her go but also sometimes in the fireplace you send our way and we get the opportunity to even. Safety risk and an energy waster if not used properly the hot, humid months of summer your... Before Starting your fireplace damper Sign Hanging flue pull Hook you should learn why you should be kept until! Place a decorative fire screen would, and can be a huge source energy... Fire to slow burn rate discuss below damper – ( Poker, Rotary, double Pivot ) Posted on 19! Flue as you would with a lever or cord to open the is...: Best air purifier for smoke intrusion true for every fireplace some especially... 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