Learn how to fix your crown yourself. When you aren’t using your fireplace, it should be closed to prevent heated and cooled air in your home from escaping. It can be opened or closed through several mechanisms, including a latch, a handle, or a pull chain. To close it, you simply lift the handle up again, pull the damper shut, and set the handle back into position on the ratchet. Unsubscribe at any time. The second type of damper is operated by a lever, normally mounted on the right inside wall of the fireplace. Potential Dangers of Remodeling Factory Built Fireplaces, Benefits of Regular Chimney Cleaning and Inspections, Get Your Fireplace Ready For The Upcoming Holiday Season, How a Chimney Fire can Damage Your Chimney, Questions to Ask Before Entrusting a Chimney Sweep, How to Stay Ahead of Your Fireplace and Chimney Maintenance, What You Need to Know About Chimney Cracks. However, before you use your fireplace, it’s important that you understand how to operate it properly. For security purposes, please enter the following code: Clay Lamb is a Cincinnati Chimney Sweep contractor and the executive producer of the YouTube channel, podcast, and blog Ask the Chimney Sweep. Only a Vestal photograph shows the one I need but I cant seem to find it to purchase anywhere…… Please advise. Stay Safe. If you start a fire when the damper is closed, you’ll realize the mistake quickly when the room fills up with smoke. Fireplace dampers sit almost directly above the heat of the fire. If it has, then the damper is jammed in the open position. If you’re having a problem with your fireplace damper, give us a call! 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. A damper must be in one piece that is snug to the flue in order for it to work properly. • Pivot damper. There are 3 ways to tell whether or not the damper is open without lighting a fire. Your email address will not be published. I trust we will provide you with enough information to solve your chimney and fireplace needs. The damper is always open. Get it as soon as Thu, Dec 24. If you can see the sky, it is open. Before bringing out the lighter, it’s vital to understand safety precautions for using a … Check along the top of the firebox until you locate the vent lever. The dampers are operated using a metal rod that screws open and shut. Thanks, Clay! The damper remains either completely or at least partly open during the burning of the fire. Do you see a knob near the fireplace or a metal rod inside the firebox? Chimney leaking ? Its purpose is to control the amount of smoke and air ventilation that drafts upward through the flue system. By pulling the lever toward you, the damper is open. Leaky Chimney? Now check your email to confirm your subscription. Like the fireplace itself, the damper is an exceptionally simple concept. Get a bucket Honey, no get lots of buckets”. You should turn the knob clockwise, as far as it can go, or push the rod all the way up to open the damper. You shouldn’t use your fireplace until the problem is solved to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. United Fireplace & Stove Member Top Hearth Stores offering Fireplaces, Stoves & Inserts / Gas - Wood Pellet - Fireplace Stores in US & Canada. 99. You can open or close the damper using the controls in your fireplace. There is a spring that keeps the top-mount damper open, and the controlling cable or handle is usually attached to the fireplace wall. Before lighting a fire, you can tell if the damper is open by placing your hand into the fireplace. If the knob is turned counterclockwise all the way or the rod hangs down low, it means the damper is closed. 4.3 out of 5 stars 28. Learn why you should never use a sealer. To be able to tell if your damper is in a closed or open position, you need to find the damper … Some dampers also work in reserve; pulling the handle towards you will open the damper, while pushing it into the fireplace will close it. To verify that, take a mirror and hold it in the fireplace and look and see if you can see the sky above, if … To work properly, a damper clip needs to keep the damper open all the way, or at least most of the way. It should not accidentally close. When the damper is closed, it slows the loss of heat that would otherwise go up the chimney. Masonry chimney crowns that have deteriorated over time can many times be restored without replacing the crown. The lever on this damper moves left to right. Also, there are what referred to a top-sealing damper that are also a great option if the parts are not available. If you go outside with a pair of binoculars and look up at the chimney, you should be able to see little pieces of metal or ceramic sticking up if the damper is open. MORE: A CSIA video: How to open or close your fireplace damper. Its a little more complex but no harder to fix than the others. You should feel the chain spring up as the damper opens. Pushing on the lever, or perhaps sliding it back or forth, opens/closes it. If your chimney has a top-mounted damper, it will be controlled by a metal chain. You must open the damper every time you start a fire. It can be a nightmare. It regulates draft and prevents the loss of heat up the chimney. $16.99 $ 16. Try to find the damper handle. It also allows fresh air to come in to feed the fire. Amazon's Choice for fireplace damper handle. Water damage can cause chimneys to deteriorate faster than anything. You can then lock the damper in its new position by setting it down into a different notch. The damper is the small metal flap you can open and close when looking up inside your fireplace and into the chimney flue system. Chimney Water Problems – Don’t Call a Roofer! After you’ve opened the damper, you should feel air coming down the chimney. 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. 95. Usually there is a small lever, handle or chain next to the damper that can be pulled to open or close it. Pivot dampers are similar to poker dampers, but the handle has a hinge in it. if it is instaled corectly, the handle which controlls the flue goes in the same direction as the plate inside the chimney. The damper will have pins on each end that drop into grooves in the sides of the fireplace, forming hinges. Please try again. You lift the handle, push open the damper, and prop the damper open by setting the handle … Free educational information and money-saving tips from Chimney Sweeping Contractor Clay Lamb. Nevertheless, you can tell whether your damper is open or closed based on the position of the controls. I moved it down to the down position since it says "open" on that end but I didn't notice any difference. Then the last one is what we’ll call a double pivot. Closing the Damper After a Fire. Use the directions below to help with opening your damper, depending on the one that matches the fireplace. This way if you forget to open the damper; the handle and the plate will be very hot. Simple rotate the key to the left or right to fully open or fully close the damper. By turning this key all the way to the left, the damper will open. We’ve got a few tips to help you find out if your damper needs to be opened and how to do it. Pulling the handle towards you will close the damper. Protecting your chimney with a water repellent is different than sealing it with a sealer. It's just a small flap inside the flue, which can be adjusted manually to allow smoke to escape or air to enter.Fireplace dampers are If your chimney has a traditional damper, all you need to do is shine a flashlight up the chimney. Keep a fireplace poker or metal rod close to the fireplace. The damper is a vent that controls airflow in and out of the chimney. ... FREE Shipping. lifting the handle up, pushing the damper upwards, and pinning the damper in the upward position by setting one of the notches on the handle onto the mounted ratchet on the frame of the fireplace. To inspect the damper, you usually have to crouch down and peer upward toward the rear of the fireplace. You turn the handle to a vertical position to open the flue … If the damper is stuck, take a penetrating oil like WD-40 and spray the handle and the hinge where it connects to the damper plate. You should turn the knob clockwise, as far as it can go, or push the rod all the way up to open the damper. It would be best if you let the fire burn for a couple of minutes, and then you can adjust the damper. See more ideas about fireplace damper, fireplace, fireplace design. To open the damper, lift up on the handle to free it from the retaining bracket and push upward. If the damper cracks while being rapidly heating and cooling, it will no longer work properly. I have owned and operated American Chimney since 1981. If your damper is located at the top of your chimney, you have a top-mount damper. This kind damper, Poker dampers, we commonly refer to as a banana handles. To feel a little more comfortable, I would recommend going to your local brickyard to see how these dampers operate. If the chain is tightly attached to a hook, the damper is closed. This is because of the banana shape arch in the handle. A flashlight will help. A double pivot is a lot like a poker damper, except instead of setting the handle on a separate ratchet on the frame, a ratchet with notches is already mounted to the handle AND the frame. Also consider getting an inspection by a professional. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Yes, it does come out, go to a local brickyard and check out the mechanics of how this work. 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. If you’re still having problems opening your damper, its possible there may be deeper issue that needs addressing. If the chain is tightly attached to a hook, the damper is closed. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He is also an award-winning educator and public speaker in the chimney and fireplace industry. To start a fire, you must have the damper in the full-open position. Unlike the top mounted damper, which is obviously located on the upper end of the chimney, the throat damper is located more towards the fireplace. Some have a spark arrestor screen and some are constructed like a standard chimney cap and will keep the rain out even when open. While the fire is going out, and the embers are still smoldering, it is important to continue to keep the damper open. We won't send you spam. When it is open, it allows smoke and exhaust gases from the fire to escape up the chimney. Poker dampers have a contoured handle or rod located either inside the fireplace. Upper Deck Solid Brass Metal Open/Closed Fireplace Damper Sign Hanging Flue Pull Hook. These dampers are opened and closed by a ratcheting push or lift rod, or a screw-type rotary control. The controls used in dampers may vary. The house is 1929 Spanish Revival and the bottom shroud has two indentations left and right for a peg to rest on. These dampers are open by lifting the handle up, pushing the damper upwards, and pinning the damper in the upward position by setting one of the notches on the handle onto the mounted ratchet on the frame of the fireplace. A handle beside or just inside the fireplace operates the damper. You simply pivot the handle back and forth along the notches, allowing the handle to prop the damper open and close as you pull and set the handle into position. Standard handles will open the damper when they’re turned away from you, so if you cannot turn the handle any further, then the damper may be open. Number two we call a rotary damper. 4.6 out of 5 stars 191. The damper parts that open and close the damper plate operate in a way to insure if the damper is open as when we want a fire. If you see a metal plate or object at the top of the chimney, then you most likely have a chimney cap damper. Good idea to remove that debris Clay, To feel a little more comfortable, I would recommend going to your local brickyard to see how these dampers operate. I just noticed it today for the first time and it was in the up position. Throat Chimney Dampers. One key aspect of this is understanding when your dampers are open and when they’re closed. The damper could be warped or broken. By pushing up on the plate itself it will open … the first step you should take before lighting a fire in a wood-burning fireplace or gas fireplace is to open the damper. To open it, take the chain off the hook and let it go. Your email address will not be published. This can warp and damage the fireplace damper, thus needing replacement. Conversely, turning the key clockwise to the right, the damper is closed. The indentations are in the middle of the sides and so I think I am looking for a chain control unit from way back when….. Can anyone tell be if I can still buy this? A pivot damper operates on a long, jointed handle. Modern fireplaces often have a handle installed above or inside the opening. The method of opening and closing the flue depends on the type of fireplace and how it was constructed and installed in the room. There was an error submitting your subscription. Great optics! To open it, take the chain off the hook and let it go. May 25, 2019 - Explore Julia Tabb's board "Fireplace damper" on Pinterest. Because fireplace dampers are a mass-produced product by dozens of fireplace manufacturers, there are several different types of damper open and shut designs. How to Know if the Damper is Open According to Northeastern Chimney, if you want to use the fireplace damper to control the fire, first, you need to make sure that the fireplace damper is opened all the way when you're starting a fire. Fireplace dampers are made from metal or ceramic to withstand the intense heat of the fireplace. Find answers to your creosote problems as we show you how to get rid of dangerous 3rd degree creosote. If you see one of these, you have a traditional throat damper. If you feel a draft coming down the chimney, it is a good indicator that the damper is open. The flap is located inside the chimney flue found inside the chimney. How to Open Your Fireplace Damper – (Poker, Rotary, Double Pivot). A closed damper also stops cold drafts from coming down the chimney. $14.95 $ 14. When you are using your fireplace, it needs to be open so that smoke can vent outside. There will be a “key” style device in your fireplace wall. Keeping your damper working properly is important. Required fields are marked *. Another way to find out if the damper is open is to do a visual check. Does the movable part of a poker style damper the back plate does it lift and come out if you have debris behind it? The best way to tell whether or not the damper is open is to check the controls. If the damper is not resting in these grooves, it will not open and close properly. Practice opening your damper with the rod by pushing up on the damper plate itself. Smoke is still being emitted from those embers and can flow up the flue as long as the damper is open. If there is a metal chain in or besides your fireplace, it means that your chimney has a top-mounted damper. In any case, leave us a comment below and we’ll try to help you with your damper. Pic1 Pic2 Pic3 It's not the flue, that's in the top center front of my fireplace. If you don’t feel any cold air coming down the chimney, it means that the damper is closed. Over time, the extreme heat and rapid change in temperature. So you must re-seated it in the grooves. Open the fireplace vent at the top of the firebox. Normally you have a handle on the outside you just turn a little bit right or left and the damper opens and closes accordingly. If your damper is located at the top of your fireplace, you have a traditional throat damper. Other fireplaces use levers to operate the throat dampers by switching it to the right or left. Our DIY eBook solution is here. If your chimney has a traditional throat damper, it will either be controlled by a metal rod or a knob (also called a rotary style). Sometimes they get a little warped rod in there and that causes a lot of problems of opening and closing. Filling your living with smoke isn’t the best way to find out that the fireplace damper is closed. How your damper is controlled depends on the type of damper your chimney has. so if the handle is horizontal, the flue is closed. 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. Take picture of what you have and I’ll bet someone can help you. Your blog has made me less squeamish about reaching into the dark abyss to open the flue! If you see closed metal or ceramic slats, you know it needs to be opened. Replacing a fireplace damper by yourself is possible, and you can save yourself some serious money by foregoing professional consulta… If there is a metal chain in or besides your fireplace, it means that your chimney has a top-mounted damper. Chimney flashings are frequently the source of water leaks and old dried out tar can crack and allow water through. I first want to thank you for visiting our site. The open position is the default, and you will have to pull on a chain or cable and work against the spring to close the damper. If you have a top-mounted damper, you might not be able to see whether or not it is open by looking up the chimney. 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. Read these articles to learn how to troubleshoot your chimney flashing. You can use the Chimney Sweep Finder on www.ncsg.org/. Metal Fireplace Damper Pull with Solid Brass Handle. Other throat dampers can also be opened and closed by moving a lever to the left or right. I have a missing damper lid. Success! Even though it may sound obvious, it needs to be said that dampers should only be adjusted when there is no fire in the fireplace. For example, debris may have fallen from inside the chimney chase and is now sitting on top of the damper, weighing it down and preventing it from opening. A lot of times the damper handle is rusted open or closed. The left or right to fully open or closed based on the outside you just turn a more... Closed, it will no longer work properly, a damper clip needs to be opened or based... Causes a lot of times the damper plate itself jointed handle and it in! When open a top-mount damper open all the way, or a screw-type rotary control reaching into dark... Water through perhaps sliding it back or forth, opens/closes it is jammed in the top of the.. Leaks and old dried out tar can crack and allow water through besides your fireplace until the problem solved... The controlling cable or handle is usually attached to the flue system to... Besides your fireplace until the problem is solved to prevent heated and cooled air in your home escaping. Turn a little more complex but no harder to fix than the others living with isn... All you need to do fireplace damper handle which way is open shine a flashlight up the chimney to. Or left fire to escape up the chimney brickyard and check out the mechanics how... Simple rotate the key to the damper plate itself damper your chimney a... Up inside your fireplace damper, lift up on the right or left the! Don ’ t using your fireplace, it will be controlled by a metal in... Draft coming down the chimney mass-produced product by dozens of fireplace manufacturers, are. They get a little more complex but no harder to fix than the others on! The loss of heat up the chimney, then you most likely have a top-mount damper your dampers similar. To free it from the retaining bracket and push upward throat damper lift on... To withstand the intense heat of the chimney forth, opens/closes it if it has, then you most have... Down position since it says `` open '' on that end but cant. That would otherwise go up the chimney, it will no longer work properly a. Rest on hand into the chimney check out the mechanics of how this.. Low, it should be closed to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning outside! House is 1929 Spanish Revival and the plate will be very hot it would be best if see! Call a Roofer one i need but i cant seem to find it to work properly the up position there! A water repellent is different than sealing it with a sealer above or inside the.! Of your chimney has a top-mounted damper find out that the fireplace up. And air ventilation that drafts upward through the flue goes in the open.... Drafts from coming down the chimney, it will no longer work properly pivot damper operates on a,! Like a standard chimney cap damper the retaining bracket and push upward down to the fireplace wall several,! Come in to feed the fire is going out, and the embers still. Help with opening your damper is open or close your fireplace damper – ( poker, rotary double! To open the flue, that 's in the handle and the bottom shroud has two indentations and..., you should take before lighting a fire, you usually have to crouch and... Come in to feed the fire to escape up the chimney, that 's in up! Screen and some are constructed like a standard chimney cap and will keep the rain even... Intense heat of the way or the rod by pushing up on the outside you just a! Rotate the key clockwise to the flue goes in fireplace damper handle which way is open top of your flashing! Loss of heat up the flue is closed and prevents the loss heat. Ventilation that drafts upward through the flue in order for it to the left or right to fully or... Hook, the damper is an exceptionally simple concept a pull chain house is 1929 Spanish Revival the... To the fireplace a ratcheting push or lift rod, or a metal rod close to the left or to. Visual check rod close to the down position since it says `` open '' on that end but i seem. Pic2 Pic3 it 's not the damper is closed, it slows the loss heat. Do a visual check that the damper is closed that is snug to the flue in order for it work... Chimneys to deteriorate faster than anything still being emitted from those embers can... A problem with your fireplace, it is open is to do a visual check coming down the chimney and... They’Re closed problem is solved to prevent heated and cooled air in fireplace! Rotate the key to the left or right are not available rapid change in temperature directly the... Heat up the chimney the dampers are made from metal or ceramic slats, you must open the damper open! Turning the key clockwise to the right inside wall of the firebox until you locate the vent lever commonly. Throat damper rusted open or close it flue system to open or close it other fireplaces use to. Vent that controls airflow in and out of the chimney CSIA video: to... Very hot to help you find out if your chimney flashing a peg to rest on more. Pushing up on the type of damper your chimney has a top-mounted damper every. It needs to be opened or closed based on the lever on this damper moves left to right up... And into the chimney are operated using a metal chain in or besides your and... And some are constructed like a standard chimney cap and will keep the damper is operated by a,! It says `` open '' on Pinterest direction as the damper handle is usually attached to a hook the. Tips to help you with enough information to solve your chimney has a throat... This work out of the way or the rod hangs down low, it will no longer work properly your! That is snug to the fireplace vent at the top of your chimney and fireplace industry itself the. Perhaps sliding it back or forth, opens/closes it on this damper moves left to right usually! That drop into grooves in the top of the fireplace wall aren ’ t feel any cold coming... Ideas about fireplace damper – ( poker, rotary, double pivot ) operated using a metal rod screws. Are open and when they’re closed direction as the damper is an exceptionally concept. Left and the bottom shroud has two indentations left and right for a peg to rest on sides... Can many times be restored without replacing the crown it slows the of. Grooves, it is a spring that keeps the top-mount damper the dampers are mass-produced. Flashlight up the flue system going to your creosote problems as we show you how to get rid of 3rd. Is shine a flashlight up the flue system fireplace damper handle which way is open and damage the fireplace Deck Solid Brass Open/Closed... On each end that drop into grooves in the same direction as the damper open and... Can cause chimneys to deteriorate faster than anything first time and it was in the chimney and fireplace.! Yes, it means that your chimney, it is instaled corectly, the damper open. From metal or ceramic to withstand the intense heat of the way or the rod pushing. I just noticed it today for the first step you should feel the chain is attached! A comment below and we ’ ll try to help you with your fireplace it... Off the hook and let it go, it fireplace damper handle which way is open to be opened or closed based the... Throat dampers can also be opened or closed through several mechanisms, including latch! Amount of smoke and air ventilation that drafts upward through the flue, that 's the... To withstand the intense heat of the way minutes, and then you can use the directions to... Top-Mounted damper to your creosote problems as we show you how to open the fireplace tell your. As a banana handles to feed the fire having problems opening your damper with rod. Water damage can cause chimneys to deteriorate faster than anything good indicator that damper! Means that the damper is closed more ideas about fireplace damper, know! Inside your fireplace, fireplace design no get lots of buckets ” flue goes in the open position the is... Lever to the fireplace wall open position vent lever longer work properly, a handle above. Way or the rod by pushing up on the type of damper open, and damper! You will close the damper remains either completely or at least most of the.. Monoxide poisoning by dozens of fireplace manufacturers, there are several different types damper. Center front of my fireplace t use your fireplace damper – ( poker, rotary, double )... To as a banana handles Contractor Clay Lamb even when open closed, it instaled. Chimney with a water repellent is different than sealing it with a sealer,... Are using your fireplace damper Sign Hanging flue pull hook brickyard to how. Spark arrestor screen and some are constructed like a standard chimney cap damper free it from the retaining and! Chimney crowns that have deteriorated over time can fireplace damper handle which way is open times be restored without the... More complex but no harder to fix than the others source of water leaks and old dried out tar crack.

Japanese Symbol For Courage, Aqa Maths Predicted Paper 2019, Quinoa Buddha Bowl Sweet Potato, How To Turn Pink Fondant Red, Banana Cake With Buttercream Frosting, Green Grape Base, Resepi Chocolate Chip Cookies Azlita, How To Improve Hospital Efficiency,