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To open or close the damper, lift the handle and push or pull to move the damper to the desired position. Replace the handle when the damper is in place.
Which way closes the fireplace flue?
Are you unsure as to whether the damper is open or closed? Stick your hand near the opening of the fireplace. If you feel air breeze against your hand, then it’s safe to say that the damper is open. If there’s a clear absence of a draft, then it’s closed.
When should I close the damper on my fireplace?
You should close the damper on your fireplace once the fire and embers have all burned out. This prevents warm air in your house from escaping out the chimney. You should open the damper before lighting a fire and close it once the fire is done burning.
How do you close a flue?
How to Close the Chimney Flue Turn off the gas to the fireplace or wait for wood to burn out. Put on work gloves to keep your hands free of soot. Push the lever up slightly to disengage it from its support tab and then pull it away from the tab horizontally as the damper lowers into a closed position.
Is my fireplace damper open or closed?
Before lighting a fire, you can tell if the damper is open by placing your hand into the fireplace. If you feel a draft coming down the chimney, it is a good indicator that the damper is open. If you don’t feel any cold air coming down the chimney, it means that the damper is closed.
What happens if flue is closed?
Operating the fireplace with the damper partially closed will not generate more heat. Instead, blocking the passage through the flue will result in smoke entering the home. The damper should be kept open until all embers are finished burning to prevent smoke from escaping into the home.
Is a damper and flue the same thing?
A damper is located in the flue of your chimney. The flue is where the smoke escapes when the fire is going. Dampers are placed inside of the flue to help control ventilation.
Can you leave damper open overnight?
Leave the damper open overnight. Yes, you will lose some heat up the flue, but you will save the occupants of the home from poisoning by colorless, odorless carbon monoxide. Only when they are completely cold to the touch is it safe to shut the fireplace damper.
What is a damper stop clamp?
The Damper Stop Clamp is installed on the chimney damper blade to prevent accidental full closure of the damper while the gas log set is burning in your fireplace It is required in many areas to keep the damper from closing all the way.
Should dampers be open or closed in summer?
HVAC Damper Open Or Closed In Summer/Winter In most homes, dampers going to the upstairs are open in the summer and closed in the winter. By closing the dampers to the upstairs in the winter, it allows for the heat to rise naturally after first being introduced into the lower levels of the home.
Should I close my chimney flue in the summer?
The chimney damper is the last line of defense to keep water and critters out of your home. Even if you have a chimney cap, it is a good idea to keep the damper closed in the summer. The hot, humid air that the damper lets into the chimney won’t air out chimney odors. It may actually cause your chimney to smell.
Can you use a fireplace without a damper?
Whether your fireplace is gas or wood-burning, if it was built with a pre-fabricated insert, then it almost certainly has a damper. 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 do you know if your fireplace flue is open?
Lean in under your chimney just outside of your wood burning stove. You should find a metal device just within the chimney or flue opening. The damper is open if you can see through the damper up to your chimney. If you only see a metal plate, the damper is in a closed position.
Does cold air come down the chimney?
Fireplace and chimney basics The basic structure and operation of a fireplace and chimney is something most homeowners readily understand. When a fireplace isn’t in use, cold air from outside can come down the chimney into the home, and warm interior air can escape up through the flue.
Should the damper be open or closed on a gas fireplace?
always fully open the damper. If you’re burning wood, keep it fully open until all the burning embers are completely burned out. If it’s a gas log set, turn off the flames before the closing the damper as far as possible.
What is a fire damper and how does it work?
In general a fire damper works when heat from a fire causes the normal temperature of a room to rise to approximately 165 degrees Fahrenheit i.e. it is designed to close automatically on the detection of heat. The fusible link which is attached to the damper melts causing the dampers’ door to close.
What happens if you don’t open the flue?
Our research shows that the flue on a gas fireplace should remain open during use or when the pilot light is lit. If the flue is closed in either instance, you risk a greater chance of carbon monoxide poisoning or a spark induced structure fire due to a buildup of toxins emitted by propane or natural gas burners.
