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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.
Should the damper be open or closed on a gas fireplace?
Because gas-log fires produce copious amounts of carbon monoxide, they have to vent outside in a fail-safe manner. That’s why there is, or should be, a keep-open device attached to the damper in gas-log fireplaces. Do not close a fireplace damper until the fire is completely out.
How do I know if my gas fireplace flue is open or closed?
Feeling the breeze is another method you can use to know whether you have an open or closed flue. Locate your hand inside the fireplace and wait to notice if you can feel the air flowing. When the flue is open, air will flow down the chimney.
Should gas fireplace vents be open?
“Fully Vented” gas logs must be burned in a fireplace that is capable of burning real wood and must be burned with the damper open. The reason for this is that they do not burn the gas cleanly and create exhaust that is very similar to burning a real wood fire. This exhaust needs to be able to go up the chimney.
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.
When should I close my fireplace flue?
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.
Should the damper be open all the way?
When should the damper be kept open or closed? The fireplace damper should always be in the open position whenever you have a fire in the fireplace. Close the damper when the fire is extinguished. This will prevent the heated air from escaping through the chimney and will keep water and other debris out of the flue.
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.
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.
Can you close the damper on a gas fireplace?
If you have installed gas logs in your fireplace, the damper should never be closed. If you have a pilot light constantly burning under your gas logs, shutting the damper puts you, your family and your pets at severe risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas fireplace?
Yes, gas fireplaces are one potential cause of carbon monoxide poisoning. An improperly maintained or ventilated gas fireplace can create incomplete combustion, creating carbon monoxide, and causing this toxic gas to linger—putting those inside at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Should I leave pilot light gas fireplace?
We recommend that you turn off your gas fireplace pilot light seasonally. Turning off your gas fireplace’s pilot light can save a substantial amount of energy and money. It is important to remember that not all gas fireplaces have “standing” pilot light, or, a pilot light that is “always on”.
Should glass doors be closed on gas fireplace?
The glass doors should be closed as the fire dies down to minimize the amount of room air going up the fireplace chimney. When burning gas logs in a wood-burning fireplace, the glass doors should always be fully open when the gas logs are burning.
What happens if you don’t open the flue on a gas fireplace?
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.
Is it OK to leave the flue open overnight?
The smoke from burning wood contains carbon monoxide, so in order to prevent this toxic byproduct from entering your home, it is important to leave the flue open overnight. This enables a draft to carry the compound out into the atmosphere, instead of sinking down the chimney and saturating the room.
What happens if you dont open fireplace vent?
The damper is a door of sorts, that when closed, separates the firebox from the chimney. If a damper is not opened when a fire is built, smoke will back up quickly and fill the room. Guaranteed! So, you always want to check to make sure the damper is fully open when a new fire is built.
