Is Your Chimney Damper Not Functioning Correctly? Our Damper Repair & Replacement Services Will Take Care of It for You
Your chimney damper serves a very important purpose in your fireplace system, despite not always getting a lot of credit or attention.
When your system is not in use, it ensures all those chilly winds and cold downdrafts don’t work their way into your home and create uncomfortable living conditions. On the flip side, when your fires are lit, the damper opens up to allow a clear pathway for smoke and fumes to effectively escape.
Along with this, the damper can be adjusted to allow your fire more or less oxygen, so you can regulate how strong and hot you’d like it to burn.
But if your damper is broken down, rusted shut, or not performing correctly, it can make starting and enjoying a fire much more difficult (or sometimes not possible at all). Fortunately for homeowners in Southern New Hampshire, we’re here to help by offering damper repairs and replacements!
Common Chimney Damper Issues
There are a lot of things that can potentially go wrong with your damper, but we’re certain we can get to the bottom of any problem quickly. Some more common issues with dampers include:
- Off-Track Damper Plate: When the damper plate gets off its track, downdrafts can easily work their way in through any available openings. This could also affect the way smoke moves up your chimney, impairing the efficiency, enjoyment, and strength of your fires.
- Rusted Shut: If your damper is rusted shut, you won’t be able to use your fireplace safely until the issue is resolved because of smoke and carbon monoxide concerns.
- Stuck Open: On the opposite side of things, sometimes dampers get stuck in the open position. If you can’t close your damper when the fireplace is not in use, cold air can easily come in through the chimney and heated air can easily leave, making your home uncomfortable. Not only that, but you’ll spend more money on heating or cooling bills as you try to keep your home at a good temperature.
- Visible Cracks or Deterioration: Sometimes the damper cracks, rusts, or becomes corroded, in which case it won’t be able to easily open or provide a tight seal when closed.
The repairs needed will depend on your unique situation. Sometimes some oil is needed to loosen things up, sometimes the plate itself needs to be replaced, sometimes an entirely new damper is needed, and in other cases, the fix may be as simple as removing built up debris. Whatever your issue, we’re certain we can help.
Note: If smoke is entering your living space after lighting a fire, always check to make sure you’ve opened the damper! It’s a common mistake and will save you a call to a pro.
Consider Upgrading to a Top-Sealing Damper
While throat dampers have effectively gotten the job done for years, that doesn’t mean they function perfectly all the time (as revealed above). And in recent years, the industry has come up with a damper model that is proven to be much more effective at protecting your chimney – a top-sealing damper.
Throat dampers are more prone to rust and corrosion, which can lead to drafts entering your home through these more vulnerable areas. They’re also known to get stuck or jammed up, which can be a frustrating scenario when you want to light a fire.
On top of all that, they don’t prevent dirt, debris, animals, or cold air from getting down into your chimney, because they’re located down at the bottom of the flue. In fact, dirt, debris, and animals often settle on top of the throat damper, making it basically impossible for you to get it open when necessary.
Top-sealing dampers eliminate these common issues. First of all, they are installed at the top of the flue, so no outside elements can fly in and pile up inside of your flue. They also seal tightly with a rubber gasket, so any worries about downdrafts and cold winds entering your flue will be a thing of the past. This also helps keep your chimney warmer when not in use, making the initial fire-starting process much easier.
To top it all off, top-sealing dampers have the added bonus of working alongside your chimney cap to keep out rain, snow, sleet, leaves, animals, flying debris, and any other thing that’s unwelcome in your chimney.
If this sounds like an upgrade you’re ready to make, don’t hesitate to give our sweeps a call! We can be reached at 603-892-1092, and we’d love to be there for you. Whether you need a damper repair or you’re ready for a top-sealing damper, we’re here to help. Call or request an appointment online today.
One chimney repair you may never think about is firebox repair. Contact us for more information today.