Chimney fires are pretty common in the US. There are as many as 400 thousand chimney fires every year. However, installing a chimney damper can prevent it. In this blog, we will talk about what’s a chimney damper and how does it work.
What’s A Chimney Damper?
A chimney damper is a device that can be used to close off the chimney so that burning firewood doesn’t escape up through the chimney and into your home. There are two types of chimney dampers – manual and automatic. The most common type of manual damper is a flapper type, usually made from sheet metal. An automatic damper will often automatically seal the chimneys after they’ve been closed, without human intervention.
How Does it Work?
The primary function of any kind of damper is to stop the flow of air from escaping up through the building, and thus out into the atmosphere. You don’t want the chimney to act as a chimney because it’ll blow pollution out into the atmosphere—which isn’t good for the planet or your health.
Manual Chimney Damper
Some chimney dampers allow you to open them manually, usually by pushing a button or pulling a lever. These are often used when you need to clear something in the way of your chimney, such as Christmas tree decorations in December.
Beyond just preventing air escape, there are other reasons you might have a manual damper installed on your chimney. Maybe your chimney is too small for your fireplace to reach all the way down to the bottom (this is called a “flue too short” problem). Or perhaps there’s a building restriction that only allows you to have a certain height from the ground, which affects where you can place your chimney.
Automatic Chimney Damper
Some people just feel like having an automatic damper installed will make their lives easier. It can be done that way, although some dampers don’t always function properly as advertised. It’s important to make sure you’re getting what’s described on the product page when shopping online.
The automatic chimney dampers can be jammed in two positions: open and closed. They’re usually opened at the start of the fire, but many people neglect to close them before they leave for work or go to bed.
It’s best to have a chimney professionally cleaned at least once every year (at least!). There are a lot of particles inside the chimney that can work their way up into your attic spaces and get into places they’re not supposed to be.
If you’re looking for chimney cleaning and chimney sweeping services, then we’ve got you. At CT Chimney Repair, we offer one of the best chimney services including chimney repair and chimney inspection at affordable prices.
Contact us to find out more about our services.
