Your chimney system is important for heating your home and offering ambiance and comfort throughout winter. The parts and components that make up the system help it to work properly year round, even when your fire isn’t burning. The damper, for instance, helps to control the fire while it’s burning and stop airflow when the fire is out. When the damper stops working properly, you can tell right away, and when the damper stops working properly, it needs to be repaired or replaced right away–before use.
Signs of a Faulty Damper
The most obvious sign of a faulty damper is that it’s stuck in the open or closed position. When your fire is burning in the fireplace and smoke pours out of the fireplace, none is going up the flue. This is a sign that your damper is closed. It may be broken or stuck–either way, it needs to be assessed by a professional. If your fire is out, and you feel a draft from the fireplace, the damper may be stuck in the open position. If you find shiny, black residue on the top of your firebox and entrance to the flue, the problem with your damper may be creosote buildup. This buildup can be removed, and the damper may not need to be replaced.
Clean the Chimney
Scheduling routine chimney sweeps and annual chimney inspections can keep your damper working properly, and for longer. Keeping the chimney system clean will help it to work more efficiently, depositing less residue in the flue and on the parts, such as the damper. Inspections can help to determine if your damper has a lever problem or has become disconnected. It may be that it needs a simple adjustment. A professional can also diagnose damage caused by water leaks or animal intrusion. In these cases, the damper may need to be completely replaced. We can do this too–and there are options!
New Damper, New Savings
At New Buck Chimney Services, we see damper repair and replacements quite frequently, especially during this time of year when cold drafts and smoke issues are noticeable. We can replace your throat damper with a new one and address the situation that caused the damage. However, we recommend a new option to customers looking to save money year-round with the energy top damper. Energy top dampers work as both a damper and a chimney cap. These dampers prevent water penetration and animal intrusion when open, and when closed, it has a tight rubber seal, protecting the system from the top down. This installation alone will save you substantially in utility costs, preventing conditioned air loss in the summer, heat loss in the winter, and preventing chimney leaks and animal damage year round.
If you suspect a damper problem, call us right away so that we can set you up with a new damper or repair the existing damper.
A New Buck Chimney professional is just a phone call away at 318-674-2825.