Use a Damper When Not Using Your Chimney
When your chimney is not being used, you have a hole in the roof that lets air (hot in the winter and cold in the summer) escape, which is not very energy efficient. The answer is using a damper.
The old style dampers have a handle that closes off the flue at the top of the firebox. While these work okay, air can still escape in and out of the chimney as well as enter into the house through the top of the chimney system, which is still not optimum for energy efficiency or for comfort as air flows into the attic or top floors of your home. The answer is a top-down damper.
Why a Top-Down Damper
A top-down damper seals the chimney appliance off at the top of the flue with a sealed cover that is connected to a chain attached in the chimney wall. This allows you to keep the system sealed from any air entering or exiting through the top of the appliance while the fireplace is not in use and, with a single pull, open the damper up so the fireplace can be safely used.
If you have any questions about dampers and how they should and should not be used, please contact us. We are here to help you keep your fireplace and chimney system in top working order so you can enjoy your fireplace and keep your family safe. We also have some energy-efficient cap and damper combinations that might be perfect for your chimney system. We can check to make sure the damper is working properly on the next annual chimney inspection.
