The way that the modern fireplace and chimney are set up ensures you can enjoy this part of your home without it posing a risk to your health or safety. This is a far cry from fireplaces throughout history that left smokey residue on ceilings and filled rooms with harmful gas.
Part of the reason that fireplaces are so much safer and more reliable now is due to the way they are structured. A vital part of this structure is the damper. The role the damper plays in your use of your fireplace is a highly important one. This makes it just as important to make sure to address issues with your damper with your next service call with Best Cincinnati Chimney.
What Is a Damper?
Most dampers can best be described as a flap of metal above the firebox. They get warped from fire and hardly ever close properly. You can think of a damper as a way to control airflow in and out of your chimney. Without the damper, your chimney would allow outside air into your home without much regulation. This would be even more problematic on a rainy day if you don’t have a chimney cap! You might need a bucket.
The damper remains closed throughout the times of the year when you aren’t using your chimney because it keeps the outside air out of your house. But, when you choose to use your fireplace, this vital part of your system should be opened up to vent hot smoke out of the house, preventing it from entering your living space.
The Impact Your Damper Has
Let’s break things down a bit so you can learn about the impact your damper has on your home comfort all year long:
- Helps home efficiency. Without a damper, the cool air in your home, or the warm air in your home, escapes out the chimney, making things much harder on your HVAC system. A working damper helps reduce heat transfer all year long.
- Safety: Your damper helps direct airflow from your fireplace, keeping your home safe from smoke, ash, or toxic gas that could otherwise get into your home.
- Cleanliness: Throughout the year, your damper can keep animal debris, leaves, and some other items out of your fireplace.
We’ll Get your Damper Working
Over time, age and regular fireplace use can take their toll on your damper. For one thing, if you have a wood-burning fireplace, creosote can collect on the damper, making it harder for you to open and close this part of your system. In addition to this, old age and regular use can join forces to create rust and corrosion that wear down your damper. The old style dampers are almost always warped and cause a suction of air to go up your fireplace. This is air that you have paid to have conditioned. The technicians on our team can help keep your damper clean and in good shape so it can benefit your home comfort and safety the way it is meant to all year long, but when it needs to be replaced you will have to consider a new stainless steel top damper. These seal the liner at the very top and keep all drafting and water out of your fireplace. They come with a limited lifetime warranty where the old dampers don’t last, get warped, and are hard to find parts for, When you need help with getting your damper fixed, allow us to present to you a new proposal for a new top damper from Best Cincinnati Chimney.
513-474-1158
