How to Repair a Broken Fireplace Damper?
Your chimney damper is one of the most important parts of your fireplace system. It controls how smoke rises through your chimney, prevents cold air from down-drafting, and lets you regulate the amount of oxygen that can escape into your home. A broken damper can be a very serious issue for your system and will require professional repair or replacement before you can use your fireplace again.
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Dampers are one of the most essential parts of your chimney system and should be inspected every year or so to ensure they are working properly. If your damper is malfunctioning, you’ll notice it isn’t letting as much smoke and fumes out of your chimney as it should.
There are several things that can cause a damper to become stuck, broken, or rusted. These include rust, moisture, age, and creosote buildup.
Rust: A rusty damper can be dangerous to operate and can be a fire hazard. The rust can destroy the damper and other parts of your chimney, making it difficult to open and close, or even more dangerous if it becomes stuck in place.
In some cases, a rusty damper can be fixed by spraying it with penetrating oil like WD-40. This will usually remove the rust and free up the handle and plate.
Moisture: Over time, dampers can be warped and rusted by moisture that gets into your chimney through cracks and leaks. The rust and other debris can also affect the way smoke rises through your chimney, which can lead to reduced efficiency and enjoyment from your fires.
Creosote: If the creosote is present, it can be extremely flammable and corrosive to your chimney system. Fortunately, this is one of the easiest problems to resolve if it is not too late.
Age: If your chimney has been in use for a while, it can also start to show wear and tear. This is particularly true if the fireplace has not been cleaned out thoroughly in years.
If you’re concerned about the condition of your chimney, don’t hesitate to contact us today for a damper inspection and repair or replacement. Our chimney experts can help you keep your fireplace and flue system running efficiently and safely for many years to come.
Manually Check: Look up the chimney from inside your firebox and see if you can locate the damper frame (a rod affixed to the chimney with a nut). If you are unable to do this, then try using a flashlight to shine down into the chimney to identify it.
Looking Up: Generally, your damper is located about a foot above the chimney itself. This is easy to spot because it will be a darker color than the fireplace itself.
Pulling Down: Depending on the model, you may need to twist the damper plate to get it down. Once it is down, push on the plate to release it.
A Lever Opener: Typically, the damper comes with a lever opener. This can be pushed in with a fire iron to open the damper.