How to Get the Most Out of Your Fireplace Damper

Since ancient times, people have understood the role air plays in starting and keeping fires going. Today, we use dampers to help us control the airflow in our fireplaces and manage our fires.

Hudson Valley Chimney of Poughkeepsie, NY, would like to share a few tips to help you get the most out of your fireplace damper.

How dampers work

Fireplace dampers, or “throat dampers” when located just above the firebox, operate on a pulley-and-steel-plate system. You use the pulley to open and close the plate, which regulates how much air passes through the damper mechanism.

Fire requires fuel, heat, and air. The more of any of these elements, the more aggressive the fire. Fuel is your wood logs, heat is the flame you use to start the fire, and air is abundant inside and outside your home.

Starting the fire

When you’re ready to start a wood fire, open your damper all the way. This will allow the greatest amount of air to move through the log stack.

After the fire is going

Once the logs are ignited, you can use the damper to control the heat and flame intensity. Partially closing the damper reduces the amount of available air, causing the fire to burn less intensely. This means less heat and more gentle flames. Every damper and fireplace system is unique, so you’ll have to experiment a little to figure out the best ways to use your damper to get the types of fires you want.

When the fire is over

After your logs have finished burning or you’ve manually put out the fire, close the damper completely. Don’t do this until all the smoke has disappeared; otherwise, the last of the smoke will have nowhere to go but into your room.

Maintaining your damper

The placement of a throat damper doesn’t make it easy for the average homeowner to see all of it and inspect it. Whether you do the inspection or have a chimney company do it, you’ll want to be aware of:

• Rust on the damper caused by a water leak in the chimney somewhere above it
• Accumulated creosote and soot, both of which form when wood burns
• Damaged pulley or other part of the assembly
• Warped damper plates

These issues with a damper can affect how well it opens and closes, both of which are required for safe, efficient operation.

Damper inspection

You should schedule yearly inspections of your chimney and fireplace, and the damper should be included in the inspection. Your technician can clean the damper and make minor repairs. If the damper is warped or very old and worn out, it can be replaced.

Caring for your entire chimney and fireplace system

The damper is one of the most essential parts of a modern chimney and fireplace system. Hudson Valley Chimney has served our Poughkeepsie, NY, customers since 1976 with licensed chimney and fireplace inspections, repairs, and cleaning. We know how to keep every part of your system running right.

Learn more by giving us a call or using our contact form.