A top-mount damper seals the chimney cap. If you’re not sure which is the open or closed position on your damper hardware, try one or more of the following steps: Fireplace dampers come in two main types: Chimney top and throat. Throat dampers typically have a rod that you push or lift to adjust the position of the damper (circled below): Some chimneys have a knob that rotates a rod to adjust the damper. On my Weber kettle, I always start with all three bottom vents open, then close each partially to get the charcoals burning at the rate for the type of fire I want. With 80 lbs of weight holding capacity, you can fill your drawer with loads without any worry. and comes with a 32' cable, the Power Lever, and all necessary hardware. If you start a fire when the damper is closed, you’ll realize the mistake quickly when the room fills up with smoke. The cap stays level as it opens and closes. Having smoke fill your house is more than an unpleasant experience. Some models come with caps so even when the damper is open, it still protects the chimney … Here are different methods you can use to determine if the damper is open or closed. Here’s how to tell if the damper is open or closed. Cold air stored in the chimney flue can give you the impression that the damper is open. The damper in a gas fireplace should remain open all the time. How to Be Sure the Damper is Open. Note: This is not a foolproof method if you have a top-mount damper. The Lock-Top model shown here has a stainless-steel cap mounted to diagonal spring wire. The current position of the controls (cable, rod, handle, etc) can help you determine if the damper is open or closed as long as you’re familiar with the chimney and its controls. Compression Dampers. The ENERGY TOP and Energy Top+ Dampers are a top mounted damper that also serves as a chimney cap. If a damper does need to be replaced, one can be mounted on top of the chimney. You need to open the damper when you start a fire to allow for proper airflow and let the smoke out. To close it, you simply lift the handle up again, pull the damper shut, and set the handle back into position on the ratchet. Simply stick your head in the fireplace and look up. How to Open Your Chimney Damper. Telling whether a damper is open or closed will be easier as you become familiar with your chimney. A closed throat damper will cause smoke to fill your house immediately when you start a fire. It prevents heated air loss through the chimney or down drafts when the chimney is not in use. The lyemance damper is If you can’t see daylight at the top, the damper is closed. It prevents heated air loss through the chimney or down drafts when the chimney is not in use. When closed, it serves as a chimney cap and the silicone rubber gasket provides a more air-tight seal than a metal-to-metal throat damper to seal in heat and air conditioning, and to seal out birds, animals, insects and debris. Very energy-efficient, a top-mount damper is equipped with a silicone rubber gasket to provide an air-tight seal. The flow of air through the stove regulates heat. If your damper will not open or close, it may need to be repaired. Priddy Chimney Sweeps is licensed, bonded, and insured in Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC. If you have a top-mount damper, check for daylight at the top of the flue. A Lyemance Top-Sealing Damper is a superbly constructed and engineered damper that The soft-close ball bearings allow you to open and close the drawers smoothly. This, in turn, insulates the entire chimney flue. The more you close the intake damper, the cooler the smoker will become. Just a tug on the handle will open or tightly close the Lyemance damper. There is a simple solution:  Rotate it all the way in one direction and stick your head in the fireplace to check the damper position. Do You Need a Chimney Cover to Stop Birds from Nesting in Your Chimney? They usually feature mesh guards to keep critters out of your flue and a leak-proof gasket to keep moisture at bay. Chimney cap or top-sealing dampers are installed at the top of the chimney. For extras, the set comes with mounting screws, so you don’t have to buy them separately. throat dampers have a metal-to-metal seal. A damper plate located at the top of a chimney (within a top-mounted damper) is usually square in shape and spring loaded to open or close via a pulley chain, with the chain handle to control the damper located within the fireplace. It is operated by a cable and handle as well but when opened instead of popping up it swings open down. To close a top-mount damper, you have to pull the attached chain and secure it on a hook on the side of the firebox. The advantage of a top-mount damper over its throat-mounted cousin is that it prevents animals, birds, insects and debris from falling into the flue. At Jake's Famous Foods learning how to use Charcoal grill vents and whether they should be Open or Closed for a Charcoal grill, weber grill or smoker along with properly circulating air in gas grill vents is key to the grilling process. You should be able to feel cold air by moving your hand or face into the fireplace. This tight seal can reduce heat loss by 90 percent over even new traditional throat dampers. Throat dampers are a common option because they’re convenient. When open it has the protection of a conventional chimney cap. Top-mount dampers use a spring-loaded design. A top mount damper provide four season protection for your chimney. You should be able to open and close it with a knob  (this is usually located on the front face of the fireplace) or rod (located in the fireplace, above the firebox). Traditional throat dampers only give metal to metal contact and are notoriously leaky and expensive. You should be able to reach up and touch the closed damper. You risk damage to the interior of your home, your belongings, and, most importantly, your health when a closed damper causes smoke to become trapped in the house. eliminates 90% of the winter heat and summer cooling loss that leaks past your current throat damper. Throat dampers sit lower in the flue, just above the firebox. Traditional The open position is the default, and you will have to pull on a chain or cable and work against the spring to close the damper. To get a medium heat range of 350 to 450 °F (177 to 232 °C), leave the intake damper open halfway. Woodland Direct specializes in Chimney Cap Dampers, Energy-Saving Dampers, & Top Sealing Chimney Cap Dampers. They remain open until you pull a chain or handle, usually  mounted on the side of the firebox, to close them and secure the mechanism to keep the damper closed: If the chain or handle isn’t firmly secured in the bracket, the damper is open. Some sources suggest you can check whether your damper is open or closed by simply starting a fire in your fireplace. The second type of damper is a top mount, or top sealing damper located at the top of the chimney. of an original Lyemance Damper plus a chimney cap. They are opened with a chain located inside the fireplace. How to tell if the damper is open or closed depends on the type of damper you have. A chain with a handle at the end runs down the flue and is accessible from inside your home. Lock-Top II. The Lock-Top II has a lifetime warranty and is available in 3/4" These dampers are open by lifting the handle up, pushing the damper upwards, and pinning the damper in the upward position by setting one of the notches on the handle onto the mounted ratchet on the frame of the fireplace. If you can’t see daylight at the top, the damper is closed. I personally use this damper because it offers a rain cap, spark arrestor, animal screen and damper all in one. and 5/8" mesh. Starting a fire with a closed damper is extremely dangerous and should never be used as a testing method. Solid Brass Open & Close Damper Pull by Uniflame. Similar dampers may be installed right in HVAC ducts where the ducts pass between different building areas. The damper is an important part of your wood fireplace chimney. The Lyemance "OPC" (Original Plus Cap) damper/cap combo is a super unit that gives you all the energy-savings benefits Start by identifying what kind of damper is in your chimney if you’re wondering if it’s open or closed. Help yourself slam the door on soaring energy costs. If instead they are mounted ‘rod down’, this will again result in little to no damping. A 30' stainless steel cable drops down the flue, Moisture in your chimney causes unwelcome odors and leads to deterioration rubber gasket. In event of a fire these doors are intended to be automatically closed. You can reach inside of the fireplace opening and behind the lintel to touch the damper. Retrofit Soft-close to Almost Any Drawer (Blumotion): Edit for 2014: this article is now nearly 4 years old, and nowadays there are soft-close kits by Blumotion and others that make this process much simpler and cheaper!In this instructable I will teach you how to retrofit the Blumotion soft-close … to the flue with silicone sealant. Common Issues: Lyemance dampers are known for freezing shut. stainless steel Gelco chimney cap. How to Adjust Wood Stove Vents. The damper clamp is there so that if you forget to open the damper, it will already be opened. The wire expands to open the damper and compresses to close it. Put a Top Damper on the Top of Your To Do List. If your damper is located at the top of your chimney, you have a top-mount damper. A spring pulls open the hinged damper top. Bee Problems? The base mounts to the a sweep's ring which attaches If you find yourself in an unfamiliar house, it’s best to perform a visual check after looking at the control position. Lyemance Damper. By pulling on the chain handle, you can open the top-mount damper to have a fire in your fireplace and close it at other times. If you have a top-mount damper, check for daylight at the top of the flue. It features a Lifetime Warranty These dampers are opened and closed by a ratcheting push or lift rod, or a screw-type rotary control. A knob control on the fireplace exterior can be trickier since you might not know in which direction to turn it. I have had a high rate of success over the last 20 years with freeing up a damper that has been stuck open or closed due to lack of use. This type of damper is spring-loaded and has a default position of open. Most of the time dampers are closed for the summer so the cool air from your air conditioning unit doesn’t escape out of the chimney but can be closed between uses in the winter. The top of the damper stays horizontal the entire time, so in the “open” position, the damper also serves as a chimney cap. The cast aluminum "OPC" has 3/4" aluminum mesh. The Lyemance Top-Sealing Damper works year round to protect your chimney. A stainless steel cable runs down the chimney into the opening of the fireplace allowing you to pull on the cable which opens or closes the damper. Details about automatic fire and smoke dampers are It also will allow natural gas to escape up the chimney in the event there is a gas leak or someone turns on the logs without lighting them. It’s always a good idea to check the controls before starting a fire since a partially open damper wouldn’t allow for proper airflow even though you can feel a draft. Even the largest pieces of food can be cooked just the way you like, because you control the fire temperature by opening and closing the top and bottom … The other style has a spring-loaded pivoting cast-metal damper hinged to the frame. This damper, located at the top of the firebox, swings down to seal the throat shut when you don’t use the fireplace. Always confirm the damper is open before lighting a fire. There’s also a user manual that helps you to know how to install the slides. Hinged Damper. The Lock-Top II comes fully assembled. Just a tug on the handle will open or tightly close the Lock-Top. From the inside, the operation of both types of top-sealing dampers … On the contrary to extension dampers, compression dampers should be mounted ‘rod up’ to ensure damping is consistent throughout. Your house will quickly fill with smoke if you start a fire with a closed damper. The damper is used to close off the chimney flue and keep rain, birds and other small animals out and the heat inside your home. The damper is an important part of your fireplace chimney. The Lyemance Damper is a top mount damper that works on a trap door gravity theory. A closed damper can restrict airflow and become a safety issue since smoke would fill your house. Traditional dampers use what is known as a poker style control (a stepped handle with different positions) or a rotary control (a knob attached to a drive rod that rotates a gear to open the damper). seal with its silicone Item #12609301 $78.99 A visual check is one of the surest ways of checking whether the damper is open or not. Other models feature a low-profile frame that fits the very top of the damper. There is a spring that keeps the top-mount damper open, and the controlling cable or handle is usually attached to the fireplace wall. Of course, you will certainly want to close your top-mount damper during hurricane weather ! A top-mounted damper also acts as a rain cap that will keep water and animals out of your chimney. The damper is actually a metal plate which can be moved to either open or close the chimney. 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