Chimney Care Company's Blog
What is a chimney damper?
Are you new to using a fireplace and wondering exactly how things work? Fortunately, fireplaces are fairly easy appliances to work. One thing you will need to learn about is your chimney damper.
What is a chimney damper?
A chimney damper is a small flap of metal at the base of your chimney flue. The flap sits within the seal. When the fireplace is in use, the damper is opened with a lever or chain to let smoke out. When the fireplace isn’t in use, the damper is closed to seal off the chimney opening.
Why are chimney dampers necessary?
Chimney dampers help your fireplace operate more efficiently. Without a chimney damper, the warm air from your home would flow freely up and out of your home through your chimney flue. Cold bursts of air also could blow down your chimney to chill your home. A chimney damper helps protect your home-heating bills by blocking off your chimney opening when your fireplace isn’t in use.
How do you use a chimney damper?
There’s not much to knowing how to use a chimney damper. Before you light a fire in your fireplace, open your chimney damper so that smoke can escape from your fireplace. After your fires have stopped burning, you will want to close your chimney damper to prevent air exchange through the chimney. Before closing your damper, you will want to be sure that your fire has completely stopped burning; if embers are still smoldering, your closed damper will prevent smoke and carbon monoxide from escaping your home. There are several different types of chimney dampers, and how you open and close your chimney damper will depend on your exact type of chimney damper. Some dampers are opened and closed by pulling a chain. Others have a lever or knob that is pushed and pulled to open and close.
How can you get more from your chimney damper?
Not all chimney dampers are created equally. When new fireplaces and chimneys are installed, they have a throat chimney damper. These dampers have a metal-on-metal closure that doesn’t form a tight seal. On top of that, they can rust or warp over time, making them difficult to open and close. While throat dampers are better than no dampers, they don’t completely prevent warm air from exiting your home or cold air from bursting down the chimney. So how can you get a better performance from your chimney damper? Have a top-sealing chimney damper installed. Top-sealing dampers are installed at the top of your chimney flue. They feature rubber gaskets to create a tight, complete seal when closed. Top-sealing dampers can help lower your home energy bills by preventing warm air from exiting your chimney.
If you are having problems with your chimney damper, call the Chimney Care Co. We can inspect your existing chimney damper, and if it’s due for replacement, we can outfit your chimney with a new, more efficient top-sealing chimney damper.
Chimney inspections for real estate
Summer is the home-buying season. For homebuyers, fireplaces are among the most sought-after amenities. A fireplace certainly adds warmth, comfort, and beauty to your home. However, if you are buying a home with a fireplace, there are a few things you need to beware of. A real estate chimney inspection should be part of your home-buying process, and there is a good reason for this. At Chimney Care Co, we offer this service to homebuyers to ensure you have a smooth home buying process.
How do chimney inspections fit in with home inspections?
Every homebuyer knows the importance of having a home inspection before they close the home to identify any safety issues or potential problems with the new home. While home inspectors are thorough, their inspections don’t include an in-depth look at fireplaces and chimney. They may ignite a gas fireplace and open and close a damper to see if they are functional, but they won’t perform an overall inspection to ensure that the fireplace and chimney are safe for use. That’s why it is recommended to have your chimneys and fireplaces inspected by certified chimney technicians as part of real estate transactions.
What does a real estate chimney entail?
For real estate transactions, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends having chimneys undergo a Level 2 chimney inspection. During a Level 2 chimney inspection, the chimney technician will inspect all visible portions of the chimney from above and below. They will inspect all accessible portions of the chimney by visiting crawl spaces and attic spaces and by removing any access panels to allow for a view of the chimney.
Finally, the chimney technician will insert a specialized closed-circuit camera up the chimney to inspect the health of the chimney liner and all chimney joints to ensure that the chimney is safe for use. Your chimney technician will inspect all seals and working components of your fireplace so you are sure that your new fireplace is safe and efficient to heat your new home.
Who can you call for a real estate chimney inspection?
When you are buying a new home, it’s important to have your fireplace and chimney inspected by a chimney sweep who is certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America. In and around the greater Cincinnati area, homebuyers can turn to the Chimney Care Co. for their real estate chimney inspections!
The Chimney Care Co. is CSIA certified to provide comprehensive chimney inspections to assure you of the safety of your new fireplace. A real estate chimney inspection from our team will include photos and videos and a complete written report noting any defects or problems of the chimney and fireplace. We also include recommendations for repairs for your fireplace and chimney so it can safely heat your home.
If you are buying a new home in southwestern Ohio or northeastern Kentucky — Congratulations! If your new home has a chimney, be sure to schedule your Level 2 chimney inspection with the Chimney Care Co. so you can be confident that the fireplace and chimney in your new home are up to par. Call the Chimney Care Co. to schedule your Level 2 chimney inspection today!