Why Replace Chimney Dampers?

Author: Ethan Allen

A chimney damper will need to be completely replaced if it is leaky. While it can seem like a long and complicated process to replace a chimney damper, just know that not having one can cost you several hundred dollars in heat loss. Since fireplaces have become increasingly popular in American homes today, the marketplace for chimney dampers has increased as a result.

For the dampers to work properly, they have to be tightly fit and also be all in one piece. But overtime, it’s easy for them to become damaged due to the consistent contact with heat, fire and smoke. All it takes is for the damper to crack and become damaged, and they will not work as well as they are supposed to. In this case, you would need to completely replace your fireplace damper in order to maximize heat efficiency and save on energy costs.

Now that you know why replacing your chimney dampers are important and what to look for to decide that they do need to be replaced, we’ll next run through the steps for replacing the dampers.

  • Clean out all of the debris in the fireplace. Carefully dispose of the ashes and any other debris in bags in a garbage can, and make sure that the ashes are not warm enough to cause another fire. Wear gloves to protect yourself as your work, and have a flashlight on hand to increase visibility.
  • With the aid of a flashlight, you should be able to locate the damper roughly a foot above the fireplace in the chimney.
  • Remove the damper. Locate the metal rode next to the damper and fixed to the chimney. Remove the nuts and then twist the damper so that it will nicely come off of the rod. The damper should pull out very nicely and remove it from the chimney. You’re already halfway done with the overall replacement process.
  • Next, you’ll need to install the replacement chimney damper. The replacement damper should be the exact same size as the previous damper.To ensure that you have a match, take the now removed damper with you to the hardware store to cross examine it with other dampers that are available.
  • Once you have found a match, simply follow the same steps as before only this time in reverse. Attach the replacement chimney damper to the rod and fix it to the chimney by reattaching the four nuts.
  • At this point, your fireplace should be ready to use again. You can place the grate back over your fireplace and then start up the fire. It should work just as well as before the previous chimney damper broke. However, if you notice that the fireplace is not working as well as before and smoke fills up the room, you likely installed the new chimney damper incorrectly.

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