If You Need Damper Or Flue Repairs – We Can Help!
You spend a lot of money and expend a lot of energy keeping the air in your home temperate, so allowing all that temperate air to fly right out of the chimney — or allowing cold air to pour right into your home through the flue — isn’t exactly ideal. That’s why your chimney was designed with a damper that closes off the flue when it’s not in use. It keeps temperate air in and unwanted air out. It has other benefits as well, working to keep rain and debris from getting into your firebox and flue.
Damper Damage And Repair & Replacement Options
Throat Dampers
Many chimneys are built with a throat damper, which is installed above the firebox. These can work and last for many years, but they have some definite shortcomings. First, since they use a metal plate to close off the flue, a complete seal isn’t provided, allowing for a significant amount of air leakage. And over time, that metal plate can rust or corrode and get stuck or come off of the track it’s seated on. In some cases, these issues can be repaired, but not always. Northeastern Masonry & Chimney technicians can inspect your damper issues, recommend the best approach and complete repairs or replacements.
In other cases, it makes the most sense to replace a damaged throat damper with a superior top-sealing damper. Top-sealing dampers are installed at the top of the flue, and they close it off using a rubber gasket, which provides a far more complete seal. That complete seal saves energy and money by keeping your flue blocked off tight when you’re not using it — they’ve been shown to be as much as 90 percent more efficient than throat dampers. Top-sealing dampers also provide much better protection against water and animal intrusion, and unlike traditional throat dampers, they’re not susceptible to rust and corrosion. Even if your throat damper is currently functioning, top-sealing dampers can pay for themselves in a few years, just in energy savings.
Other Flue Repair Issues
Northeastern Masonry & Chimney technicians can take care of any and all flue repair needs that might come up, from liner damage to resizing a flue to vent properly with your appliance.
If you have damper problems or other flue issues, call Northeastern Masonry & Chimney at 518-767-9315 — we can help!
Do you know if your firebox needs repairing? We’ll be glad to inspect your fireplace and make our professional recommendation for this important masonry repair.