Asked by: Kaotar Belinder
home and garden indoor environmental quality

Does a gas fireplace have a damper?

12
The damper in a gas fireplace should remain open all the time. The glass between the firebox and your home prevents cold or heat from coming down the chimney and by leaving the damper open at all times, you eliminate the risk of having gas build up or backdraft into your home.


Also know, should the damper be open or closed on a gas fireplace?

The damper should be kept open until all embers are finished burning to prevent smoke from escaping into the home. When the fireplace is not in use, the damper should always be closed. An open damper is like an open window, allowing large amounts of heat from the home to escape.

Also, do you need a flue for a gas fireplace? Ventless fireplaces fueled by gas or propane rely on indoor air for combustion, and they exhaust a low level of their combustion gases into the room in which they're located. A chimney or flue isn't necessary. The risk to your health is a long-standing and ongoing debate.

Also know, do all fireplaces have a damper?

Every Fireplace has a chimney damper. This is a movable plate that sits above the fireplace before the flue. If you pull the lever toward you, generally that will open most of the dampers. When the damper is closed, it helps to keep heated air from going up the chimney.

Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas fireplace?

YES, GAS FIREPLACES ARE ONE POTENTIAL CAUSE OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. An improperly maintained or ventilated gas fireplace, however, can result in incomplete combustion, creating carbon monoxide, and causing this toxic gas to linger, putting those inside at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Related Question Answers

Anjali Staerck

Professional

Can I close the damper on a gas fireplace?

Those gases contain carbon monoxide. Therefore, while it's great to save energy by closing off the damper inside a fireplace, be sure to do so in a safe manner. Do not close a fireplace damper until the fire is completely out.

Ermita Charushin

Professional

When should I close the damper on my fireplace?

Close Fireplace Damper When Fire Is Completely Out.
If necessary to keep the fire burning well and smoke-free, you may adjust the damper into a semi-open position. Shut the damper when the fire is completely, absolutely out. That means ashes are cool to the touch even when stirred.

Nicandro Dormanns

Explainer

How do you tell if my gas fireplace is vented?

How to Tell If Your Gas Logs Are Vent-Free
  1. Inspect the logs. All vent-free logs are firmly attached to a U-shaped burner and cannot be moved.
  2. Follow the gas line from beneath the logs to where it disappears in the wall or floor. If the gas is merely contained by a simple gas line, then the logs are vent free.
  3. Turn on the fireplace.

Coleman Duquesne

Explainer

How long can you leave your gas fireplace on?

In most cases, if your fireplace was installed properly, you can leave it on indefinitely. There is no time limit built into the safety requirements for vented gas fireplaces. Gas fireplaces literally run for days when being safety tested.

Aracelis Moise

Explainer

Should damper be open or closed in summer?

The importance of closing your damper in the summer
An open damper can seriously impact the air temperature within your home. During the summer, an open damper forces your air conditioner to work harder to compensate for the constantly incoming warm air; this, in turn, costs you more money through higher utility bills.

Lingyan Kleinhanss

Pundit

Is a flue and a damper the same thing?

The flue is simply the open middle of the chimney that the smoke goes up. Dampers are sometimes miss-called flues or flutes, but they are something entirely different than the flue. A damper is intended to shut off- either fully or partially- the chimney flue.

Fernand Dib

Pundit

When should you close the fireplace doors?

Glass doors should be fully open when starting a fire and when the fire is burning strongly. The glass doors should be closed as the fire dies down to minimize the amount of room air going up the fireplace chimney. When burning gas logs in a wood burning fireplace, the glass doors should always be fully open.

Harinder Pochevalov

Pundit

Is a damper necessary?

Modern stoves usually do not need a damper. the air flow through the stove.It will also slow down the heat loss out of the flue. If closed down too much it will build creosote in the stack.

Sarra Bestenbostel

Pundit

Can I use my fireplace without a damper?

There is usually a damper built right into the insert. Occasionally there is a throat butterfly damper as well but that is mostly with free standing stoves not inserts. So lets assume when you remove your insert you will have no damper. The Good News: You can put a Chimney Balloon in the flue without a damper.

Abencio Vree

Pundit

How do you stop a draft on a direct vent gas fireplace?

Answer: Install our magnetic fireplace vent cover on the lower vent to stop the inner air circulation from coming inside. Use our Direct Vent Fireplace Termination Cap Cover on the outside cap to stop the cold outside air from coming in through the flue.

Mounina Trachsel

Teacher

How much does it cost to put a damper in a fireplace?

The average cost to repair or replace the damper in your fireplace or chimney is around $60 for damper door replacement only, with DIY installation. If the frame needs to be replaced as well, plan on $350-$400 and a Pro to do the job.

Kees Cize

Teacher

Should I keep my fireplace pilot light on?

Leaving the gas on keeps this compound moving out of the tubes. Keeping the pilot light on will also keep moisture out of the unit and in turn, help prevent corrosion. As you can see, it's probably best in most cases to extinguish the pilot light in your gas fireplace during the months when you don't need heat.

Yongjian Salanueva

Teacher

Where is the damper on my fireplace?

If your damper is located at the top of your fireplace, you have a traditional throat damper. These dampers are opened and closed by a ratcheting push or lift rod, or a screw-type rotary control. If your damper is located at the top of your chimney, you have a top-mount damper.

Osazuwa Parchi

Reviewer

What is the purpose of a flue damper?

A flue damper is a cast iron or steel plate on a spindle fitted inside a flue system (usually in the first length of vitreous enamel flue pipe) which can be rotated by a small handle outside the flue pipe to reduce the adverse affects of a strong flue up-draught or 'pull'.

Nazaria Sachin

Reviewer

What is a damper in a fireplace?

A fireplace damper, usually located in the throat of a masonry chimney just above the firebox, is a device that is meant to seal your fireplace shut when it is not in use. This is necessary so that heated air from your home will not escape up the chimney when the fireplace is not being used.

Lakhwinder Chafla

Reviewer

How do I know if my fireplace is safe to use?

5 Easy Steps to Make Sure Your Fireplace Is Safe
  1. #1 Examine the Firebox. Look for any cracks, gaps, or signs of wear in the lining of the firebox (the interior of the fireplace).
  2. #2 Look for Telltale Smoke Stains.
  3. #3 Make Sure Your Grate Is the Right Size.
  4. #4 Check the Chimney.
  5. #5 Double-Check Your Fire Extinguisher.

Mellissa Fauth

Supporter

Should fireplace damper be open all the way?

The damper should always be fully open before lighting a fire and when the fireplace is in use. Close it when it's not it use. The damper should be kept open until all embers are finished burning to prevent smoke from escaping into the home. When the fireplace is not in use, the damper should always be closed.

Grober Jayantilal

Supporter

Do you need to open the damper on a gas fireplace?

The damper in a gas fireplace should remain open all the time. The glass between the firebox and your home prevents cold or heat from coming down the chimney and by leaving the damper open at all times, you eliminate the risk of having gas build up or backdraft into your home.

Ayesa Iser

Beginner

Do gas fireplaces use a lot of gas?

A typical gas fireplace consumes 30k to 40k BTUs of gas per hour set on “high”, but you can look on the data tag in the bottom of your fireplace to know exactly what yours is rated for. Natural gas is normally billed per therm.