Asked by: Gosho Penner
home and garden indoor environmental quality

How do you install a fireplace damper?

Last Updated: 1st January, 2020

17
How to Install a Fireplace Damper
  1. Step 1 - Open the Fireplace Doors. Open the doors completely to your fireplace.
  2. Step 3 - Remove the Existing Damper. Locate the damper and remove it from the chimney.
  3. Step 4 - Purchase a New Damper. Take your old damper with you to a chimney supply store.
  4. Step 5 - Install New Damper.
  5. Step 6 - Open Damper.
  6. Step 8 - Clean Up.

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Then, can you add a damper to a fireplace?

Both wood burning and gas fireplaces should have dampers to prevent energy loss, even if the chimney is not in use. A single flue chimney is very easy for damper installation. The damper will fit right up into the flue system and should sit above the smoke chamber.

One may also ask, how do you install a damper? Open up the duct work, and drill two holes on opposite edges of the tube. These holes should line up with the pre-drilled holes on the damper. Remove the fasteners from the damper, connect it to the duct through these holes and into the drilled holes, and tighten. Then, seal both sides with duct tape.

Likewise, people ask, 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.

How do you replace a fireplace damper?

  1. Step 1 - Clean. Clean your fireplace of all debris.
  2. Step 2 - Find the Damper. Once you have cleaned your fireplace you will then need to locate the damper.
  3. Step 3 - Remove the Damper.
  4. Step 4 - Replacement Damper.
  5. Step 5 - Attach the Replacement Damper.
  6. Step 6 - Finishing Touches.

Related Question Answers

Gaetano Blaustein

Professional

Is a damper and flue 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.

Maica Elworthy

Professional

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.

Baldomera Vonderlehr

Professional

Can you use fireplace without damper?

A damper gives you the ability to slow a fire while burning and to close off the chimney when not in use. Note they don't close perfectly tight. However, a wood burning fireplace is for looks only. The net heat loss, especially without a damper, far more than any heat they give off.

Saule Marmelstein

Explainer

What does a damper do 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.

Ana Schmedecke

Pundit

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.

Hademou Eberhard

Pundit

Can I leave the flue open overnight?

Leave the damper open overnight. Yes, you will lose some heat up the flue, but you will save the occupants of the home from poisoning by colorless, odorless carbon monoxide. In the morning, stir the embers and check them for any hot spots.

Haide Isenaj

Pundit

Is a fireplace damper necessary?

Like we said before, when your fireplace isn't in use, your chimney damper still has a job to do. An open chimney damper will allow air into your home, so if it's a cold night and you just can't seem to warm up, make sure that your chimney damper is closed.

Aldegunda Propin

Pundit

How dangerous is a cracked chimney flue?

Cracked tiles can lead to dangerous gas leakage allowing carbon monoxide to seep into the home's interior. It can also allow deadly heat transfer to combustible materials in the surrounding areas increasing the risk of home fire. Cracked tiles often occur when heat is not evenly disbursed throughout the chimney.

Laxman Niculescu

Teacher

How do you lubricate a fireplace damper?

Puncture the seal of a high-temperature lubricant bottle and attach the syringe to its top. Apply the lubricant to the length of the hinge as you move the damper handle back and forth.

Bohdan Goddard

Teacher

How do I fix a stuck fireplace damper?

Take a steel brush or a handheld whisk broom and clean the damper and the area around it. This typically requires laying on your back inside of the fireplace which is not comfortable. If the damper is stuck, take a penetrating oil like WD-40 and spray the handle and the hinge where it connects to the damper plate.

Ilaria Cotilla

Teacher

What is damper plate?

A damper plate is a disc that is located within the main valve to absorb the noise and vibrations that build up as the machine is being operated.

Odeta Vinsgeim

Reviewer

How much does it cost to put stone on a fireplace?

Stone Fireplace Average Cost
The national average cost for stone fireplace installation is $3,000 to $5,000, although an authentic masonry fireplace constructed by a stone craftsman could push the price tag up to $10,000 or more.

Lamarana Uellendahl

Supporter

How does a bypass damper work?

Bypass Damper vs. Barometric Zone Damper. Bypass dampers are used in zoning applications to relieve excess system pressure caused when a small or single zone is making a heat or cool call. It enables the excess pressure to be redirected back into the air system and re-circulated through the system.

Sondos Zhelekhovsky

Supporter

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.

Agapito Bavtrukevitch

Beginner

Do all HVAC systems have dampers?

HVAC systems utilize dampers in the ductwork to control the way air flows in your home. You should be able to access and adjust them manually. Make sure all of the dampers in your home are completely open. Sometimes dampers can get stuck closed or can become loose and close on their own.

Dann Leerte

Beginner

How does a damper work in HVAC?

HVAC dampers work by being situated closer to the mouth of the distribution pipe and will push or hold air from that point as needed. The pressure in the pipe will then redistribute the airflow to whatever zone requires regulating at that time.

Atsegiñe Haitel

Beginner

What do dampers do in HVAC?

A damper is a valve or plate that stops or regulates the flow of air inside a duct, chimney, VAV box, air handler, or other air-handling equipment. A damper may be used to cut off central air conditioning (heating or cooling) to an unused room, or to regulate it for room-by-room temperature and climate control.

Katheleen Copete

Beginner

How much does it cost to install 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.

Angelines Haikov

Beginner

How do I know if my damper is open?

Perform a visual check.
Using a flashlight, poke your head inside the fireplace to look up into the chimney. If you have a throat damper, you can tell if it is closed if you see a barrier above your head. If you can see up into the flue, the damper is open.

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EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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