Post by : Admin
12-Jul-2020
It’s summertime! The sun is shining, and the birds are singing. And as you sit in your quiet little home, you feel blessed as the cool breeze wafts through the house.
But wait a minute! Where’s this cool draft coming from when all the windows are closed?
Instead of blaming it on a ghost (our first guess), there’s a less paranormal reason for those sudden gusts of wind; your chimney damper!
Located inside your chimney right above your firebox, the chimney damper or throat damper is a mechanism that shuts out your firebox from the rest of your chimney structure. Though typically open throughout the winter season, this chimney damper has to be closed during summertime.
A properly installed chimney damper provides passage for the smoke to go through. But during summer, when it’s not in use, the damper opens up another source for the airflow in your house. As your home cools down and your HVAC system starts working, all the fresh air ends up getting swooped up the chimney.
As a result, not only do you experience valuable air loss, you also start wondering if there’s a problem with your HVAC system since it’s suddenly not working.
It’s a common misconception that leaving your damper open will allow your chimney to “breathe,” and that will prevent any smells or scents from leaking into the house.
The truth is, leaving your damper open can worsen the situation. An open damper allows water to get inside, soaking the creosote, which is the source of the bad smell. And having a chimney cap doesn’t help the problem, since rainwater can still get in, despite the cap being secured on top. So, unless your chimney is properly sealed from the base and the top, you will still experience extensive chimney damage.
And let’s not forget, critters can make their way into your chimney too. You don’t want to leave your damper open all summer to end up finding a soot-covered raccoon wandering around your living room one day!
But keep in mind, just flipping that damper closed is not enough. If you’ve been using your chimney for a few years and haven’t had it cleaned, right now is the best time to call a sweeping and cleaning service.
Poorly maintained chimneys can cause chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisoning because of creosote build-up and blockages. Please don’t risk it.
Get in touch with Creative Masonry & Chimney in Connecticut today at (860) 225-9178 for all kinds of chimney services in Bristol, CT and other areas in Connecticut.
