Fireplace Dampers – Top Mount Damper & Throat Damper Install
Four Seasons Fireplace & Chimney provides the best chimney services in Knoxville TN plus the surrounding area, including Oak Ridge TN, Pigeon Forge TN, Jefferson City TN, Maryville TN, and Gatlinburg TN. There are many components to a chimney system, and our certified technicians specialize in the care of each one. Fireplace dampers sometimes need repair or replacement, and homeowners can choose a throat damper or a top mount damper.
Throat Dampers
Fireplaces are usually built with a throat damper, which is located just above the firebox. For many people, lesson number one in using a fireplace was to first open the metal fireplace damper so smoke from the fire doesn’t billow into the house. Once a fire has died down and quit smoldering, the damper should be closed so that the heat in the house won’t go straight up the chimney.
Throat dampers have an inherent problem, though. They are exposed to extreme heat and rarely remain in like-new condition. Gaps usually develop, allowing the transfer of air from indoors to outdoors and vice versa. If water gets into the fireplace, throat dampers tend to rust, as well.
An easy test to determine whether a throat damper is doing a good job of shutting off air flow involves a dollar bill. Simply place the dollar bill between the two sections of the throat damper as it closes. If you can easily slide the bill between the two parts of the fireplace damper, the seal is not secure.
Knoxville homeowners can contact Four Seasons Fireplace & Chimney for traditional throat damper repair, though damper replacement is sometimes the better option. One type of replacement is to install a top-mount damper, which has some advantages over the throat damper.
Top Mount Dampers
A top-sealing damper is installed over the chimney top, and it creates a secure “lid” that effectively prevents an air exchange through the chimney. Homeowners are able to operate top-mount dampers with ease. A cable or some other device runs down to the bottom of the chimney. When the fire is completely out, the device is pulled down, causing the top-sealing damper to shut tightly—far more securely than a throat damper.
Top mount dampers help easier.
Another benefit of a top-mount damper is that it keeps out rain, animals, and debris such as leaves and twigs. An obstructed flue can be a danger, causing deadly carbon monoxide to enter the home.
Top Damper Installation Services & More
Our professionals can install a top-mount damper or repair a throat damper for homeowners in Knoxville and the greater Knoxville area, including Morristown, Oak Ridge, Pigeon Forge, Jefferson City, Maryville, and Gatlinburg. Call us today about your fireplace damper and any other chimney services you may need.
