A chimney top damper fitted properly in Goulds
Your free inspection covers the fireplace, the flue top and the damper you have now.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
What a failing damper looks like in Goulds
- Air moving down an idle fireplace
- Daylight visible up a closed flue
- Worn or torn gasket at the top
- Unclear open and closed positions
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Top mount damper work in Goulds
When the throat damper can be repaired
Before recommending a top damper, we look at the damper you already have. A throat damper that is only stuck, missing a handle or slightly out of line can often be freed, adjusted or fitted with new parts.
If a repair will do the job, we say so, and it is quoted as throat damper repair, a separate service. You then compare the cost and the result of both routes. Some people choose the repair, and some prefer the top damper for its seal. The choice is yours once the options are clear.
The written record of the damper work
Once the damper is in, you receive a written record of the work. It gives the make and model, any adapter or plate, how the frame was fixed, where the bracket sits and what happened to the old throat damper. The set time before the next fire is on it too.
Keep the record with the fireplace paperwork. It helps if the damper ever needs parts, and it tells the next person working on the chimney what is at the top. Items we noticed but were not asked to repair are listed as well.
What the damper inspection cannot see
From the firebox and the roof, we can see the throat, the smoke shelf, the tile top and the upper flue. Parts of the flue in between, the back of the smoke chamber and anything behind old sealant stay hidden.
We tell you what we saw and what we could only infer. If a hidden condition could affect the damper, such as a crack near the top of the tile, we explain how it would come to light. The written estimate records the limits of the inspection, so you know what was checked.
Taking off an existing cap to fit the damper
Many chimneys already carry a cap when a top damper is proposed. The cap usually has to come off so the damper frame can be set on the tile. Whether it goes back on depends on the damper type you choose.
If the damper includes its own hood, the old cap may not be needed any more. If the damper sits beneath a cap, the old one returns if there is room for the lid to open under it. We explain what happens to your cap before the work starts, and a cap that has to be replaced is priced separately.
Looked at during a free damper inspection
- Adhesive bond to the tile top
- Operating walk-through at handover
- Flue top covered if work pauses overnight
- Written record of the damper work
Answers about top dampers in Goulds
Can I add a top damper if gas burns in the firebox?
Usually not with the common products. A vented decorative gas appliance needs the damper held fully open while it burns, and several top damper products are marked not for that use. We read both sets of instructions before giving you an answer.
Is a top damper worth it if the fireplace sits idle?
It can be. A damper kept shut between fires keeps weather, animals and outside air out of an idle flue. The lid still has to be opened before any fire, so the handle should be easy for you to reach.
Will the open lid slow the smoke leaving the chimney?
A properly sized damper should open wide enough not to choke the flue, and some designs are made to sit clear of the smoke path when open. We check the lid opening against the flue and tell you what we found.
More Ways to Care for Your Fireplace
- Fireplace RestorationCoordinate fireplace repairs while preserving suitable existing features and defining the intended use.
- Ventless Gas Fireplace ServiceService the identified vent-free appliance without bypassing its required safety components.
- Chimney Chase Cover ReplacementReplace the chase top with a properly planned cover and clearly defined pipe connections.
- Chimney Damper Repair and ReplacementRestore a usable damper mechanism after checking the plate, frame and control linkage.
- Firebox RepairRepair the damaged fireplace chamber using an approach suited to masonry or manufactured components.
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Our team will contact you to arrange your inspection.
Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo