A chimney top damper fitted properly in Richmond West
We clear the flue top, check for animals and only then bond the damper to the tile.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Signs a top sealing damper could help in Richmond West
- Leaves or nesting on the smoke shelf
- Top damper cable slack or snapped
- Stiff pull on the damper chain
- Unclear open and closed positions
Jump to
From flue check to working damper in Richmond West
A damper that closes the flue at the top
A top sealing damper is a hinged lid mounted on the top of the flue. A gasket around its edge presses against the frame when it is shut. A cable runs from the lid down through the flue to a handle inside the fireplace, so you open and close it from the room.
Because it closes the flue at the top rather than just above the firebox, the whole flue sits behind the seal when it is shut. Rain, leaves and animals stay out, and so does outside air. When the lid is open, the flue works as it did before.
What the building code says about dampers
The Florida Building Code requires a masonry fireplace to have a damper. The code allows it in the fireplace itself or higher up in the chimney serving it, provided it can be worked from the same room as the fireplace. A cable-worked damper at the flue top fits that description.
The code also calls for a ferrous metal damper, and some top dampers are made largely of aluminum. We check a product's material and listing against that rule before recommending one, and we tell you what we checked and why. That way the new damper answers to the code as well as to the fireplace.
A decorative gas appliance changes the answer
Some wood fireplaces have had a vented decorative gas appliance installed in the firebox. Appliances of that type are built to a standard for decorative gas appliances in solid-fuel fireplaces. The manual we checked for one of them calls for the chimney damper to be fully open whenever it burns.
Several top damper products carry a warning against those installations. If your fireplace has, or will have, a gas appliance of any kind, tell us. We check both sets of instructions before saying yes or no. In many of those cases, a top damper is simply not an option.
Reaching the flue top without harming the roof
Fitting a top damper means working at the flue top for a while, not just a quick look. We plan the route across the roof before climbing and choose where to stand so the roof covering is not damaged.
Tell us about any fragile areas, recent roof work or known leaks near the chimney. We note the roof condition around the chimney in the findings. Roof damage outside our job is written up in simple terms, ready to hand to whoever repairs the roof.
What your top damper estimate covers in Richmond West
- Old throat damper left open or removed
- Check for animals or nesting first
- Flue top covered if work pauses overnight
- Workmanship warranty on the installation
Top sealing damper FAQs for Richmond West
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.
When is it safe to close the damper after a fire?
Only once the fire is fully out and the embers are cold. Closing it earlier can push smoke into the room. The maker's instructions say the same, and we go through them with you at handover.
What should I mention when I call about a damper?
Say whether the fireplace burns wood or anything else, what your current damper does or fails to do and whether anything else vents through the chimney. That lets us plan the visit to your home in Richmond West.
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Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo