A chimney top damper fitted properly in Sailboat Bend
Approve the damper work within 72 hours of your free inspection and it is 10% off.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
When a chimney top damper makes sense in Sailboat Bend
- Air moving down an idle fireplace
- Rain reaching the firebox floor
- Plans to leave the fireplace idle
- A cap that no longer keeps rain out
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The details behind a sealing top damper
Setting the lug for a firm seal
On many cable dampers, a lug clamped to the cable sets how far the lid is pulled down when the handle is locked. Set too low, the lid can close loosely and leak. Set too high, the handle can be hard to lock and the cable overstressed.
The instructions describe adjusting the lug until the lid seals firmly, then trimming the spare cable. We set it that way and check the result from the roof. If the seal is not tight, we adjust again before we leave. You should not need to change the setting yourself.
Looking at the flue before closing its top
A top damper closes the flue from above, which makes the flue easy to forget afterward. Before fitting one, we look at the visible flue for cracks, gaps and deposits. The tile top the frame will sit on gets the same attention.
If something in the flue needs attention, we tell you before the damper goes on. Repairs inside the flue are separate items with their own descriptions. You can decide on them knowing that the damper will cover the top and make that area harder to reach later.
Identifying the make of an existing damper
If your chimney already has a top damper, the make matters for parts. The handle, bracket or cable end often carries a name, and the lid itself may be stamped. Old paperwork from the installer can also tell us.
If you can see a name on the handle without reaching into the firebox, pass it on when you call. Otherwise, we identify it during the visit. Knowing the maker is what lets us order a matching gasket, cable or handle instead of replacing a damper that only needs a part.
What you can check from the firebox
With the fireplace cold, you can learn a fair amount without tools. Look at the handle and bracket for looseness, try the handle gently and note whether the cable moves. A flashlight up the throat can show whether daylight appears with the handle locked.
Do not force a handle that will not move, and do not reach up past the throat. Write down what you saw. That note, together with the date you first noticed a problem, lets us plan the visit and bring likely parts.
Checked before a top damper is ordered
- Crown condition around the flue
- Gasket type and seal check
- Adhesive bond to the tile top
- Flue top covered if work pauses overnight
Your top sealing damper questions answered
What does the free inspection look at for a damper?
The fireplace and its current damper, the smoke shelf, the flue and its tile top, the crown and any cap. We also ask how you use the fireplace. You then receive a free written estimate with the options.
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.
Does your warranty cover a top damper you install?
Our workmanship warranty covers the installation we carry out, and we go through its coverage with you before the work is agreed. The damper itself carries its maker's terms, which we pass on with the written record of the job.
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Local service. Careful repairs. A fireplace worth coming home to.
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Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo