Should a flue damper shut all the way?

Thread Starter

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Really could today, so I have been going around my new to me house, trying to figure out where I might be losing heat. I noticed the flue damper was open so shut it. But it does not shut all the way. Should the damper shut all the way closed?
 

nerdegutta

Joined Dec 15, 2009
2,684
If a flue damper is some sort of valve in the pipe/chimney near you fireplace, then I do not think it should close all the way. I have mine set to fully open all the time, and adjust the airflow in the door of the fireplace. I believe I have this one:


If a flue damper is something else, the I do not know.
 

Thread Starter

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Yes it is a damper for my fireplace, which is now gas and the fireplace is not lit right now so no need for the damper to be open.
 

killivolt

Joined Jan 10, 2010
835
Mine is a big heavy metal damper and it shuts all they way on my wood fireplace.

When or if I convert it, I'll put in an insert with a door and glass to expose the fire.

kv
 

Thread Starter

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Would like to know for sure. The house was built in the 1950s so there is a good chance it no longer functions properly.
 

Thread Starter

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
Got it closed all the way (or most). Looks like I just needed to manipulate the lever to close it, a bit differently than I thought.
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,285
It prevents the loss of heat up the chimney (since a chimney is designed to draw warm up and and away) so you want the flue damper to close tightly when the fireplace is not in use.
 

Thread Starter

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
It prevents the loss of heat up the chimney (since a chimney is designed to draw warm up and and away) so you want the flue damper to close tightly when the fireplace is not in use.

I need to look at it again but I think I still have a very small crack. I have a home warranty. Should I risk $75 to have it checked out?

In other words how tight is "tight"?
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
As I have seen many of the old fireplaces that were designed to be the primary heating system for a house had dampers that didn't close all the way unless specifically taken past a stop point on purpose.

The reasoning was that by having a stop point just short of full closed a person couldn't shut the chimney draft down 100% and force the fire to smoke back into the house by accident.

As for the $75 plus what ever else yo could end up spending how much fuel does that buy and how long would it take for it's equivalent heat content to excape of the mostly closed damper and chimney Vs having done nothing at all? o_O
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
For $75, I'd just put a makeshift cover over it. Piece of wood, foil, whatever. You could probably use a magnet to hold something in place.
 
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