Bob Davis is a home remodeling contractor and fireplace enthusiast from eastern Ohio. Specializing in restoring older homes, he gets a lot of questions about chimneys. He decided to start this site after noticing the lack of information about chimney liners on the internet in the hopes of helping homeowners improve the safety and efficiency of their chimneys. His hobbies are golf and bird watching.What Is a Chimney Damper?
A chimney damper goes inside or at the top of your chimney and is designed to serve two purposes. When you are using the fireplace, it can be adjusted to increase or decrease the air flow. It is basically like a lid that you place on your chimney so you have the option of opening it or closing it off. It also serves to prevent the heated air in your house from getting out through the chimney when you’re not using the fireplace. This can help you make significant reductions in your heating expenses. Remember that heat rises and could be escaping through your chimney, so using a fireplace damper is vital.
There are different types of chimney dampers available. The older styles were made of cast iron and sat further down the chimney. These are called throat-mount dampers. These days, the type that sit at the top of the chimney (top-mount dampers) are increasing in popularity. This type can usually be controlled by a cable that extends into the fireplace.. Some have rubber around the perimeter to ensure a tight fit and prevent air from escaping. Many of the top-mount chimney dampers also function as chimney caps. These have the added benefit of stopping birds and other critters from entering your house or building a nest or getting stuck in the chimney.
Dampers can be purchased in most of the standard chimney sizes. If your chimney is an unusual size, it may be necessary to have a custom damper made. If standard chimney sweep brushes don’t fit your chimney, chances are that a standard chimney cap damper won’t either. A perfect fit is absolutely essential for reaping all of the benefits of using a damper. If there are any gaps, it will not be able to do its job. Likewise, it is crucial to replace your chimney damper once it begins to show signs of wear or reduced efficiency. They can warp over time, rendering them useless. If you suspect this is the case, have a chimney inspector or other professional take a look to determine what the problem is.
There are a few precautions that need to be taken when using a fireplace damper. Be warned that if your flue is used for something else besides the fireplace, it could be dangerous to install a chimney damper (for example, if another active heating source in your home shares the same flue). If you are unsure, it is best to have a professional look at it before doing anything.
Remember, the damper should always be open when using the fireplace. If it is closed, the house will fill with smoke quickly and create very dangerous conditions. Always be sure the fire is out completely before closing the damper. And never use a chimney with a damaged or leaking chimney liner.
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Tagged with: chimney damper, chimney inspector, custom damper, fireplace, fireplace damper, flue
How to Tell If You Need a Flue Liner
Not sure if you need a flue liner? It’s easy to be confused with all of the chimney advice and terminology out there. Complicating matters even more is the fact that each house is different, and chimney construction can vary dramatically depending on region, age, material, and many other factors. Here are some general guidelines that can help you determine if you need a flue liner.
First, let’s clarify what exactly we are talking about. The physical structure in your house that brings the smoke from the fire to the outside is the chimney, which in most cases is built onto an exterior wall of your house. Some chimneys can go up through the middle of the house to the roof as well, but either way, the chimney is the physical structure. What is inside the chimney differs from home to home, but you may find insulation or just a big empty open space. Generally speaking, the hollow area inside the chimney through which the smoke passes is known as the flue. Some flues have a lining inside of them, and this is the flue liner or chimney liner.
Not every chimney has a flue liner, and some that do may have one that is ineffective, outdated, or even worse… dangerous. Here’s how to tell if you need to install, update, or replace your flue liner.
- Your house is old. Particularly if it was built before the 1960′s, you are going to need a flue liner. Older chimneys were built without liners, and over time, the byproducts of the smoke can corrode the inside of the chimney. This may be difficult to detect, or you may sometimes see a sandy-type material fall down into your fireplace.
- Your chimney is leaking. You may suspect that smoke is leaking, smell fumes in other rooms that the chimney passes through when you use the fireplace, or you may actually see smoke escaping from your chimney. In some cases stains may be visible around the chimney. In any case, this is bad news and calls for a chimney inspection to determine the cause of the problem. A flue liner can normally solve this problem pretty easily, but if left untreated, it can be extremely dangerous for your family and for the structure of your home.
Your chimney liner is the wrong size. If you have updated a fireplace since the home was built, your flue liner may be the wrong size. Many older flues are too large for modern fireplaces and wood-burning stoves. Even if they do have flue liners, over time the liners can develop cracks, especially clay ones, which leads to gases escaping into the house and could eventually lead to a chimney fire.- Your chimney is on an exterior wall. If your chimney is on an outside wall, it is even more important to have a working flue liner and good insulation. Exterior wall chimneys are exposed much more to the elements, such as the cold, and this makes them more susceptible to damage and to eventual updraft problems. When it’s too cold, smoke could spill into the house if your chimney liner is too big, and it can also lead to too much creosote which is another cause of chimney fires.
The bottom line is that a flue liner is a very important part of a fireplace. Unless you are using electric fireplace logs, it is a good idea to ensure you have a properly installed chimney flue liner.
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Tagged with: chimney fires, Chimney liner, clay liners, creosote, fireplace, flue, flue liner, wood-burning stove
Chimney Brush Basics
A chimney brush is a useful tool when it comes to keeping your chimney in top shape. Many people don’t know how to select and use one, but there is no need to be intimidated. Using a chimney brush is something that can be done at home in most cases as long as you know what you are doing and exercise some caution.
When selecting a chimney brush, it is imperative to choose one that is the correct size. Chimney brushes that are too big can get stuck, and if that happens toward the middle of the chimney liner, then it is quite difficult to remove it. Conversely, if you get one that is too small, it won’t really accomplish anything because it won’t reach the sides of the flue liner which is where it needs to do its work. It is best to measure the inside of your chimney liner from both the top and the bottom in case there is some variation. If you have a metal chimney, you will have to take the cap off before measuring. Be sure to also find a chimney brush that matches the shape of your chimney liner (round or square). Round chimney sweep brushes should match the inside diameter of your liner exactly, whereas rectangular chimney liner brushes should be about half an inch larger than the inside of the liner.
The importance of chimney maintenance cannot be understated. Most chimneys need to be cleaned once every year or two but the exact frequency depends on how often you use it and what type of wood you burn inside. It is crucial to get your chimney inspected every year, at which point the inspector can recommend if a cleaning or other repairs are necessary.
Why is cleaning with a chimney brush so important? When burning a fire in your fireplace, if everything is in working order the smoke does exit through the chimney as you might expect, but it also leaves behind traces of chemicals on the inside of your chimney liner. With repeated usage, these toxic byproducts build up inside the liner. This in turn creates dangerous fumes and can also erode your chimney liner, which could eventually lead to a house fire or carbon monoxide entering your home. This buildup can form quite rapidly and is essentially “baked on” from the heat. It is nearly impossible to remove without using a chimney brush which is very abrasive.
Using a chimney brush involves attaching rods and sliding the brush up and down to brush the inside of the flue liner. The area surrounding the fireplace should be covered to protect from falling debris. All safety precautions must be followed, such as wearing a mask and goggles. If climbing up on the roof and maneuvering chimney liner brushes through your chimney does not sound like your idea of a good time, you can call a professional chimney sweep. This is especially useful if you don’t know what you are doing because it is a dangerous undertaking and toxic chemicals are involved. There is also the risk of getting the chimney brush stuck in chimney lining. A pro already has all the perfect tools and chimney sweep brushes to get the job done and takes care of everything from sealing the fireplace to ensuring the cleaning is done properly to taking care of cleanup. Even if you do decide to try to do it yourself, it’s a good idea to hire a chimney sweep every few years to confirm you are using chimney brushes the right way and get the spots you may have missed with specialized chimney sweep brushes. It is still a good idea to keep a chimney brush on hand for maintenance in between professional cleanings.
Categorized: Accessories, Cleaning | No comments | Permalink
Tagged with: carbon monoxide, chimney brush, chimney inspection, Chimney liner, chimney sweep, fireplace, flue, flue liner, metal chimney, toxic chemicals