- No, fireplaces need a damper to ensure smoke and gases are let out and debris, rain, and animals kept out
There are different types of fireplaces that you can install in your home. Some of the available fireplaces are; gas fireplaces, electric fireplaces, stove fireplaces, wood fireplaces etc.
A fireplace is essential in your home since, apart from providing heat and light, it will also beautify your home. In case you want to sell your home, a fireplace will increase the value of your home.
A fireplace will need different components for it to work well and effectively. One of those components is a damper. Can a fireplace function without a damper?
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What is a Damper?
A damper is a valve or plate that minimizes or increases the flow of air in a chimney, duct, furnace, boiler, and air volume box. There are different types of dampers, and here we will discuss some of them.
What are the Types of Dampers Available?
Throat damper
This type of a damper is located above the firebox and at the bottom of the chimney, and it’s metallic. They close the chimney at the base preventing air from getting in through the chimney. The problem with this type of damper is that they are difficult to install and expensive.
Top mount damper
Top mount dampers are installed near the top of the chimney. They are controlled using a stainless steel cable that hangs down through the chimney. Top mount dampers play a very important role when it comes to energy efficiency.
Installing top mount chimneys is simple and saves you money. If you already have a throat damper, you can still install a top mount damper if you want to enjoy its benefits.
Can You Make a Fireplace Without a Damper?
Some fireplaces work without a damper well, while others can’t work well without a damper. For instance, an old wood-burning fireplace works very well without a damper, while gas fireplaces cannot do without a damper.
If you have a ventless fireplace, you don’t need a damper. Your fireplace can still work without a damper since it doesn’t have a flue.
The damper is used inside the flue to control the air movement into and out of the flue, so if the fireplace doesn’t have one, you can use it without a damper.
In the event that your fireplace is vented, you will need a damper. A vented damper has a flue and needs to have a damper to ensure air control in and outside the room. Fireplaces like wood fireplaces need a flue to ensure the room is not filled with smoke and toxic gasses.
It’s essential if there is a damper to control this. In addition, gas, stove, and electric fireplaces also need a damper to ensure the movement of air is controlled to give the room the required heat.
How to Use a Damper?
You need to know how to use a damper if you have one to ensure that it serves you effectively. If your wood burning fireplace has a damper, keep the damper open just before starting the fire and keep the damper open all through.
This ensures that you will expel all the dangerous gasses and smoke out of the room.
A gas fireplace should have its damper open all the time, even when it’s not in use, to get rid of the small amount of gasses emitted by the gas fireplace.
All other fireplaces should have their dampers closed.
What are the Benefits of a Damper?
- To keep off smoke and harmful gasses out of the room
- To maintain a constant temperature in the room
- It’s energy efficiency which means it will help you save energy.
A damper is very important if you have a fireplace. This is the reason places like California don’t allow usage of vent less fireplaces by its people. A damper in your fireplace is crucial for your safety and health. It’s good also to use the damper in the right way to serve its purpose.
How I dealt with a faulty damper in my home
It was a cold winter night and I was snuggled up in my bed, trying to get to sleep. I live in New England and our winters can be really cold. I had just tucked myself in and closed my eyes when I heard a loud crash coming from the living room. I knew it was probably just my cat knocking over something, but I decided to get up and check it out anyway.
As I made my way to the living room, I could see that the fire in the fireplace was out. I had put it out before going to bed because I didn’t want to have to deal with putting it out in the middle of the night. I knew that if the fire was out, there was probably a draft coming in through the chimney, so I decided to go take a look.
I went outside and climbed up on the roof to take a look at the chimney. As soon as I got up there, I could see that the damper was open. The damper is a metal plate located at the bottom of the chimney that blocks airflow into or out of the chimney. It’s an important part of the fireplace because it helps control the air flow, which can affect how efficiently your fireplace burns.
I closed the damper and went back inside. The next morning, I woke up early and started a fire in the fireplace. As soon as the fire started, I could see that it wasn’t burning very well. The flames were low and there was lots of smoke coming from the fireplace.
I knew that there was something wrong with my fireplace and that I needed to get it fixed. After doing some research online, I found out that my fireplace needed a damper. A damper is used inside the flue to control air movement into and out of the flue, so if your fireplace doesn’t have one, you can’t use it without a damper.
In order to fix my fireplace, I needed to install a top mount damper. A top mount damper is installed near the top of the chimney and is controlled using a stainless steel cable that hangs down through the chimney. It’s an important part of your fireplace because it helps control air flow, which can affect how efficiently your fireplace burns.
After installing the top mount damper, my fireplace started burning much more efficiently. The flames were higher and there was less smoke coming from the fireplace. The top mount damper plays an important role in the efficiency of your fireplace and I’m glad I took the time to install one. Thanks for reading!
Hi, my name’s Eugene Duke and I love sitting by my fireplace reading a book and sipping on an adult beverage. Do you have a fireplace in your house? I’ll help you figure out the best type and style of fireplace for your home.
