Relaxing by a fireplace is an excellent way to unwind at the end of a long day. But you certainly don’t need your fireplace to heat you up at all times of the day. When you turn on your whole-home heating system to an ideal temperature during the daytime, you don’t have to keep the fireplace going. In fact, you need the fireplace to be well-sealed if you want to prevent heat from escaping out the chimney.
That’s why your chimney is outfitted with a damper that keeps warm air (and cool air, in the summer) inside of your home. But if you have an older damper installed within your chimney, it may not do a very good job of keeping the air contained within your home.
Why Your Damper May Lead to an Inefficient Home
Most chimneys have a damper located somewhere within the throat of the flue. This is generally a cast-iron damper, which may have difficulty sealing tightly, especially against a metal flue. Even a newer chimney damper could struggle to completely seal off when you close it. Most flue dampers have some amount of air or heat escaping from them which can result in a major drain in your energy bills as you try to warm or cool your home in extreme temperatures.
Replacing a Damper with a Top-Locking Unit
Replacing an outdated damper with a top-mounted one may make a major difference in your annual heating and cooling costs. A top-mounted damper is able to seal tightly over the chimney flue as a gasket is fitted to the top portion of the chimney. This helps to maintain the energy efficiency of your HVAC system, in addition to other benefits.
One of the main benefits of a top-sealing damper is that it can also keep out moisture. Moisture is one of the biggest threats to any chimney, especially in the winter when the water freezes and expands within the masonry, causing cracks that could be a major fire hazard. Additionally, your top-sealing damper keeps out small critters and stops birds from nesting atop your chimney.
Call 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. today for fireplace and chimney services in the Minneapolis, MN area.