Your fireplace is great in the winter, but it has nothing to do with how comfortable you feel in the summer, right? Actually, a fireplace can affect your home cooling costs significantly, if it\u2019s not properly maintained. If you don\u2019t have a good damper in the chimney, you might be spending way more on air conditioning than you have to.<\/p>\n
A damper is a plate that moves back and forth as needed to control the flow of air moving through a space. You\u2019ll find dampers in the ductwork of most larger buildings, to stop excess air from moving into certain rooms or to let air in. And you\u2019ll find one in most chimneys.<\/p>\n
Typically, you need to open it up before you use your chimney at any time in the winter. This way, smoke and other byproducts vent where they are supposed to, rather than going back out into the space in your home.<\/p>\n
Some older homes were not built with dampers in place, or else they have dampers that are broken or stuck. This is not okay! It can result in downdrafts in the winter when you are not using the fireplace. It may allow harmful debris and deposits to build up in your fireplace. And the heat can easily get through your chimney when you run the AC system!<\/p>\n
We found all kinds of information out there online about how you can make your fireplace airtight and keep out the heat in the summer. These included tips like filling it with pillows and boarding up the fireplace. Wouldn\u2019t you like to use it properly and make it an attractive piece for your home year-round?<\/p>\n