Energy Efficient Fireplace Dampers

Fireplace dampers should be tightly closed when the fireplace is not in use.

Energy efficient fireplace dampers.

Chimneys naturally exhaust air in an upward movement from the fireplace to the outdoors. The damper also helps keep the outside air from entering the house and vice versa. Without a damper the chimney is a gaping hole sucking warm air and heating dollars out into the cold. A traditional wood burning fireplace adds warmth and romantic ambiance to a home s interior.

Lyemance and lock top seal the chimney with asilicone rubber gasket. Fortunately new energy efficient fireplace designs are helping wood burning fireplaces achieve efficiency ratings of 75 or more. Both of the homesaver dampers carry a lifetime warranty and are made of solid cast aluminum and stainless steel parts assembled to precise standards. Although they are attractive and can provide heat to their immediate vicinity fireplaces can actually create a net energy loss.

A typical vertical back fireplace with an open front is at best ten percent. Top sealing dampers replace the fireplace throat damper and are installed at the top of the chimney. Regardless of the type of damper the basic purpose is the same. Install tempered glass doors and a heat air exchange system that blows warm air back into the room.

160 to 400 for a. The two most frequently installed energy saving dampers in the country are lyemance and lock top both manufactured by homesaver. If the throat damper in your fireplace is old and in need of repair consider replacing it altogether with a top sealing variety. But most are energy hogs converting only 15 of wood s energy into useful heat.

This principle works year round whether you re heating or cooling your house. The closed damper also protects from water and debris. Keep the fireplace damper closed unless you have a fire burning. The damper should be.

It can be easy to forget to close it when the fire has burned out but keeping the damper open can cause drafts and heat loss in the rest of the house. Check the seals around your. Although wood burning fireplaces have aesthetic appeal they may actually remove more heat from a house than they produce. The ability to shut the damper and seal off the fireplace is much more energy efficient.

Energy efficient fireplaces dampers flue sealers glass door and fireplace covers heat exchangers inserts gas burning fireplaces and inserts. This air draft exhausts heat and smoke while you are using your fireplace. Chimney cap dampers close the entire top of the chimney so they reduce heat loss when the fireplace is not being used but don t improve efficiency otherwise. There s nothing quite like the warmth and ambiance of a fireplace in the winter.