Chimney Damper Repair

A throat damper sits just above the firebox. A top-sealing damper sits at the top of the flue. Either one can warp from heat, rust from rain, or fill with debris so the lever does nothing. The repair is to free it, rebuild the parts that still work, or replace the damper when the plate is gone.

A damper that will not open keeps smoke in the room. One that will not close lets heated air up the chimney all winter and lets downdrafts in. If the problem is the cap or debris at the top, that is handled with the damper so the flue can actually close.