#23: I have a Swing Handle Damper with Bar Supports, How Do I Plug the Flue?

by blogediter | Aug 25, 2017 | Fireplaces

#23: I have a Swing Handle Damper with Bar Supports, How Do I Plug the Flue?

23-1 Swing handle damper open

23-2 Swing handle damper closed

23-3 Swing handle damper with Flueblocker behind the horizontal bracket

23-4 Measure length and width above the horizontal bracket

Fireplace #23: Swing Handle Damper with Supports and High Flue Tile

These Swing Handle Dampers are very common in masonry fireplaces of solid brick or stone. These are their characteristics:

They have a long rectangular sheet iron damper frame and matching door.
The door has a straight cast iron handle sticking down attached to a horizontal support. (image 23-2)
The handle swings forward and back.
All of the hardware is welded or bolted and is not removable.
The damper door is almost straight vertical when closed.
There are sometimes welded metal horizontal bracers below the damper (image 23-2)

This damper style is best sealed with a long rectangle Flueblocker (image 23-3). You will measure the length and depth of the area right above the horizontal bracket (image 23-4). The Flueblocker will lay right on top of those horizontal brackets. You will need to cut a small slit in the Flueblocker wool pad to accommodate the straight metal damper handle to stick through (image 23-3). Since you are threading the wool pad through a tight triangular area, it is easiest to thread the wool pad into place above the horizontal supports without the black plastic Flueblocker handles attached (image 23-3).

#22: I Have a Bevel Gear Damper, How Do I Plug the Flue?

by blogediter | Aug 25, 2017 | Fireplaces

#22: I Have a Bevel Gear Damper, How Do I Plug the Flue?

22-1 Open Bevel Gear Damper with Low Flue Tile

22-2 Closed Bevel Gear Damper

22-3 Measure Flue Tile

Fireplace #22: Bevel Gear Damper

These Bevel Gear Dampers are not very common. The gearing and shafts often break or get corroded. Parts are hard to come by. Here are the characteristics of this damper:

You swing the horizontal damper handle that hangs down into the firebox from left to right to open and close the damper door.
There is non-removable gearing and shafts that actuate the damper.
There is a long rectangular damper frame and matching damper door.
Bevel Gear Dampers operate almost identically to Vestal Dampers , except they have a different opening and closing mechanism.

Because of the gearing and shafts below the damper, there is no way to install any draft stopper chimney plug below the damper. In this particular application you can see through the damper opening. The flue tile comes down to just inches vertically above the damper (image 22-1). This allows you to touch the flue tile by hand. That makes the flue tile an ideal location to plug.

If you want to plug it and forget it, use the Flueblocker

Here is a video on how the Flueblocker works. You will need to take a quick measurement of the flue tile with a ruler (Image 22-3). Then buy a Flueblocker that size, or a little large for the hole. The Flueblocker is a wool pad with extra hems, so you can trim it to size with sharp scissors. The handle on the Flueblocker is only 1 foot long, so you may want some 6″ handle extenders for your Flueblocker to make it easier to stuff in the flue tile.

What about the Chimney Balloon?

22-5 Chimney Balloon in Flue Tile

You can use a Chimney Balloon to plug a low flue like this. You would need to get a measurement of the length and width of the flue tile first (image 22-3), so you will know what size Chimney Balloon to use. Flue tiles generally take a 12×12 or 15×15. Also purchase a HEK handle extender to give the handle some extra length to reach the flue tile (image 22-5). The Chimney Balloon will require a top-off of air each 6 to 12 months, and it is not quite as durable as the other two options above. So consider it a “Plan B” for this application.

#21: I Have a Vestal Damper with a Rigid Handle, How Do I Plug the Chimney?

by blogediter | Aug 23, 2017 | Fireplaces

#21: I Have a Vestal Damper with a Rigid Handle, How Do I Plug the Chimney?

21-1 Open Vestal Damper

21-2 Closed Vestal Damper

21-3 Cotter Pin on Damper Handle

21-4 Where to Measure Your Flue Tile

Fireplace #21: Vestal Damper with Center Handle and Low Flue Tile

These Vestal Dampers are very common in masonry fireplaces of solid brick or stone. These are their characteristics of Vestal dampers:

They have a long rectangular cast iron damper door.
The door has a 16″ long curved cast iron handle sticking down from the center of the damper door.
The handle has saw teeth on the back, and a loop on the end.
The shaft of the handle sticks through a metal bracket that is attached to the damper frame.

The nice thing about these Vestal dampers is they are very easy to disassemble. This is so chimney sweeps can get easy access to the smoke chamber for cleaning. In this particular application you can see through the damper opening. The flue tile terminates a vertical distant of about 16″ above the damper. This makes for a very short smoke chamber, and easy access to the flue tile. That makes the flue tile an ideal location to plug. If you have a Vestal Damper, but your flue tile is higher and out of reach by hand, see the article about Vestal dampers with high flue tiles.

If you want to plug it and forget it, use the Flueblocker

If you don’t use your fireplace very much and you just want a way to plug the flue for a long duration, go with a Flueblocker. Here is a video on how the Flueblocker works. You will need to take a quick measurement of the flue tile with a ruler (Image 21-4). Then buy a Flueblocker that size, or a little large for the hole. The Flueblocker is a wool pad with extra hems, so you can trim it to size with sharp scissors. The handle on the Flueblocker is only 1 foot long, so you may want some 6″ handle extenders for your Flueblocker to make it easier to stuff in the flue tile.

What about the Chimney Balloon?

21-6 Chimney Balloon in Flue Tile

You can use a Chimney Balloon to plug a low flue like this. You would need to get a measurement of the length and width of the flue tile first (image 21-4), so you will know what size Chimney Balloon to use. Flue tiles generally take a 12×12 or 15×15. Also purchase a HEK handle extender to give the handle some extra length to reach the flue tile (image 21-6). The Chimney Balloon will require a top-off of air each 6 to 12 months, and it is not quite as durable as the other two options above. So consider it a “Plan B” for this application.