by blogediter | Sep 5, 2018 | Chimney Problems
Cable Coming Down the Flue
Q: Jason, I have a 113-year-old house with 6 fireplaces … they were originally coal-burning units .. they all have the damper on the top of the chimney … will the Chimney Ballon work with that configuration? -GB
A: Dear GB, WOW 6 fireplaces! that has to be some kind of record! It is very wise that you have a chimney top damper on these chimneys, however, the chimney top damper still allows the warm air of your home to rise up into the chimney and cool in the chimney and sink back down. You may notice a slow cool release of air from your fireplaces. That cool air is likely not outside air but just cooled inside air sinking back down again.
I have had customers with chimney top dampers that have used the Chimney Balloon on the bottom of their chimney in addition to their top damper and it has made a difference. With 6 chimneys the difference would be significant.
Q: Jason, thanks for the response … one of my concerns is if the damper cable will interfere with the Chimney Balloon sealing properly.
A: Recently a homeowner in Detroit asked me the same question you are asking when he ordered 3 Chimney Balloons for his home. He had Lock-top dampers just like you, on all three chimneys as well. After he installed the Chimney Balloon he reported that it sealed just fine despite the cable & chain. The balloon simply presses the chain against the flue wall or expands around it causing no leak or draft. You can install the Chimney Balloon with the cable tight or relaxed. The image above is a picture of the Chimney Balloon installed with the damper cable relaxed. But here is an article with a picture of a Chimney Balloon with the cable tight: http://www.chimneyballoonusa.com/blog/2007/11/my-lock-top-or-.html
– Jason
by blogediter | Aug 31, 2017 | Fireplaces
#50: I Have a Chimney Top Damper with a Cable Coming Down. How do I Plug the Flue?
50-1 Chimney Top Damper Cable Coming Thru Old Damper Frame
50-2 Chimney Top Damper Cable Entering the Firebox
50-3 Lymance Brand Top Seal Damper on Chimney Top
50-4 Damper Cable Decending Flue Tile and Smoke Shelf
50-6 Damper Cable Descending into Firebox
Fireplace #50: Chimney Top Damper with Cable Down the Flue
These retrofitted chimney top dampers come in a variety of styles and brands. They are currently a very popular solution for replacing traditional throat dampers. These are their characteristics of top-sealing dampers:
- They have a long cable or chain that descends from the damper apparatus at the chimney crown (image 50-3) to the firebox (image 50-6).
- The chimney cable locks into a bracket mounted on the side of the firebox. (image 50-6)
- If there was a lower traditional throat damper in this fireplace, it was removed or cut out to allow the cable to come down (image 50-1).
- These top-sealing dampers can be used in round flue liners, or in square flue tile (image 50-4)
The nice thing about these chimney top dampers is they are easy to open and close, and they are suitable replacements for aged and rotted throat dampers that are hard to get parts for or rebuild. The downside to these top-dampers is they tend to trap in chimney odor and can sometimes feel drafty even when they seal tightly. Bottling a chimney at the top is problematic in many ways.
The Flueblocker is the durable solution
For this application, go with a Flueblocker. Here is a video on how the Flueblocker works.
- Take a quick measurement of the narrow opening just above your firebox (Image 50-1). Often this will be the old metal damper frame of an old throat damper
- Buy a Flueblocker that a little large than the hole. It pressure fits, so it doesn’t hurt to have a little extra material. Just don’t buy one that is too small.
- The Flueblocker is a wool pad with extra hems, so you can trim it to size with sharp scissors.
- You can cut a small slit in the edge of the wool pad for the top-damper cable to come down through. That way you can keep the top damper closed ,and have the Flueblocker installed.