What is a Fireplace damper?
A fireplace damper, usually located in the throat of a masonry chimney just above the firebox, is a device that is meant to seal your fireplace shut when it is not in use. This is necessary so that heated air from your home will not escape up the chimney when the fireplace is not being used. An open or leaky damper can add hundreds of dollars a year to your heating costs.

Why do most fireplace dampers leak?
Most fireplace dampers form a metal to metal seal which even when new allows air to leak through. Over time, as the metal plates warp due to the effects of heat and moisture, the seal worsens and more and more warm air escapes up the chimney even when the damper is closed.

What is chimney draft?
Chimney draft is that upward movement of air within the chimney that is necessary to support the efficient exhausting of flue gasses to the outside. It can be affected positively or negatively by a number of things.

What makes a Lyemance damper a great energy saving alternative to your original fireplace damper?
The Lyemance, Top Sealing damper seals with a silicone rubber gasket. When you close our damper warm air is sealed in and cold air is sealed out. This tight sealing gasket means that our damper will reduce unwanted heat loss by 90%. And, unlike replacement throat dampers, the Lyemance Dampers has a lifetime warranty.

Are there other energy advantages to replacing my old throat damper with a Lock-Top or Lyemance Top-Sealing Damper?
Since the Lyemance Damper is made of cast aluminum it can never rust. Also, it not only keeps cold air out of your house, but since it is mounted on top of your chimney rather than at the bottom, like throat dampers, it also keeps cold air out of your chimney. That means your chimney is kept warmer when you are not using it. So, if the lower part of your chimney structure is housed within the walls or living spaces of your house, those spaces will also remain warmer.

What is the difference between Lock-Top and Lyemance?
The main difference is in appearance. When the Lock-Top damper is closed, it’s not very visible because the lid is pulled down onto the base. It is more visible when opened, however, the lid provides some rain protection during use. Even though animals aren’t likely to try to enter the flue when it’s in use, we also offer a Lock-Top II damper, which includes a stainless steel chimney cap. This cap provides greater rain protection while also acting as a spark protection.

The Lyemance damper has a lower profile and is less visible from the ground. It has a power lever that, when activated, uses leverage to force the door open in situations where there might be frost or icing of the damper. When in use, this damper will allow moisture into the chimney. However, we have a chimney cap with screen combined with this damper to prevent this from occurring. This Lyemance OPC Damper With Cap will also prevent the entry of animals and birds while also acting as a spark arrestor.

What causes chimney fires?
Chimney fires are usually caused by the accumulation of creosote in the chimney. Creosote is a natural by-product of burning wood. It accumulates in the flue over time and is highly flammable. Creosote is especially likely to accumulate when wood is not burned at the proper temperature. Since creosote is flammable, when it accumulates on the walls of your flue, hot flue gasses can ignite it. The result is a chimney fire. Depending on the condition of your chimney, such a fire can pose a significant threat to the rest of your house. Flames from the fire can find their way through cracks in your clay chimney liner or mortar and ignite framing around the chimney. They can also spill over onto the roof and cause a fire there.

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