Fireplace Throat Damper Stuck

Throat dampers are very common with older masonry fireplaces and while they can last through many years of use they do have some drawbacks.

Fireplace throat damper stuck.

Often a damper becomes difficult to operate or sticks in one position. Repairing a throat damper step 1 cleaning out the fireplace. Your chimney professional will sweep the flue and remove the soot and debris that is piled up around the fireplace damper. Remove all ashes from the firebox.

Step 3 removing the damper. Take a steel brush or a handheld whisk broom and clean the damper and the area around it. Clean out the entire fireplace before you begin. More often than not if pristine sweeps is called in to repair a stuck or damaged damper it s what is known as a throat damper which is installed above the firebox at your chimney s throat.

If the step above doesn t work you will need to clean the track that the handle runs in and the point where it is. Step 2 cleaning the damper. One of the most pervasive causes of a stuck damper is rust often caused when rainwater enters the chimney through a faulty or nonexistent chimney cap. The damper is a steel or cast iron door that opens and closes the throat of the firebox into the flue.

First repair steps first brush the damper giving special attention to the hinges.