Fireplace Damper Safety

Prevention/Solution

• Water damage may prevent the fireplace damper from opening fully. Additionally, soot may build up on the smoke shelf if you forget to open the damper or fail to open it fully. A professional cleaning should be considered to correct the problems.

Caution

• The damper must be opened before lighting the fire. The damper should never be closed with hot ashes still in the fireplace. Hot ashes can cause heat to build and ignite a fire in the room. Additionally, until the ashes have cooled, they can cause a poisonous buildup.

Considerations

• A safety clamp for gas fireplace dampers is a necessary device. The safety clamp will keep the flue open for the pilot exhaust to escape, rather than filling up in the home. The safety clamp will keep the fireplace damper slightly open at all times.