Our Process
Top damper installation in Wekiwa Springs, in detail
The gasket that seals the flue
A throat damper closes metal against metal, which often leaves gaps once the plate has warped. A top damper's lid presses a heat-resistant gasket onto the top of the flue. Rockford Chimney Supply's product listing says the silicone gasket on the Lyemance flap makes a tight seal that prevents downdrafts, moisture and insects.
The gasket seals only if the flue top is flat and the cable pulls the lid down evenly. Our installers check the flue top on your Wekiwa Springs chimney, set the lid square and adjust the cable until the lid closes firmly, then show you how the handle tells you it has sealed.
Fireplaces with a decorative gas appliance
A vented decorative gas appliance placed in a wood-burning fireplace changes the rules for the damper. One such appliance manual, written to ANSI Z21.60, comes with a damper clamp that has to stay permanently in place, holding a minimum opening so the damper can never shut completely, and it says the chimney damper must be fully opened while the appliance runs.
A damper built to close tightly at the top works against that requirement, and the Lyemance listing warns against using its top damper with such appliances because a damper left closed could let carbon monoxide back up into the home. If your Wekiwa Springs fireplace has one, our team explains the safe options before recommending any damper.
What a top damper cannot fix
A new damper closes the flue. It does not repair a cracked liner, a deteriorated smoke chamber, a blocked flue or a failing crown, and each of those needs its own assessment before the fireplace goes back into regular use.
For your Wekiwa Springs chimney, the free inspection covers the flue and the firebox as well as the old damper. If something else needs repair, it goes on the estimate as a separate line, and you decide what to do and in what order.
Servicing an existing top damper
Top dampers have parts that wear. Gaskets harden or tear, cables fray or stretch, springs weaken, and a lid can bend in a storm or when someone forces the handle. The damper may then leave a gap, refuse to open fully or stay shut.
Our team inspects the existing top damper on your Wekiwa Springs chimney from the roof and from the firebox. We tell you whether a part replacement is possible for that model or whether a new damper makes more sense, and we price the option you choose before any work starts.
