seal fireplace flue from chimney top?

D107

My chimney guy --a real good one-- is recommending sealing the fireplace flue at the top with either a Lyme Mance damper or lockdown top cap damper w chain. This obviously would cut down on heating loss/drafts. I don't think this would affect the adjacent heating flue, but since the two flues are i believe connected at the bottom I wanted to run this by the PROs here. Other threads on this subject point out that with the fireplace flue capped the noise from the burner may reverberate through the fireplace.

I had wanted to stuff some insulation in the old loose damper above my fireplace but apparently these other dampers are the way to go. another angle would be adding a strong range hood fan in the kitchen, which would have no air intake if the flue was completely shut. I don't think the over the range microwaves allow for a FAI, only exhaust.

Thanks,

David

Thanks,

David

Bob Harper

TSD

I do recommend the top sealing dampers but not the Lyemance. The design makes great squirrel traps and the 8x13's are notorious for causing smoking because they are downsized. Get a Lock Top or Energy Top. I also recommend you blow the back of that old damper out and return the smoke shelf into the smoke chamber wall to reduce smoke spillage then round off the breast.

The heater and Fp flues better Not be joined!!

Not sure what tree you're barking up with the kitchen fan. Exhaust fans tend to cause backdrafting, smoke spillage, and cold air infiltration issues. If you need make up air, install an engineered system but don't rely on a fp as a makeup air system--it might just work............while burning!
HTH

D107

both flues seem to empty into common chamber at bottom

Thanks for the advice Bob. Looking at the fireplace, the heat flue is on the left, fireplace on the right. The cleanout door is in the basement below right under the ash dump. Seems if i put my head in a bit i can see the 8" lining of the heat flue on the left. There is no cleanout door specifically for the heat flue on the other side of the wall where the boiler/hwh breaching is.

I already have a chimney cap to keep the birds and rain out. the lock top would be in addition i guess to actually close the flue to reduce heat loss when fireplace not in use. Of course one really has to remember to release it when you want to have a fire.

I'm not sure i understand your terminology about the damper but i'll try it out on my chimney guy. Just fyi i don't suppose you're in the ny area.

As for kitchen fan, another thread mentioned that all the appliance stores sell these powerful range hoods--hopefully vented outside--but do not provide an air intake. Seems like one could have a fresh air opening or small duct just below the microwave or range hood letting fresh air in right at the source instead of hoping that somehow enough air will come from the rest of the house.

David

D107

both flues seem to empty into common chamber at bottom

Thanks for the advice Bob. The heat flue is to the left of the fireplace flue. The cleanout door is in the basement below right under the ash dump. Seems if i put my head in a bit i can see the 8" lining of the heat flue on the left and another flue nearby. There is no cleanout door specifically for the heat flue on the other side of the wall where the boiler/hwh breaching is.

I already have a chimney cap to keep the birds and rain out. the lock top would be in addition i guess to actually close the flue to reduce heat loss when fireplace not in use. Of course one really has to remember to release it when you want to have a fire.

I'm not sure i understand your terminology about the damper but i'll try it out on my chimney guy. Just fyi i don't suppose you're in the ny area.

As for kitchen fan, another thread mentioned that all the appliance stores sell these powerful range hoods--hopefully vented outside--but do not provide an air intake. Seems like one could have a fresh air opening or small duct just below the microwave or range hood letting fresh air in right at the source instead of hoping that somehow enough air will come from the rest of the house.

David

will smith_4

Ditto-Fireplaces/all else

They are not supposed to be sharing the same flue path-