Busted automatic boiler stack chimney damper? How to diagnose?

Motorapido

This automatic chimney damper on my boiler was set by the prior house owner to the off switch position, with the damper fully open at the boiler stack to the chimney. When I move the switch to AUTOMATIC, when the boiler is on, I hear a tired, sad little electric motor trying to turn the shaft on the damper, but it does not rotate the shaft. I suspect it was taken out of operation due to failure. Before I pull it and order another from the local plumbing/HVAC supplier, am I missing something, or does my diagnosis indicate that it is dead? I see no reset button on it. Just the off/automatic switch. I imagine that having this thing in operating condition would prevent cold air from dropping down the chimney into the boiler room. Leaving it wide open seems like a bad idea from an energy efficiency standpoint. On the other hand, if I install a new one and it fails in the closed position, I suppose that would probably prevent the boiler from firing, which would be equally bad or worse. Thoughts on this?

Jamie Hall

Well... the contraptions do save a little heat. Maybe. However, as you have just discovered, they can and do fail, with dismaying regularity -- leaving you with no heat at all. Years ago there was one on the main building I care for. It's long gone, thank goodness.