It’s not hard to tell if your flue is open—but unless you can breathe smoke, it sure is important
If you try to run your fireplace with a closed flue, you’re going to have a rough time—namely, smoke will fill your living room, leaving behind a coughing crowd and a campfire scent that may not come out of your upholstery for weeks. On the other hand, if you leave your flue open all the time, you might see higher gas and energy bills since your HVAC system will be working hard to heat or cool the neighborhood. So how can you tell if the flue is open?
If you don’t know, this is a pretty easy problem to fix! Here’s what you need to know to get your next cozy fireside night on in peace.
A fireplace flue is also known as a chimney damper and is the gadget that seals your chimney shut to the outside air when you aren’t using your fireplace. This prevents air-conditioned or heated air from escaping your home when the fireplace is not in use.
Of course, the flue is also used to vent smoke when you are using your fireplace, which is why it can be opened in the first place. Anyone who’s ever tried to start a fire with a closed flue knows exactly how important this piece of equipment is.
So if you’re preparing to start a fire, you need to ensure your flue is open—and if you’re done with your fireplace for the season (or even just the evening), closing the flue will help keep your home as efficient as possible and drive your energy bills down.
So, how can you tell which position it’s in? There are a few different options.
Without further ado, let’s find out if your flue is open or closed.
The first step is the simplest: Just take a look! Literally put your head into your fireplace (while it’s not in use, of course!) and take a look skyward. Depending on the type of flue you have, you may actually see daylight coming in from the top of the chimney, or an open metal tube that you can see daylight through. If the tube is closed or you can’t see daylight, your flue is likely closed—or in need of serious unclogging. (Note: You may need to use a flashlight for this step.)
Another way to tell if your flue is open or closed is to feel with your hand inside your fireplace for a draft, especially if it’s chilly outside. Since an open chimney damper will allow outside air in as well as inside air out, feeling a draft in your otherwise heated home is a surefire way to tell if your flue is open.
Although the specific controls you have will vary depending on what kind of chimney damper setup you have, you can play around with them to get a sense for whether the flue might be open or closed. For example, some types of fireplace flues utilize a cable that you have to pull to open the flue, while others use a rod, a knob, or another method. Combine this step with either the visual check or feeling for a draft to learn which setting is which with your flue, and then, in the future, you’ll be able to tell which position it’s in simply by checking the controls.
If you’re still not sure whether or not your fireplace flue is open, we do not recommend starting a fire to find out. Even a small fire can lead to serious health hazards when smoke backs up and fills your home. It’s better to hire a professional to help you than to put your lungs on the line.
Keeping your flue in proper, working order is one important part of maintaining a healthy fireplace—but it’s not the only one! Here are a few more tips to keep in mind:
Keep it clean: While ash and soot will almost assuredly accumulate in your fireplace over time, keeping the area clean will help keep the space in proper, working order for longer—and, more importantly, keep harmful tar vapors from condensing on the walls, which can cause decreased air quality or even a chimney fire. That’s why it’s important to have your chimney professionally cleaned at least once a year, along with giving it a good sweep after each fire.
Use a chimney liner: A flexible tube that connects to your stove pipe or which lines your fireplace chimney and helps drive smoke up and out of your home, a chimney liner, also known as a flue liner, can increase the efficiency of your fireplace and keep it cleaner for longer. A new chimney liner costs about $2,500 to install, but when cared for correctly and regularly cleaned, it should last between 15 and 25 years.
Still not sure if your flue is open or closed—or need help with another fireplace-related task? Your local chimney inspector can help!
We had Lindemann come out to do a chimney repair with their masonry team - slawek was the lead guy. His team showed up every day, early in the am and worked late every day. They did an excellent job, cleaned up after themselves, explained any questions i had and were overall very...
Lindemann Chimney Service IncHynek was very responsive when I asked him to come and provide an estimate. He came to the house without having scheduled a time because he was in the area. (This was fine because the estimate had to do with exterior work only.) It didn’t take him long to see the problems. He later provided...
Hynek ConstructionJosh Rodriguez showed up promptly as scheduled to sweep and inspect our chimney. He changed rear firebrick and cleaned the chimney . I would recommend
Jiminy ChimneyHe sat and talked with us for awhile about maintaining the chimney. He didn't just clean it and leave. He recommended lining the chimney, which is something he doesn't do, but he told us to make sure we didn't get overcharged. He was very conscientious.
Custom Cleaning ConceptsWe just moved into our new home and wanted to find someone who can inspect our fireplace/chimney. The company was on time and efficient. They came out as promised and completed a thorough inspection. They found a bunch of stuff wrong with our chimney and gave us a quote to repair it. We...
I called All Pro Chimney to do a basic cleaning but he found some minor repair work to do (which I doubt was necessary at this point) and he also told me I needed a chimney cap. He didn't have one in the size I needed but he called the shop in front of me on his cell, said that they had one...
Very well. We had to reschedule the visit due to extremely cold weather, which is why I indicated below that it took 1-2 weeks to schedule. Otherwise it would have been scheduled within the week. On the day of the repair, the office called an hour early to see if I was home, which was great....
Ely Stokes Inc. Chimney, Fireplace & MasonryBeck's evaluated my crumbling chimney and determined that the repairs were beyond their capabilities. They waived their usual fee because they could not help me, and recommended a mason. They then returned after the repairs were complete and did the cleaning, installed a damper clip,...
Beck's Chimney SweepNick came out to give an estimate for repairing the chimney. He described the work to us very throughly. He is the person who actually comes out and does the work. They forgot to call with our estimated date for the work when they received our deposit. They were very apologetic when we called...
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