In most homes, dampers going to the upstairs are open in the summer and closed in the winter. By closing the dampers to the upstairs in the winter, it allows for the heat to rise naturally after first being introduced into the lower levels of the home.
No you would never burn with the top mount damper closed. The damper should be fully open when burning. The top Mount damper is more to keep warm air in and cold air out when your not using the fireplace. You should be able to adjust the handle on the cable coming down the chimney so it closes all the way.
If the knob is turned counterclockwise all the way or the rod hangs down low, it means the damper is closed. You should turn the knob clockwise, as far as it can go, or push the rod all the way up to open the damper.
A damper is usually placed near the end of each duct run and has three positions: closed, half-open, and fully open. The closed position blocks airflow completely, while the half-open allows only partial airflow. The fully open position allows maximum airflow out of the ductwork.
To open a damper with a poker mechanism, center the poker through the formed slot which is hooked to the breast of the fireplace damper and push in a direct upward motion.
One common myth about chimneys is that leaving the damper open during the summer helps “air out” the chimney. However, the opposite of true. Leaving the damper open just fouls up the rest of your home, and does nothing to clean your chimney.
Outside and exhaust dampers will generally revert to a normally-closed (NC) position, while return air dampers will revert to their normally-open (NO) position to ensure that any supply fans are not deprived of fresh air.
You could row every workout at the recommended damper setting of 3-5, no matter how short or long the workout, and no matter the intensity. But if you like to experiment, you can try lower or higher drag factors and see how it affects your performance and feel.
By not creating an airtight seal, these dampers minimize the strain on the system. In summer, you can close the dampers downstairs so cooler air reaches upstairs rooms. But in winter, closing upstairs vents halfway allows heat to rise.
The damper should be kept closed when there is no fire or coals burning. Warm air from your home will not be lost up the chimney when the fireplace is not being used. Fully open the damper before your start a fire and keep it fully open until all embers and coals have burned out.
Red hot embers left burning can reignite with a gust of wind, posing a danger. Additionally, carbon monoxide buildup is another concern when leaving a fireplace burning overnight. This odorless and colorless gas can be lethal in high concentrations.
If you're unsure if it's open, bend down and look inside the fireplace at the top of the firebox. You may need a flashlight, but once you know what you're looking for, it will be evident if the chimney damper is open. Keep it fully open until all embers and coals have burned out.
Use the Damper to Control Heat
Depending on how far open or shut you have the damper, your fire will be smaller and cooler (and burn for longer), or larger and hotter (and burn more quickly). The damper is usually located at the bottom of the stove.
Also, some wood burning fireplaces have a lever to open or close the outside air vent to the fireplace. If your fireplace has this lever (usually located on the left inside panel) make sure the outside air vent is in the open (or up) position. The outside air kit is designed to provide additional air for combustion.
You need to open the damper when you start a fire to allow for proper airflow and let the smoke out. A closed damper can restrict airflow and become a safety issue since smoke would fill your house.
The handle to open and close the damper should be above the fireplace opening. To open it, slide it to the right. To create fires that produce more heat, open the damper as wide as possible when lighting a fire. A wide-open damper will increase the amount of air reaching the fire and improve combustion.
Damper Setting is…
Higher damper settings allow more air into the flywheel housing. The more air, the more work it takes to spin the flywheel against the air. More air also slows the flywheel down faster on the recovery, requiring more work to accelerate it on the next stroke or pull.
If your dampers use a manual handle, check the handle's position to determine whether the dampers are open or closed. The HVAC damper is open if the handle is parallel to the ductwork. If the handle is perpendicular to the ductwork, the dampers are closed.
Proper Damper Use
It's important to open the damper all the way when you're using your fireplace, a partially open damper can allow smoke and gases to escape, but can also cause a backdraft that can bring cold air into the home. When you're not using your fireplace, it's important to close the chimney damper.
Standard handles will open the damper when they're turned away from you, so if you cannot turn the handle any further, then the damper is probably open. Pulling the handle towards you will close the damper. Other fireplaces use levers to operate the damper by switching it to the right or left.
The damper is designed to be shut when the fireplace is not in use and can be easily opened when it is. It's common to forget to close the damper after a fire goes out, however, and that leaves a big hole through which heated or cooled air can escape the house.
1) Parallel Blade Dampers
In this type of air damper, blades rotate in the same direction, parallel to one another. The parallel blade configuration is typically used when the damper operates in two positions: open or closed.
Your home will fill with smoke, too, because as the fire lives and breathes, there's no place for the smoke to channel out if the closed damper is blocking its only escape route.