Should I Close My Chimney Flue in the Summer?
During the summer, it’s very common for homeowners to put their chimney and fireplace at the bottom of their to-do lists. Especially, because it’s likely you’re not using either during the summer! However, if you’re not paying attention to the state of your chimney, you could possibly be causing damage to your home and your health.
The first question you should ask yourself in order to avoid these problems is: should I close my chimney flue in the summer? The answer: yes! By closing your chimney flue in the summer, you’ll save yourself from future, costly problems. Unsure if your chimney flue is closed? Give us a call and we can help! We’ve been in business since 1989 providing chimney services that will provide peace of mind. Let’s discuss why our professional opinion is to close your chimney flue in the summer.
What is a Chimney Flue and a Chimney Damper?
In order to understand why you should keep your chimney flue closed during the summer, it’s helpful to know what a chimney flue is vs a chimney damper. Spoiler: you need to keep your chimney damper closed during the summer in order for the flue to be closed. The chimney flue is the passageway that runs up through your chimney, allowing ash, smoke, and air to travel up your chimney and out of your house. The chimney damper is the mechanism that opens and closes and acts as a block-off from your flue.
Why It’s Important to Keep Your Chimney Flue Closed During Summer
Now that you know you have to close your chimney damper in order to close the flue, let’s go over the importance. The main reason we recommend to all our clients that they must properly close their damper is to discourage conditioned air from escaping during the hot summer months, and most importantly, to keep debris and animals out of your home.
To Keep the Hot Summer Air Out
We assume everyone in the summer is turning their AC on, especially when New England summers can reach 80°F degrees most weeks. When you keep your chimney flue open though, you’re allowing the hot air to travel into your home. If you’re running the AC while the flue is open, then you’re forcing your AC to work even harder to keep your home cool. For clients that ask “should I close my chimney flue in the summer?,” this explanation is a no-brainer for them.
Maintain Lower Cooling Bills
By restricting the summer air that is coming into your home, you’re reducing the amount of work your AC will need to do. You will significantly reduce your cooling bills in the summer by ensuring minimal outside air is entering through the fireplace.
To Keep Your Home and Air Clean
As we explained previously, the damper acts as an obstacle to anything that is trying to enter the home through the fireplace. One of the things the damper can discourage from entering your home is creosote and soot which has a strong odor. When the outside air gets hotter and humidity is high, the chimney releases strong, unpleasant odors that come from that creosote and soot that can seep into your home, which is not something you want to be breathing in. Take it a step further by booking a chimney sweeping with us to ensure your chimney is clean!
Common Damper Myths You’ve Likely Heard
It’s possible you’ve heard some chimney damper myths when trying to figure out if you should close your chimney flue in the summer. And we want to respond to those so you know all the facts!
“Warm Air Rises, So If I Leave My Flue Open, the Air Will Travel Outside”
The first common myth you’ve most likely heard is that keeping your fireplace damper open in the summer will cool your home down because ‘warm air rises.’ But actually, when you’re running other appliances within the home (i.e. AC, dryer, dishwasher, kitchen fan, etc.), this will reverse the natural updraft within the chimney system and reverse airflow. Therefore instead, it will allow hot air to come down into your home.
“If I Leave My Flue Open in the Summer, it Will Help Air Out the Chimney”
Actually, by leaving your flue open to ‘air out,’ the humid air will only add moisture to the creosote and soot in your chimney. Adding moisture to that will then lead to an undesirable odor that will enter your home and be difficult to rid of. You’re better off keeping it closed.
Call Best Chimney For Your Chimney Flue Needs!
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities as a homeowner, especially when it could involve damage to your home if not done correctly. If you’ve been one of those people to ask should I close my chimney flue in the summer? and are still unsure, contact us so we can help! We’ve been helping homeowners with chimney repairs, inspections, installations, and more for over three decades. It’s what we do! So give us a call so we can take the trouble off of your shoulders.
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