Blocked Damper?

[Chopperjake]

Hello all,

I'm obviously new to this and I will preface this post by admitting I know absolutely nothing about fireplaces, woodstoves, inserts, etc. That said, I just moved into a new house (new to me anyway) and it has a fireplace. I had the fireplace WETT inspected, and the inspector said the damper would not open all the way. He looked down the chimney from the roof and told me that there is some large debris sitting atop the damper. As I understand it, some work was done on the chimney before I bought the house and I suppose the workers dropped their leftovers down the chimney. Short of breaking into the chimney to get at the rubble, is there any other way to clear the damper?

Thanks in advance.

 

[woodzilla]

I would try a shop vac first.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Trained monkey.

 

[blackgooseJT]

Remove the damper and very carefully rake off the debris into a bucket. If there is not too much fly ash included you shouldn't have much trouble. Often the mortar overruns conglomerate into a mass that requires a hammer to break apart and remove. You may have to do this just to get it open. Nix on the shop-vac unless you have enough hose to place ithe vac outside while in use. more than one person has dusted a house this way. Some dampers are "pinned" in place and could be difficult to remove unless they can be fully opened. Keep a tarp handy to tape over the fireplace opening in case dust and debris start getting loose. If you have to call in a pro to remove and replace the damper there are some top sealing ones available that do a good job of reducing heat loss.

blackgooseJT

 

[Chopperjake]

Remove the damper and very carefully rake off the debris into a bucket. If there is not too much fly ash included you shouldn't have much trouble. Often the mortar overruns conglomerate into a mass that requires a hammer to break apart and remove. You may have to do this just to get it open. Nix on the shop-vac unless you have enough hose to place ithe vac outside while in use. more than one person has dusted a house this way. Some dampers are "pinned" in place and could be difficult to remove unless they can be fully opened. Keep a tarp handy to tape over the fireplace opening in case dust and debris start getting loose. If you have to call in a pro to remove and replace the damper there are some top sealing ones available that do a good job of reducing heat loss.

blackgooseJT

Thanks Blackgoose. It seems to me that the damper can't be removed. It looks like it is cemented in. It was suggested that I could chip it out, but then what would I do? Another person recomended a chimney topper with some sort of spring and a cable that travels down the flue. I suppose this would act as a cap and damper in one?

 

[Hogwildz]

Remove the damper and very carefully rake off the debris into a bucket. If there is not too much fly ash included you shouldn't have much trouble. Often the mortar overruns conglomerate into a mass that requires a hammer to break apart and remove. You may have to do this just to get it open. Nix on the shop-vac unless you have enough hose to place ithe vac outside while in use. more than one person has dusted a house this way. Some dampers are "pinned" in place and could be difficult to remove unless they can be fully opened. Keep a tarp handy to tape over the fireplace opening in case dust and debris start getting loose. If you have to call in a pro to remove and replace the damper there are some top sealing ones available that do a good job of reducing heat loss.

blackgooseJT

Thanks Blackgoose. It seems to me that the damper can't be removed. It looks like it is cemented in. It was suggested that I could chip it out, but then what would I do? Another person recomended a chimney topper with some sort of spring and a cable that travels down the flue. I suppose this would act as a cap and damper in one?

No offense intended, but if you plan to heat with that fireplace, its not going to heat the home. It will throw some heat to whats in front of it, and the rest of the place will be losing heat that is venting up the chimney as the fire burns. Do some research and you will understand what I am saying. If you have the cash, and are serious about heating with the fireplace, look into a fireplace insert & a full liner. The you will also be solving you blocked damper problem as well as eliminating it all together. If its for ambiance, there should be some way to remove the damper to get to the debris, but it may not be an easy way. As far as the shop vac, If you have the pleated filer inside, and its in good shape, dust should not be a problem. I sue mine same way each seasons cleaning, and just used it for drywall dust as well. Sucked the mess in, no dust out. You could always test it outside first to make sure your does not spit dust either. Just take some ash outside and suck it up and see what happens at the exhaust for the vac. Now if you don;t have the filter oh, prepare to get dusted big time, been there done that. Forgot I took the pleated filter off to suck up a wet mess, and remembered only when sucking up some drywall sanding dust mess. Not a pretty sight
As Goose advised, tarp is a great idea also. And wear old junk clothes. It can be a messy thing.

 

[billb3]

If they dropped repointing mortar you may be able to chip away at it through whatever opening you have.
It won't be easy. You'll need a good flashlight(s) eye protection and may have to make tools to poke at it.
If it is dropped mortar it should bust up. You really need to get in there with a bright light and look.

This is a regular long flat rectangular fireplace damper with a pivot at each end ?

<<IF you plan on burning with a stove or insert, you'll pobably end up butchering the damper for a liner and saving it is moot.

If you're wanting to just have a romantic fire in the fireplace now and then the crap has to come out.
(right now heat must be escaping up it, right ?)
Only other option is to try to drop a weight on it with a cable from above. Hoping to bust it up that way. May actually be easier.
I'd find an old window weight from an old double hung window and tie a rope to the rope attachment end and poke at it with that from above. And hope it's clumps of mortar. That fall apart into small enough pieces that fall through the damper sides.