Flue Damper Question do I need one?

[jhoff310]

Just curious how many of you guys have a flue damper on your modern EPA stoves. I have kicked around the idea of putting one in. I am just looking for some input.

My chimney is 32' tall straight up. I have an excellent draft, I am just thinking about all the heat that is going up the chimney. When they installed my stove they said it wasn't necessary. I have double wall from the stove up and I am hitting 100 degrees or so on the outside of the double wall at the ceiling on the first floor. Will a damper decrease the temp and promote more creosote?


Thanks
Jeff

 

[firefighterjake]

None here . . . 20-24 foot chimney. Usually flue dampers aren't necessary with EPA stoves unless you have an excessively strong draft.

 

[jhoff310]

thanks Jake...would it keep more heat in if I installed one. I have an excellent draft. I am thinking of putting one in just to be on the safe side, That way I have a way to shut everything down if necessary

Jeff

 

[begreen]

A damper won't shut down the stove. A pipe damper never closes off the pipe all the way. That would be dangerous.

This is a cat stove right? It could be that it's doing just fine without dampering. 100F on the outside of the double-wall flue pipe is pretty cool. When mine reads that cool on the surface it's usually at the end of the cycle with a 400F stove top and 225 probe reading in the flue.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I agree that is pretty cool. Most stoves just do not need the damper but it is something that was used on all stoves at one time. That is why they die a slow death. While it is true a very few need them it is a very low percentage.

Besides, if it isn't broke, don't fix it.

If you want to cool the chimney more, then be prepared to have some chimney problems. No, don't fix it yet.

 

[begreen]

True, with too cool a flue creosote starts condensing.

 

[jhoff310]

Non CAT stove.

 

[corey21]

As others have stated you don't need a flue damper on a epa stove. You Need to keep that flue hot enough to prevent creosote but not hot in to hot terms.

 

[wkpoor]

Non CAT stove.

Sounds like you have the same problem I've got. Non cat and cold flue on a tall chimney. Diffinently no to the damper.

 

[firefighterjake]

thanks Jake...would it keep more heat in if I installed one. I have an excellent draft. I am thinking of putting one in just to be on the safe side, That way I have a way to shut everything down if necessary

Jeff

As Dennis said . . . if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Other than putting one in for an excessive draft the only other time I see folks putting one in is just in case they have a run-away fire . . . but the best way to "fix" that problem is to learn from our past mistakes and not have a run-away fire (i.e. do not put more wood into the stove when it is in middle of a burning cycle . . . trust me on this one.)