pybyr said:totally different animals-
The butterfly damper is indeed the old stove type damper- and really poses some hazards. I know, because I used to have one on my old wood/ hot air furnace, and once, after setting it all up nice and sweetly for a perfect hot but gradual burn before going to bed, a weather pattern shifted and a thermal inversion came through the area. Woke up to a foggy head, screaming headache, and a house that was like a smokehouse. I do not recommend them with any modern appliance designed and made after about 1908.
Barometric dampers are a whole different critter. They self-regulate the draft so that it does not exceed a certain preset amount, and do so by feeding in excess air between the appliance and chimney. Properly installed, and with an appliance that they are safe with (which includes modern gasifiers but does not include low efficiency units that can accumulate combustibles in the flue pipe) they are pretty safe. Poorly installed, or with an unsuitable combustion appliance, they, too, risk belching smoke back out of the weighted damper, or feeding oxygen to a chimney fire (note- they will not _cause_ a chimney fire).
pybyr said:Leon-
I've usually been the one 'round these parts to point out that there is a good reason for a barometric damper on a modern (gasifer, etc.) wood burning appliance -even though lots of other folks are hesitant about it based on some widespread folklore that one should supposedly not use a barometric damper on any solid fuel appliance.
So if that (My OK-ness with a barometric damper) is not clear, I hope that I just made it clear.
I use one.
Out of general curiosity about burning parameters, I also watch a good draft gauge, which confirms that I'd be getting a less consistent, less efficient, burn without the B.D.
Did I clarify myself?
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