HI we bought a older home last spring. one of the reasons that we wanted an older home was to have a real fireplace. anyway I have been trying to keep our heat bill down by having fires when I am at home. My first question is when should I shut my damper? I have been leaving it open all night and shutting it in the morning because I think this is the safe thing to do. however, this morning when I woke up it was 55 degrees in my house and the heat had been running all night to try and get to the 65 I have it set at. Help I don't know what to do
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- Thread starter Wicked
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A traditional masonry fireplace is not a really effective appliance for heating your living space...at least not compared to what's available in the modern era, anyway. What little heat benefit you feel is radiant heat while the fire's burning, and perhaps a bit of residual heat from the thermal mass of the masonry. Most of the energy released by burning wood goes straight up the chimney and out to the atmosphere. As you've discovered, once the fire's out and the system cools, the open chimney becomes a conduit for heavy cold outside air to come down into the home. You don't want to close the damper too soon, because of safety (smoke/CO) concerns. The damper should be left open until the fire's completely out and the coals are consumed or cold. The damper's not really airtight in most fireplaces, anyway. One thing you might try is adding glass doors to the front of the opening. You can leave these open while burning, then shut them (leaving the damper open) when you're retiring for the night. Might help. Rick
Wicked - welcome to the forum! We're here to help.
It sounds like you're burning wood in a stone or brick fireplace, probably with a set of glass doors and maybe a sparkscreen on the front. If so, the first thing you need to know is these are terrible for putting heat into your room, let alone your house and serve more as an aesthetic feature than a contributor of heat. They will literally suck the warm air out of your home and deposit it outside, especially with the damper wide open. This is why your furnace was up all night trying to reach the temperature you set. It literally could never make it until you sealed off the large vent we call an old, traditional fireplace. But don't despair!
If you're really looking for a way to reduce your heating costs and enjoy the unrivaled ambience of a natural fire then you've come to the right place! You should consider a wood, pellet or gas stove or insert depending on your particular situation and tastes. These offer huge advantages over your existing fireplace and come in a variety of sizes, shapes, materials and costs. They are far safer, cleaner and warmer than a fireplace alone will ever be. Plus, the folks here would be happy to help point you to some stoves if you provide hearth dimensions, size of your home, etc.
As for your original question regarding the damper - it won't really affect the heat output and will just marginally slow down the heat loss from your home (if you dampered down slightly). Of course, you need to have it open until the fire goes out or you risk carbon monoxide poisoning, smoke in the house, etc.
It sounds like you're burning wood in a stone or brick fireplace, probably with a set of glass doors and maybe a sparkscreen on the front. If so, the first thing you need to know is these are terrible for putting heat into your room, let alone your house and serve more as an aesthetic feature than a contributor of heat. They will literally suck the warm air out of your home and deposit it outside, especially with the damper wide open. This is why your furnace was up all night trying to reach the temperature you set. It literally could never make it until you sealed off the large vent we call an old, traditional fireplace. But don't despair!
If you're really looking for a way to reduce your heating costs and enjoy the unrivaled ambience of a natural fire then you've come to the right place! You should consider a wood, pellet or gas stove or insert depending on your particular situation and tastes. These offer huge advantages over your existing fireplace and come in a variety of sizes, shapes, materials and costs. They are far safer, cleaner and warmer than a fireplace alone will ever be. Plus, the folks here would be happy to help point you to some stoves if you provide hearth dimensions, size of your home, etc.
As for your original question regarding the damper - it won't really affect the heat output and will just marginally slow down the heat loss from your home (if you dampered down slightly). Of course, you need to have it open until the fire goes out or you risk carbon monoxide poisoning, smoke in the house, etc.
Is there an echo in here? 
You used a heck of a lot less words to say the same thing I did, Fossil. I need to work on my wordsmithing and post speed...lol.
You used a heck of a lot less words to say the same thing I did, Fossil. I need to work on my wordsmithing and post speed...lol.
Wicked - welcome to the forum and unfortunately, welcome to open fireplace burning. 24 hour operation is about the only way to gain significant heat, and even then can have mixed results.
Have you ever considered a fireplace insert with a big glass window to stare at the fire through? Some of these bad boys can really throw some heat too.
Have you ever considered a fireplace insert with a big glass window to stare at the fire through? Some of these bad boys can really throw some heat too.
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