There is more to building a chimney than just the
firebox and flue. Once you've made the decision to have a masonry fireplace
built, you should consider including these three add-ons in your plans to help extend
the life of your new investment.
Damper
You could be loosing up to 30% of your home's heat and air,
wasting hundreds of dollars in energy costs, if you don't have a damper
installed. A fireplace damper is a flap placed in the flue just above the firebox
or inside the flue cap. It can be opened and closed manually. Having the damper
closed when the fireplace isn't in use increases your home's energy efficiency.
Before starting a fire, you should open it to prevent your home from filling
with smoke. And once the fire is started, the damper setting can also be used
to control the intensity of the fire by controlling the oxygen exposure.
Chimney Cap
The top of the flue is exposed when not protected. That's
where a chimney cap comes in. It will prevent animals, rain and other elements
from entering your home. A cap with the proper size mesh will also protect your
roof from any burning embers that find their way up to the top of the flue. Be
careful not to use mesh smaller than 3/4" because it could ice up in the
winter and prevent smoke from escaping.
Fireback
A fireplace fireback is a metal plate placed at the
back wall of your fireplace. It can extend the life of your fireplace by
protecting rear bricks and mortar from normal wear or expensive damage due
to intense heat and direct fire. Firebacks can act as a heat reflector and can
provide 20-40% more heat to the room.
These add-ons don't have to be installed during the
initial chimney construction. If you have an existing fireplace, but are
missing any of these key elements, contact your local chimney care
provider to go over your options.
Before building your chimney, you'll want to make sure that your roof is in good enough shape to handle the addition. Call your local roof inspector in Naples FL today!
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