Chimney Damper & Downdraft Repair
A damper that won’t open fills the room with smoke; one that won’t close pours your air conditioning up the flue all summer — in a Texas August, that’s real money. And when smoke pushes back into the room even with the damper wide open, the problem has a name: downdraft.
Dampers: freed, rebuilt, or upgraded
Rusted throat dampers get freed, cleaned, and re-seated; warped plates and broken handles get replaced. Where a throat damper is beyond saving, a top-sealing damper at the flue exit is usually the better upgrade — it seals with a gasket (far tighter than cast iron ever did) and doubles as a cap.
Downdrafts: solved at the cause
Smoke rolling back into the room is an aerodynamics problem: a flue too short relative to the roofline, negative pressure from exhaust fans, surrounding trees, or a cold heavy air column. We diagnose which one yours is — the fix ranges from a draft-inducing cap to a chase-height correction, and guessing wrong wastes everyone’s money. So we don’t guess.
The Chimney Visit
- Throat damper freeing and re-seating
- Damper plate and handle replacement
- Top-sealing damper upgrades
- Downdraft diagnosis (pressure, height, terrain)
- Draft-inducing cap installation where indicated
Common Questions
My damper handle turns but nothing moves. What broke?
The connecting rod or the plate hinge — common on 30+ year old cast dampers. Usually repairable; if the casting cracked, a top-sealing damper costs about the same as hunting rare parts.
Why does smoke only blow back on windy days?
Wind across a short flue or nearby roof peak creates pressure zones that overpower the draft. A draft-correcting cap solves most wind-driven cases — the inspection confirms it before you buy one.
Ready When You Are
Specific appointment times, honest written quotes, and 0% financing on bigger jobs. One crew for your chimney and fireplace.