Can't Open Damper

bille 1 post Jan 15, 2007 8:20 PM	I have two fireplaces in my house and would never use them because fireplaces are a MAJOR SOURCE OF POLLUTION AND SHOULD BE BANNED. Anyway, the top fireplace was used by previous owners and the damper is in pretty good condition. The bottom damper wasn't used much and ironically the damper is warped a bit and also rusted so that I can't open it. How can I use a chimney balloon in this application?
bille 2 posts Jan 16, 2007 4:48 PM	Ok, with some WD-40 and enough persuasion a got the damper to work. It looks like I might need a custom size and I've sent an email about that.
jasonr 19 posts Feb 08, 2007 7:56 PM	Billie, We spoke on email and arranged a Chimney Balloon that is the proper size for you. But I will take a moment here in the forum to answer your question as well for everyones benefit. Because of the acids and moisture in Chimneys it is very common to find rust and corrosion on the damper like you found in your lower chimney. It is also very common to find a warped damper even after little use. The heating and cooling process causes this to occur in almost any damper situation. It was good that you got your fireplace damper open so we could find a better location to install your chimney balloon since below the damper the hardware was in the way. It is possible to install a chimney balloon below the damper as long as the walls are parallel and the chimney balloon has a point of contact on all sides and the damper hardware does not interfere. Otherwise, above the damper is the best location. In your particualar situation we found a stock size chimney balloon that worked well for your flue. It is amazing what some WD40 and persistance can do to loosen a stuck damper. Jasonr Moderator
busterjuicy 1 post Feb 06, 2010 1:19 PM	Dear Bille, LOL! Hang on for just a second, please...OK. LOL! I literally cannot stop laughing - I mean gut-busting, gasping-for-air type of laughing - from your assertion that: "...fireplaces are a MAJOR SOURCE OF POLLUTION AND SHOULD BE BANNED." HA! HA! Oh My Gosh, Bille, that's just over the top! I hereby judge you FIRST PRIZE WINNER of the funniest, most hysterical GREEN CLAIM I've every heard! It's even better than bovine flatulence! LMAO! OK...I'm slowly regaining my composure...HEE! HEE! HEE! But it's quite difficult! LOL! OK...Assuming your claim is true (which it's absolutely not), then where do you go from here, Bille? Will you now begin campaigning against...The Sun, for example? I mean, that gigantic ball of runaway nuclear chain reactions (nuclear fusion) should have Peter, Paul & Mary playing twice as many protest songs as they've produced to decry other man-made evils! I love our planet Earth as much as any GREEN BEAN (my pet name for radical environmentalists). But where does the hype & paranoia end, Bille? For example, 'Mother Nature' has been starting ENORMOUS fires via lightning for millions and millions of years - some of which have burned for literally decades. Simultaneously, volcanoes have consistently spewed incalculable amouts of so-called 'greenhouse gases' and other 'chemical pollutants' into our atmosphere. In fact, Bille, the sum total of what green beans call 'pollutants' created by naturally-occuring fires AND volcanic emissions COMBINED, far exceeds the amount of 'pollutants' produced by human beings burning cut logs to make their cozy fireplace fires. I'm sorry, Bille, but that simple math alone destroys your claim. However, it doesn't make it any less funny! HA! HA! HA! Wow! That was a doozy! I haven't laughed like that in YEARS...and for that, I thank you, Bille! I wish you the best of luck with your EVIL FIREPLACE, Bille. HA! HA! HA! Sincerely amused (to the point where I could not possibly take you seriously on any issue, ever), Buster Juicy :)
jasonr 67 posts Feb 10, 2010 1:55 PM	Wow Billie, I think you hit a sore spot there. I just figured you were frusterated with your damper being stuck and maybe you said some things about your fireplace in the heat of the frusterating moment. We all do that occasionally. Im sure your fireplace didnt take it personally, but Buster sure got a kick out of it. ---------- Jasonr Moderator
busterjuicy 2 posts Feb 10, 2010 5:08 PM	Dear JasonR, I apologize for taking up space here, and for possibly waisting your time with my unexpected reaction to Bille's post. It was just one of those moments in life where one's 'funny bone' is struck in just the right way as to unleash wave after wave of lunatic laughter - do you know what I mean, Jason? I'm sure everyone has had those rare moments of hysterical laughter brought on by comments made by someone else; surely I can't be the only one! Anyway, I'd be remiss if I didn't also take this opportunity to thank you for this informative website and for taking the time to help others with various fireplace and chimney problems. Very respectfully, Buster Juicy Washington, D.C.
jasonr 69 posts Feb 18, 2010 12:56 PM	I understand Buster. No apology needed. And you did a good job showing the other side of the coin to Billie. You may want to keep it to a rolling snicker next time though. Ha! ---------- Jasonr Moderator

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