My uncle said to always check the damper first, and I'm glad I did

Honestly, I was on a call in Boulder last month for a standard sweep. The homeowner was sure their chimney was totally blocked because smoke kept coming back into the room. My uncle, who taught me the trade, always drilled into me, 'Check the damper before you do anything else, kid.' I almost started with the rods, but I looked up first. The damper was just closed. Took me two seconds to flip it open. Saved myself an hour of unnecessary work. Has anyone else had a customer miss something that simple?

4 comments

4 Comments

hannahcraig1mo agoTop Commenter

My buddy had a job like that, reminded me of what @williamw75 said. His customer was convinced they needed a whole new liner before he even looked up.

williamw751mo ago

Used to think checking the damper was a waste of time. After finding one shut on a job that was supposed to be a full blockage, I never skip it now. That simple step saves so much hassle.

xena8311mo ago

My first solo job in Albany was for a lady who swore her flue was clogged with a bird's nest. I almost went straight for the camera, but I remembered my training and just felt for the damper handle. It was shut tight, probably hadn't been opened in years. She was so embarrassed she tipped me an extra twenty. That lesson sticks with you.

thomasgonzalez27d ago

Honestly, that advice is a bit too simple for my liking. It skips over the real reason a damper might be closed in the first place. A homeowner usually shuts it because they already felt a draft or smelled smoke. Just flipping it open might fix the immediate puff-back, but it doesn't address why they closed it. The underlying draft issue is still there, and you'll probably get a callback when the weather changes. Finding the damper shut is a symptom, not the solution.