Had a weird draft issue in a 100 year old house in St. Louis last Tuesday

The homeowner said their fireplace smoked up the room every time they lit it. Checked the flue, it was clear. Then I noticed the damper plate was slightly warped, maybe a quarter inch gap on one side. It was letting cold air pour down the chimney, killing the draft. We bent it back into shape with some pliers and a mallet, and it worked perfectly. Has anyone else run into a warped damper causing that much trouble in an old build?

3 comments

3 Comments

miller.jason3mo ago

Bending it back with pliers is the real old-school fix!

jake_martin163mo ago

Honestly, that old-school trick works until the metal gets weak and snaps. Tbh, a little heat from a torch first makes it way more likely to hold.

theas941mo ago

Ngl, my uncle tried that once on a lawnmower pull cord and ended up launching the handle across the garage. Took us 20 minutes to find it behind the tool bench.