Our Company Blog

Three Benefits of a Top-Seal Damper

Do you have an older traditional masonry fireplace? If so, you most likely have a throat damper. Located directly above the firebox, a throat damper can be problematic. Typically made of iron or another metal, throat dampers can be difficult to open and close. This can be bad for your wallet and the energy efficiency in your home. These older dampers can become stuck in an open position. Consequently, allowing heated and cooled inside air to escape out of the chimney.

According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), a more economical solution is to have a top-mounted damper installed. Atlas Chimney offers sales and professional installation services of top-sealing dampers! Now, we would like to tell you about three benefits of this type of damper.

An Energy and Money Saver

Not only can a throat damper get stuck in an open position, but it also has a hard time sealing off the firebox tightly enough. A top-sealing damper is equipped with a silicone rubber gasket which provides an airtight seal on the top of your chimney. Atlas Chimney knows that you will see a decrease in your utilities bills after we install a top-mounted damper on your chimney. In addition, your home will be much more energy efficient as well.

A Multi-Functioning Chimney Component

One of the best things about top-seal dampers is they serve more than one purpose. When your top-mounted damper is closed, it acts as a chimney cap. When our customers need a new chimney cap, we always suggest installing a top-seal damper as a replacement. We can also show you top-sealing dampers that are equipped with mesh metal sides. These will keep out birds, squirrels, raccoons, and other wild animals – even when the damper is open!

Easy-to-Use Damper

An older throat damper can become very difficult to open and close. Corrosion damage can make this type of damper hard to operate. You may also have to stick your head through the firebox to get to the damper! Opening and closing a top-seal damper is simple. A chain from the damper drops down into the chimney and is attached to a lever or knob located on the side of your fireplace. So, no matter what type of handle is used with your model of a top-sealing damper, we assure you that it will be very easy to operate.

Want to make your home more energy efficient? Contact us at Atlas Chimney to learn more about top-seal dampers!

Why It Is Important to Review Your Chimney Sweep Online

When you move to a new city, it can be challenging to find the best local technicians to hire to perform maintenance and repair services in your home. If you just moved into your new home, you might not know anyone well enough yet to be able to ask for recommendations. Professional maintenance tasks, like chimney sweeping, require a technician to work inside your home. So, you want to be completely sure that you are hiring someone reputable and honest.

In addition, you also need to know that the chimney sweep is skilled, trained, and experienced. This is to ensure your chimney works safely and efficiently. One way of getting this information is to research online reviews of chimney companies on websites like Google, Yelp, and Angie’s List. These reviews can be a great source of valuable information for consumers as well as for businesses. This is why it can be beneficial for people to add their own reviews to these sites. Atlas Chimney always appreciates it when our customers take the time to write about their experiences with our chimney services on our Yelp, Facebook, and other pages. We would like to tell you more about why it is so important to review your chimney sweep online.

HELP YOUR COMMUNITY

When you write an online review about a local business, you might not realize how much your review could help your own community. Studies have shown that consumers are most influenced by word of mouth reviews when it comes to hiring professional home maintenance technicians like chimney sweeps. For people who are new to the area, these online reviews may be their only source of this type of information. By providing your experiences with local businesses, you are helping your new neighbors be able to find the best service in your city.

HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES

Your online reviews help the members of your community find the best possible professional service providers. They are also are very beneficial to the businesses themselves. Atlas Chimney truly appreciates every customer review we get, even the ones that are negative! This is because the feedback helps us to a better job of serving our customers. Although it is always great to read about our customers’ positive experiences, we find the negative reviews to be valuable lessons! It shows us what we need to do better in order to be the best chimney company in the Austin area.

Share your experiences with Atlas Chimney on our online review pages! You are helping us be able to provide the best customer service possible. In addition, you are also giving your community a valuable resource. If you live in the Austin area, contact us for all of your chimney maintenance, repair, and installation service needs!