Fireplace dampers

[Brian V.]

Hi BPs,

My tenant said there is cold air coming in from the fireplace on and old property. Contractor found that the fireplace damper somehow was removed (bummer). He said it's too costly to reinstall this and suggest to install a similar damper at the chimney cap with a long chain. Total cost is $450. Is this reasonable? Location in TN.

Thanks in advanced!

[Stephen Doyon]

Hi Brian,

The chimney cap damper is the best solution here as it has a nice tight seal and is easy to repair and maintain. The caps are between $200-$250 (depending on size) and can take 1-2 hours to install. $450 might be a little high, but if this a bid or not-to-exceed price, it is probably about right. Most times for small jobs like this, I ask for a not-to-exceed estimate and have the work done on a time and materials basis. That way if the job turns out to be quick and easy, the cost of the job is less. However, I can still budget for a worst-case scenario if something is uncovered that wasn't anticipated or if the job takes a little longer.