Coalpail.com Forum

hey all,i have tried to view past damper questions and I am still a bit confused,so here goes.I just took delivery of my new stove and they left me a hand damper instead of a barometric,i am having my chimney lined with 6" SS next week.i have seen some say no damper is needed at all,some say a hand one,some a baro.I have used the hand and baro's burning wood,i have never used coal..so...can I get some feedback on this?if I do use the hand damper do I adjust it similar to heating with wood?...say about 3/4's shut?...the dealer said I probably wont use it only if the stove becomes over fired! but I would think my coal would last longer with one....but would the gases burn off as good? thanks!

What type of coal. Secondly a barometric damper is used to control the draft. It will open or close depending on the draft. I have both on my system, but now im finding I don't use the hand damper. If you cant control your draft with your stove, you should use some sort of damper.

i am using nut antracite....the dealer told me I would be better with the hand damper....i figured the baro would be better! i do have draft control on the ash door!

If you can control the draft with the stove dampers, then I wouldnt use the hand damper. The hand damper may help hold in heat though. Either way you choose it will work.

Bunzie--

I was always under the impression the two devices serve two different purposes. The baro damper allows the additional air/draft into the flue behind the bed of coal in order to maintain a consistent draft as not to burn the coal to quickly.

The hand damper will simply hold the heat in the stove as to allow less heat escape from the stove. It is very useful in less modern ( potbelly style with less than accurate adjustable damper controls ) wood stoves but the new better designed stoves should not need the hand damper. Especially for use with coal.

I use a hand damper on my Keystoker HFH with no problems.It came with a baro damper,but I can't see letting all that heat go up the chimney.

I have a baro damper on my furnace and it works great. It burns very even and I can even put my hand on the flue pipe, unless it is very cold out.