Internal slide damper on wood stove. Can I remove it?

by Justin
(CT)

My slide damper keeps falling if bumped with wood while loading the stove. Can I just remove the slide damper located at the ceiling of the wood stove and not have any problems?

Answer

Justin,

As I am not familiar with the stove that you are using, I can only give you some basic suggestions.

Removing the slide damper will most likely reduce the efficiency of your wood stove. These slide dampers , often referred to as by-pass dampers, reroute gases to get a more complete and efficient burn. If you remove this damper, your stove probably won't burn as efficiently as it is capable of doing.

Of course, it's best to consult your owner's manual or the manufacturer to be sure.

Hope this helps!

-Firewood Matt