The BrickWood Chimney Damper Guide
6" Double-Wall Stainless Steel Chimney Damper for Wood-Fired Pizza Ovens
What a damper does, how much heat it saves, how it fits your BrickWood Exhaust Kit and when to open and close it.
Keep the HEAT in and the COLD out of your wood-fired pizza oven. The BrickWood Chimney Damper is a 6" double-wall stainless steel chimney pipe with a built-in damper that twist-locks between your anchor plate and chimney cap. With a simple twist of the wrist, your BrickWood pizza oven gets up to 90% heat retention when compared to ovens without dampers. It's custom-made for BrickWood Ovens, made in the USA and ships FREE.
Chimney Damper: Quick Answers
- What it does: closes off the flue so heat stays in your oven instead of escaping up the chimney.
- Heat savings: up to 90% heat retention when compared to ovens without dampers.
- What it's made of: 6" double-wall stainless steel, made in the USA.
- Where it goes: between the anchor plate and the chimney cap of your BrickWood Exhaust Kit.
- Install time: about 30 seconds with twist-lock fittings. No tools needed.
- Already built your oven? No problem. You can add the damper any time.
- Shipping: FREE to the contiguous United States.
What Does a Chimney Damper Do?
Your chimney is the biggest heat leak on a wood-fired oven. Once the fire burns down, hot air keeps rising straight up the flue and out of the oven, taking your cooking heat with it.
A damper stops that. It's a plate built into a section of chimney pipe, and a handle on the outside turns it. Turn it open and the chimney draws smoke out while the fire burns. Turn it closed and the flue is blocked, so the heat stays in the dome and the floor of your oven.
Up to 90% heat retention
A BrickWood pizza oven with a damper gets up to 90% heat retention when compared to ovens without dampers.
Why Add a Damper to Your Pizza Oven?
- Ovens heat up quicker: less heat escapes up the chimney while the oven comes up to temperature.
- Ovens use less firewood: the heat you build stays in the oven, so you burn less wood to keep it there.
- Ovens stay hotter much, MUCH longer: close the damper after pizza night and the stored heat is there for bread, roasts and slow cooks.
- Keeps the cold out: a closed damper stops cold air and weather from coming down the chimney between cooks.
For the most heat retention, pair the damper with the ceramic fiber blanket that insulates your oven and a rope gasket kit on your oven door. The blanket holds heat in the dome, the gasket seals the door and the damper closes off the flue.
How the Damper Fits Your BrickWood Exhaust Kit
The damper is a 6" double-wall stainless steel pipe section with the same twist-lock fittings as the rest of the BrickWood Exhaust Kit. It twist-locks between the anchor plate and the chimney cap.
When to Open and Close the Damper
Keep it OPEN
- While you light and build your fire
- Any time there's an active flame in the oven
- While you cook pizza with the fire burning
Close it
Once the fire has burned down to coals and you want to hold the heat for baking, roasting or tomorrow's cook, close the damper and put your oven door in place. Close it between cooks, too, to keep the cold and the weather out.
If you see smoke rolling out of the oven opening, open the damper. The fire needs the chimney to draw.
How it stacks, from the oven up
| Part | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Anchor plate | Mounts on top of the oven over the flue opening |
| Chimney damper | Twist-locks onto the anchor plate |
| Chimney pipe (optional) | Adds height above the damper when you want a taller chimney |
| Chimney cap | Twist-locks onto the top of the damper or pipe |
| Spark arrestor | Attaches to the chimney cap |
The anchor plate is easiest to add while you build the oven, but the damper itself can go on any time. If your oven is already finished, you can add it in under a minute.
What you get
- 6" double-wall stainless steel chimney pipe with a built-in damper
- Twist-lock fittings on both ends
- Custom-made for BrickWood Ovens and made in the USA
How to Install the Damper
It takes about 30 seconds and no tools. Do it while the oven is cold.
- Remove the chimney cap. Twist the chimney cap (or chimney pipe) to unlock it and lift it off the anchor plate.
- Twist on the damper. Set the damper on the anchor plate, line up the twist-lock fittings and twist until it locks.
- Put the cap back on. Set the chimney cap or chimney pipe on top of the damper and twist it to lock.
- Test the handle. Turn the handle to make sure the damper opens and closes smoothly, then leave it open for your next fire.
Chimney Damper FAQ
What does a chimney damper do on a pizza oven?
It's a plate inside the chimney pipe that you open and close with the handle. Open, smoke and heat flow up the chimney. Closed, it blocks the flue so the heat stays inside your oven instead of escaping up the pipe.
How much heat does the damper save?
A BrickWood pizza oven with a damper gets up to 90% heat retention when compared to ovens without dampers. Your oven heats up quicker, uses less firewood and stays hotter much longer.
Will it fit my BrickWood oven?
Yes. The damper fits the 6" BrickWood Exhaust Kit used on every BrickWood oven. It twist-locks between the anchor plate and the chimney cap.
Can I add a damper to an oven that's already built?
Yes. The damper goes between the anchor plate and the chimney cap, so you just twist off the chimney cap or pipe, twist the damper onto the anchor plate and put the cap back on top.
How long does it take to install?
About 30 seconds. The twist-lock fittings line up and lock with a turn, with no tools or fasteners.
When should I close the damper?
Keep it open while your fire is burning so the smoke can escape. Once the fire has burned down and you want to hold the heat for baking, roasting or the next day's cook, close the damper and put your door on.
Will it fit a non-BrickWood oven?
It's made to fit the 6" BrickWood Exhaust Kit. If your oven uses a different chimney, send us a message through our Contact Us page and we'll help you check.
What is it made of?
6" double-wall stainless steel, made in the USA and custom-made for BrickWood Ovens.
How much is shipping?
Shipping is FREE to the contiguous United States.
Complete Your Oven
Hold even more heat with the rest of the BrickWood lineup.
Keep the heat in
Add the Chimney Damper to your order at the top of the page. It ships FREE.
Have a question about fit on your oven? Send us a message and we'll help you check.
