I've seen your message in a lot of forums. It would help if you posted a picture. I have no clue what a fireplace knob even is! We have 4 fireplaces in 2 homes, and there is not one knob!

Are you talking about a crank-open flue control? Who is the manufacturer, Vestal? You may be able to get a replacement from them.

Are you talking about a crank-open flue control? Who is the manufacturer, Vestal? You may be able to get a replacement from them.

I think she is talking about a damper control knob (to open and close the damper - it's undoubtedly attached to a rod of some sort that controls the damper); it allows one to open and close the flue without having to reach into the fireplace itself.

What I don't understand is why it would be rusty in a new build such as this one. I would contact whoever installed the fireplace and ask them to replace it. Personally, I would be more concerned about finding out why it rusted in the first place given the house is new construction. Is there moisture present somehow? Or was it rusty all along? (in which case, no one had any business installing it in the first place!)

"why it rusted in the first place given the house is new construction. Is there moisture present somehow?"

If it is bare unpainted steel there is a LOT of water introduced into a new house during construction.

Concrete, mortar, paint, grout, drywall mud, & framing lumber all contain significant moisture.

it can easily take more than a single heating season to dry a new house out.

I only posted this query on GW so perhaps someone else asked the same question elsewhere.

Yes, this is a damper control knob. I'm going to knock it out and not use one. It's rather unsightly.

you really need to have a knob to operate it properly. Take a picture of it, and if you want to send it to me, that's fine.

Do you plan to use the fireplace? The control knobs are kind of there for a reason...

Are you planning to refit the damper with a different mechanism (a rod or handle inside the fireplace)? I think I would have a professional deal with that. I assume that's what you mean -- not that you don't intend to have a control for the damper at all, since that would be nuts.

My fireplaces, which never had dampers originally (1830s) have the pull chain kind inside the firebox(that closes a damper way up top) and I don't care for them much because your hands get filthy opening and closing the damper. I prefer the knob on the outside.

" I'm going to knock it out and not use one. It's rather unsightly. "

Then how will you open and close the damper?

I have never heard of a damper knob on the outside. I would get it moved inside for sure . . . sounds unsightly outside but definitely a necessary object!

They aren't interchangeable.

The knob on the outside turns a screw mechanism to open the damper.

The internal pull chain ones work a different way.

This post was edited by palimpsest on Thu, May 16, 13 at 20:48

{{gwi:1445210}}

That's exactly what ours will look like, Palimpsest and I'm ok with it now. I'll sand it and spray with rustoleum.

The manufacturer may have elected not to paint them to avoid the paint getting burned off from the heat of the fire.

Some of them get hot enough to not touch after long periods of a large fire.