When talking about chimneys, a fireplace damper is simply a plate that you maneuver to stop or regulate airflow inside your chimney. The damper is used to close off the chimney flue and keep rain, birds and other small animals out and the heat inside your home. Most of the time dampers are closed for the summer so the cool air from your air conditioning unit doesn’t escape out of the chimney but can be closed between uses in the winter. An open or leaking damper can add hundreds of dollars a year to your heating costs.
Fireplace dampers can also be used to regulate and control the rate of combustion of your fire by regulating the flow of oxygen. Most dampers are accessible by reaching up into the firebox with a poker but there are some that have an easy to reach lever that sticks down or out of the fireplace. All wood burning appliances have dampers including wood burning stoves so make sure you know where the damper can be controlled if you use one of these devices. If you don’t, you can easily fill up your home with unwanted smoke that can cause property and lung damage as well as a potential fire. The bottom line is to know how your entire fireplace works including the damper so you can avoid any unwanted accidents.