Our Fireplace Filled the Living Room With Smoke Until I Checked One Thing

The Question He Asked

“When’s the last time you opened your damper?” Tom asked.

I stood there blinking at him. I didn’t even know what a damper was.

Turns out it’s a metal plate inside your chimney that opens and closes—kind of like a trapdoor. When it’s open, smoke goes up and out. When it’s closed, your chimney is sealed shut.

And ours, apparently, was closed.

Tom explained that dampers have a handle or lever, usually right inside the fireplace opening or up in the throat of the chimney. You’re supposed to open it before you light a fire and close it when you’re done to keep cold air from pouring down in winter.

I honestly had no memory of ever touching it. My best guess? The previous owner left it open when we moved in, and I’d just been lucky for two years.

Until I wasn’t.

That’s when I grabbed a flashlight and crouched down in front of the fireplace to look for this mystery lever.

What I found explained everything—and it was so simple I wanted to kick myself.