How can I tell whether the damper is open?

Answer by  Latin4 (11170)

One of the best ways is to get down and look up the chimney is you can see out, then the damper is open. Also is there is a draft coming into the house they its open.

Answer by  debmalewski (1085)

Generally there is a handle to the damper that hangs down when it is open, plus you can look up the chimney to see if the damper is open. You might see light coming through. If you start a fire, and your room fills with smoke, that is another way to tell that the damper is NOT open.

Answer by  rhistory (224)

Remove the grate from the fireplace so that you can move around. Look up inside the chimeney and use a flashlight. If you see sky, your fireplace damper is open.

Answer by  SmokeyHouse (10)

Place a small sticker or make a small dot with a pencil or marker under the knob when it is closed. If you can see the sticker it is open.