Is my fireplace letting my AC escape in the summer?
It can. An open or warped damper is a hole in the ceiling to the outside, and during a Scottsdale summer the air-conditioned air leaves through it. If you have a wood fireplace, keep the damper closed when it's not in use. If you have vented gas logs, the damper is clamped open for safety — glass doors or a top-sealing damper are the answer. Damper repair or replacement runs $200 to $600.
Scottsdale Chimney Co. · October 4, 2026
How to tell
- You feel a draft or warm air near the fireplace in summer
- You can see daylight looking up the flue with the damper 'closed'
- The damper handle is stuck, missing or won't stay shut
- Dust, debris or insects come down into the firebox
Why gas-log fireplaces are different
Vented gas logs exhaust through the chimney, so the damper must be open whenever they burn — most are fixed open with a clamp so it can't be closed by mistake. Never remove the clamp. Instead, fit glass doors to the opening, or a top-sealing damper at the chimney top that you open before lighting.
The fixes
A warped or rusted throat damper can often be repaired or replaced. A top-sealing damper mounted at the top of the flue seals tighter and doubles as a cap that keeps animals and rain out. Glass doors close off the opening from the room side.
What it costs
Damper repair or replacement runs $200 to $600 in Scottsdale. Glass doors or a screen run $400 to $1,500. The diagnostic visit is free.
FAQ
More answers
Can I just block the fireplace with a cover?
Only if nothing will be lit until it's removed. Never light gas logs or a fire with the opening or flue blocked.
Do direct-vent gas fireplaces have this problem?
No. They're sealed behind glass with their own vent, so there's no open damper.
Keep reading
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