Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Flue stuck open.

The flue is stuck open on this 40 year old fireplace. I don't use it for wood fires, but plenty of air escapes. The foundation was recently repaired, but it still is stuck open. I can't figure out how it is suposed to work even if it wasn't stuck. Any ideas?

Does your flue have a metal handle sticking down? Just stick your head up there with a flashlight and look. grab ahold of anything that looks like a handle and shake it around.
It will have large latching teeth on it to hold it in position, so you have to push or pull, then lift or lower, just play with it gentle bang it around, cant hurt it!!
it may have years of accumulated sap, soot or rust locking it up.

If this is the damper door inside your firebox your describing,there may be some debris or brick chips that may be lodged on the sides keeping it from closing.As MT gets responded to you,grab a flashlight and stick your head up there{safety glasses are a MUST}.Grab the door itself and to pull it free,if that doesnt work,GENTLY wrap on the door with a hammer a few times.You may want to clean out the smokeshelf anyway so I would recommend taking the cotter pin right out of the damper door handle,remove the handle and start working the door free from there,once you get it off,reach back there with your hand and pull out any loose debris,you can even stick a shopvac hose up there to clean it well.Good luck

Thank you MT and PMG. I will try both very soon. I was afraid I would damage something, but looks like I couldn't do too much damage. I'll let you know when I get a chance to work on it without interuption. Not easy in this house! Thanks again.

Good call on the saftey glasses PMG!!!
Forget that very important issue. Sometimes you get so involved in the project to help someone out. I would have felt bad if i got a angry one-eyed reponse back!!
Thanks!!