Definition
A movable plate inside ductwork that controls airflow to different areas of the home — the building block of a zoned system.
Why this matters for your home
A damper is a hinged plate inside a duct that opens, closes, or partially restricts airflow. Manual dampers balance the system once at install, while motorized dampers respond to thermostats in real time and are the mechanism behind a true zoned system.
Dampers let you send more air to the rooms that need it — a hot upstairs in summer, a cold bonus room in winter — instead of over-conditioning the whole house. Properly set dampers are an inexpensive way to fix uneven temperatures before considering bigger equipment changes.