/diy/ - Do It Yourself

It's getting cold around here and I figured why not use the fireplace for some heat this year. Haven't used the fireplace upstairs in about 10 years but the one downstairs was used a few times last year.

They're both connected the the same chimney so I have a few concerns about potential creosote, but the main question is going to be about pic related. Upstairs fireplace flue seems clean as it has almost never been used, but house settling has shown itself on the fire box and possibly the damper (pic related). Think fire clay and a hammer can fix the job? As you can see the damper has bowed a bit causing a draft and to the left there is spacing between the fire box and the wall about less than 1/8 of an inch wide. Used an old license plate border to show how it barely fits to give an idea of the gap.