A microwave damper is used to prevent the microwave from working completely while it is set to defrost mode. If you are in the middle of cooking something and accidentally set the microwave to the defrost setting you may find yourself unable to proceed with your cooking tasks. The damper will ensure that your microwave will not shut down completely while in the cooking process. This is a safety feature that most microwaves come with factory-installed. It usually looks like a rounded rubber piece or even a flat disc that sits on top of your microwave oven. When you first see it you may think there is something wrong with your microwave because it does not fit perfectly into the corner and it has a slot in the middle of it.

  When you turn your microwave on and the door not allowing for easy opening of the door just by bending the corners of the door very a bit, then it may only open a small bit. You may still find that it takes several minutes before the door opens fully. If you gently bend the edges of the microwave damper a little bit it will allow for the complete opening of the door. The simplest way to start the defrost process is by simply turning up the microwave's defrost setting to the desired level and waiting for it to begin defrosting. If the microwave is not functioning completely after doing this you may need to try other methods of resetting it.

  If none of those steps help to reset the microwave, then you may need to try troubleshooting the microwave. It may be that the microwave damper either does not close or it is completely broken. In these cases you should first try unplugging the microwave from the wall and then try to reinstall the microwave, unplugging it from the wall again. If this does not work, then you most likely need to replace the microwave damper.

  There are several different sources that you can purchase a new microwave exhaust vent damper. One of those sources is a professional repairman, such as an appliance service center or even your local hardware store. In these cases, they will be able to provide you with a quote for repairing the microwave. Keep in mind that it is extremely important that you take care of your microwave, so if there is ever a problem it is best to call in a professional who has the tools and skills necessary to properly repair the microwave.

  One of the common problems regarding the microwave damper is that it does not close all the way when the door is opened. Sometimes it only partially closes and leaves a small opening where the door meets the microwave. You may have to carefully follow the directions for the damper in the manual in order to determine what the exact steps are required to correct this issue. In some microwave models, the air gap that is left between the door and microwave is what causes the microwave to briefly turn off just before the door shuts after being closed. By closing the gap, air is trapped between the microwave and the door, which causes the microwave to turn back on again.

In order to correct this issue, you will first need to remove the microwave oven door damper from the equation. Once the microwave is removed from the room, turn off the power source and disconnect the circuit from the microwave. Then you will need to pull out the screws that fasten the microwave damper to the wall. Once the screws are removed, you can then access the air gap that is causing the microwave to turn on and off.