No. I’m from northern ny, last year the temperature was in negative -10 -20I'd recommend changing things slowly. Too many things changed in the off season will give you a new stove to figure out come regular burn season. If I remember right, you were from Southern NY. You aren't likely to see those temps. I didn't add the damper to stop an overfire condition. I'm a tinkerer by nature and over the last 10 years with a 2 cu ft stove in a 12x16ft room I've played with lots of different variables. Learning to read the fire by eye has been the most useful skill.