Open vs closed damper for summer storage, which way do you lean?

I have been doing sweeps for 8 years now and I keep running into folks who insist on closing the damper fully after a spring cleaning. I always leave it cracked open about an inch so air can move and stop moisture from sitting in the flue. Last June I went back to a house in Austin where the homeowner shut it tight and we found rust spots on the smoke shelf plus a faint mold smell. On the flip side, leaving it wide open lets in bugs and drafts that can mess with the house's AC bill. So what do you all do for the off season, cracked or sealed shut, and have you seen damage from either choice?

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