Since fire and smoke dampers are hidden from view and rarely seen it’s easy to forget the importance of these fire & life safety devices. Even though the NFPA and Authorities Having Jurisdiction require fire and smoke damper service on a regular basis, facilities often fail to meet fire and smoke damper inspection and testing interval requirements. This can lead to expensive fines and even worse, detrimental results in the event of a fire. These devices play an integral role in the safety of a facility. For this reason, it makes it critically important to keep them in working condition.

How Fire and Smoke Dampers Work

Fire, smoke, and combination damper’s purpose is to prevent fire and smoke from traveling through a facility’s ductwork. Their locations are anywhere there’s a penetration in a firewall or barrier. When the damper senses smoke or a rise in temperature it will automatically close to contain the hazard from spreading. This gives occupants time to evacuate the building. In hospitals, it allows medical workers to move patients to a safe area until firefighters can extinguish the flames. Following NFPA requirements for inspection and testing intervals helps to ensure fire and smoke dampers will operate as designed.

Fire Damper Service Requirements

All facilities must follow NFPA 80 and NFPA 105 in order to stay in compliance.  Additionally, healthcare facilities must also stay compliant with the Joint Commission requirements. The standards require fire and smoke damper testing one year after install, every four years thereafter, and every six years for health care occupancies. Keeping dampers in working condition helps protect the lives of the building’s occupants and can prevent excessive fire damage.

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