What is the purpose of a Fire Damper?
Fire dampers are used to help stop the passage of fire through the vents and ductwork systems. This helps to ensure that the fire does not spread to other parts of the building. The British Standard 9999 Code of practice for Fire Safety requires buildings that contain ducting of any kind must have them fitted with fire dampers. The types of ducts most common in the UK include air conditioning, heating systems and ventilation etc. Once the fire damper is installed, it must also be tested.
How does it work?
Many people are confused as to how a fire damper works. It’s quite simple, really. There is a fusible link inside the device and once the link is subjected to high temperatures, it will melt and the damper will close. In recent years, however, many business owners or premises owners have decided to switch their traditional fire dampers for a more modern version. According to Duct Busters, electronic fire dampers are connected to the fire alarm system of the building. This means that whenever a fire is detected, electric signals alert this to the damper and the damper automatically closes to prevent the spread of the flames via the ductwork systems.
Fire Damper Maintenance
Maintaining your fire damper is just another part of life as a business owner. However, the named ‘responsible person’ doesn’t have to be the business owner and instead the title may land in the hands of the owner of the establishment. It will be down to this person to ensure that the fire damper is in working condition. So, how can they do this? Do they have to grab a ladder and squeeze through the vents to get to the fire damper? Thankfully not.
In order to clean your fire damper, most business/building owners seek professional help from Kent Duct cleaning companies such as http://www.enviro-group.eu/duct-cleaning-kent/. They will be able to provide a fire damper testing service, which will accurately and professionally test the efficiency, performance and safety of your building’s fire dampers. This can help to prevent certain dangers that may occur in the future due to a problem with the damper. Having yours inspected on a regular basis ensures that nothing goes by unnoticed. Some problems with the damper may include a possible jam in the system. If the fusible link does not work properly, then it will not close the damper in the event of a fire. For the sake of everyone’s safety in the building, it is therefore crucial to have your annual fire damper inspection carried out by professionals who know what they are doing.
