FAQs

As stated in our services, fire dampers are crucial to fire safety within any building. They must be maintained and proven to work effectively against compliance regulations.

Fire dampers are located where ductwork passes through walls and floors. They are usually held open by a ‘fusible link’, which BS9999:2017 defines as a ‘device that releases a component such as a fire damper or fire shutter at a set temperature’ – when met at this temperature, the link will release and close the fire damper, preventing further spread and effectively, saving lives.

According to the BS9999:2017 guidance, fire dampers need to be tested and cleaned by a competent person at regular intervals not exceeding one year. If found faulty, they need to be repaired or replaced immediately. Before testing, a risk assessment needs to be carried out – where are the dampers fitted? What size are the ducts? Is there restricted access? Are the kinds of questions asked.

Here is a list of what can be expected from our engineers when looking at your fire dampers:

• Inventory of all fire dampers to be tested
• Manual resettable dampers will be released to review the integrity of spring-loaded shutters. Motorised dampers will see the control mode activated.
• Inspection for signs of damage, obstruction, or corrosion on the fusible link.
• Fire & smoke damper must be cleaned.
• The fire damper should be activated and reset to the correct position.
• Review the previous inspection report to check if any modifications have been made / remedial actions have been completed.
• To create a report that includes (but isn’t limited to) – Test results with information on the client, building, system, date, and operative name. - Asset register to include damper location and ID number- Whether the damper is entirely or only partially accessible and if remedial action is recommended.

In short, yes. Whether in an office, university or shopping centre, all building owners/managers must have their fire safety systems regularly and professionally maintained to ensure the safety of building occupants.

Witnessing flaws or functioning issues is a serious matter that calls for attention. BS 9999:2017 states that all fire dampers should be maintained and tested by an expert at least every 12 months.

Fire dampers are crucial for fireproofing a building to prevent the spread of fire inside the ductwork. A lack of upkeep, poor installation, or failure to maintain fire dampers can lead to issues with rusted, disintegrated, or dust and dirt-filled parts – which can all cause them to fail when needed.

Suppose you don’t have your fire dampers tested as a business owner. In that case, you could see yourself paying hefty fines – and, in the case of fatalities, possible prosecution for violation of the law.

Fire dampers are integrated into the ductwork of heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems to help delay the spread of smoke and fire. Ventilation systems can be found in different places within the building; if you’re unsure where your ventilation system lies, get in touch with one of our experts to discuss this further.

Our team is the first to become IFSM certified. All our engineers can be considered to be truly competent in carrying out Fire Damper Testing.