Fire Damper Inspection and Test

Why test Fire Dampers?

It is stated in law - British Standard 9999:2017 that all property owners must have their fire dampers tested by a competent engineer upon installation and then they must be further tested once per year.

What is a Fire Damper?

Fire dampers are built into the ductwork of ventilation, heating and air conditioning systems, this helps to stop the spread of a fire. Having good fire dampers that work could be the deciding factor whether people are able to escape the building quick enough during a fire. It is essential to test fire dampers to ensure they work. In a building without fire dampers, the fire will pass through duct systems and spread at an alarming rate all throughout the building. Fire dampers close shut when a fire is detected, this slows down the spread of fire and ensures that escape routes remain clear.

How do Fire Dampers Work?

Thermally: When a certain high temperature is reached within the building, the fusible link that keeps the fire damper shutters apart will melt and force them to shut.

Electronically: Electronic fire dampers are triggered by fire and smoke detectors which will close the shutters when fire or smoke is detected.

In order to test a fire damper is working properly, we release the fire damper manually - this to make sure that it closes fully.

How are Fire dampers inspected:

• All the Fire dampers inside the property are checked for damage, obstruction and corrosion
• All dampers are reset
• Channels are cleaned
• Every damper is triggered and effectiveness is tested by releasing them manually
• There must be a list of where all the fire dampers are located
• A comprehensive report is made which states every damper, repairs and replacements as well as any advisories and detailed exception reports on failed dampers.