Fire and Smoke Damper Inspection, Testing & Maintenance (ITM)

-by Mr. Arindham Bhadra

Dampers are located in ductwork and ceiling cavities. Should fire break out, they're designed to close, and so suppress the spread of smoke and fire throughout the building.

Fire, smoke, and combination fire/smoke dampers are crucial pieces of equipment used to reduce the spread of fire and smoke throughout a building. For an overview of the basics on fire and smoke dampers refer to this newly developed fact sheet. As with all fire protection and life safety equipment, fire and smoke dampers must be properly inspected, tested, and maintained to ensure that they will operate when needed.

2015 NFC ITM REQUIREMENTS

The 2015 Edition of the NFC added specific requirements for the inspection, testing and maintenance of dampers. Specifically, clause (b) was added to Sentence 2.2.2.4.(5). Which now reads:

Fire dampers, smoke dampers, combination smoke/fire dampers and fire stop flaps shall be

a) inspected at intervals not greater than 12 months to ensure that they are in place and not obviously damaged or obstructed, and

b) tested in accordance with NFPA 80, “Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives.”

The NFC now requires that dampers be visually inspected every year and tested in accordance with NFPA 80.

NFPA 80 requires that all access panels be labelled “Fire Damper” with minimum 1” letters. While NFPA 105 requires that all access panels be labelled “Smoke Damper” with minimum ½” letters. Neither Standard specifies a requirement for combination fire/smoke damper.

Fire Dampers

Chapter 19 of NFPA 80, Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, provides the ITM requirements for fire dampers.

Operational Test

An operational test is performed (typically by the installation personnel) right after the damper is installed to confirm the following:

• Damper fully closes.
• There are no obstructions to the operation of the damper.
• There is full and unobstructed access to the damper.
• For dynamic dampers, the velocity in the duct is within the velocity rating of the damper.
• All indicating devices are working and report correctly.
• The fusible link (if equipped) is the correct temperature classification and rating.

Acceptance Testing

An acceptance test is a test of the damper that is completed by a qualified person after the damper is installed, an operational test is completed, and the entire heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is complete. The acceptance test is performed to confirm the following prior to placing the entire system in service:

• The damper is not damaged or missing any parts.
• If actuated, dampers close fully upon disconnection of electrical power or air pressure.
• If actuated, dampers fully reopen when electrical power or air pressure is reapplied.
• If non-actuated, the damper closes upon removal of the fusible link and is manually reset to the full-open position.

Testing must be done under maximum airflow after HVAC system balancing, unless acceptance testing is being performed for dampers with fusible links. In that case, it is permitted to turn the fan in the system off.

Periodic Testing

Fire dampers need to be inspected and tested 1 year after the initial acceptance test and then every 4 years, unless the dampers are installed in a hospital, in which case they can be inspected and tested every 6 years.

During the periodic inspection of an actuated fire damper, the following needs to be completed:

• Confirm that the damper is in the full-open or full-closed position as required by the system design.
• Visually confirm the damper moved to the full-closed or full-open position when commanded.
• Visually confirm that the damper returns to the original operating position as required by the system design.

During the periodic inspection of a non-actuated fire damper, the following needs to be completed:

• Confirm the fusible link is not painted.
• Confirm the damper fully closes when the fusible link is removed or activated with the damper in the full-open position.
• Where equipped, confirm that the damper latches in the full-closed position.
• Confirm that the damper is returned to the full-open and operational position with fusible link installed.

Smoke Dampers

Chapter 7 of NFPA 105, Standard for Smoke Door Assemblies and Other Opening Protectives, provides the inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements for smoke dampers, which are outlined below. Smoke dampers that are part of a smoke control system need to be inspected and tested in accordance with NFPA 92, Standard for Smoke Control Systems.

Operational Test

An operational test is performed after the damper is installed and after the building’s heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system has been fully balanced to confirm the following:

• Damper fully closes under both the normal HVAC airflow and non-airflow conditions.
• There are no obstructions to the operation of the damper.
• There is full and unobstructed access to the damper.
• All indicating devices are working and report correctly.

Acceptance Testing

An acceptance test is a test of the damper that is completed by a qualified person after the damper is installed, an operational test is completed, and the entire HVAC system is complete to confirm the following prior to placing the entire system in service:

• The damper is not damaged or missing any parts.
• Dampers close fully upon disconnection of electrical power or air pressure.
• Dampers fully reopen when electrical power or air pressure is reapplied.
• Testing must be done under maximum airflow after HVAC system balancing.

Periodic Testing

Smoke dampers need to be inspected and tested 1 year after the initial acceptance test and then every 4 years, unless the dampers are installed in a hospital, in which case they can be inspected and tested every 6 years.

During the periodic inspection, the following needs to be completed:

• Confirm that the damper is in the full-open or full-closed position as required by the system design.
• Visually confirm the damper moved to the full-closed or full-open position when commanded.
• Visually confirm that the damper returns to the original operating position as required by the system design.

Combination Fire/Smoke Dampers

Combination Fire/Smoke Dampers need to meet the requirements for both fire dampers and smoke dampers when it comes to ITM.

Documentation

All inspections and tests of fire, smoke, and combination fire/smoke dampers need to be documented and maintained for at least three test cycles. These documents need to include the following:

• Location of the damper
• Date(s) of inspection
• Name of the inspector
• Deficiencies discovered, if any
• Indication of when and how deficiencies were corrected, if applicable

Maintenance

Proper maintenance of fire, smoke, and fire/smoke dampers is crucial to ensure that they remain operational. If a damper is found to not be operational, repairs need to be completed without delay and a periodic test must be completed after the repair is completed to ensure the damper’s operation. All exposed moving parts of the damper need to be lubricated as required by the manufacturer and any reports of an abrupt change in airflow or noise from a duct system needs to be investigated to ensure that it is not related to the damper operation.

Proper inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire, smoke, and fire/smoke dampers ensure they are installed and operating properly in the event of an emergency. For more information about the basics of fire, smoke, and combination fire/smoke dampers, write us ssaintegrate@gmail.com

Manufacturer’s Instructions – ITM Recommendations

Some manufacturers may have additional ITM recommendations. For example, Price Industries recommends “cycling all motorized fire and smoke dampers a minimum of once every 6 months”. It’s important to review the installation, operational and maintenance instructions for any additional ITM activities. These are best practice and important for building owners to be aware of.

INSTALLATION AND OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS – PER ULC-S112

ULC-S112 Section 14 outlines the installation and operating instructions. (Note that ULC-S112.1 also has similar requirements with some variations which are not provided here). The most notable requirement, in both standards is that a copy of the installation and operating instructions are required to be provided in each shipping container.

The instructions are required to specify all of the following:

• The type of wall or partition (masonry or gypsum wallboard) or floor, as applicable.
• The clearances required for expansion of the fire damper, as applicable.
• The type and thickness of the sleeve material when the sleeve is field assembled.
• The type and size of fasteners and the spacing of the fasteners used in attaching the fire damper frame to the sleeve (when a sleeve is to be used and is to be field supplied), and perimeter mounting angles to the fire damper frame or the sleeve.
• The specified means of sealing the damper to ductwork or damper frame, or both, if applicable.
• The length of the sleeve or frame extending beyond the wall or floor opening.
• The type of material, size, thickness, and minimum wall/floor overlap of the perimeter mounting angles, and whether or not they are to be welded (or fastened using other means) to each other at the corners.
• That the connecting ducts shall not be continuous, and shall terminate at the sleeve or frame.
• The type of duct-sleeve connections (see Figure 1 and Section 12, Duct Impact Test) when sleeve thickness less than 1.6 mm steel is used.
• Information on connecting the actuator to the power (electric or pneumatic) supply.
• Any other specific features required for the installation and operation.

For multiple assembly of the dampers, the instructions shall also specify:

• The method of attaching individual sections together.
• When any mullions are required, their materials, sizes, locations, and the method of attaching them to the dampers.
• The maximum size of the multiple assembly that may be assembled.
• The maximum size of the individual sections that may be attached together.

A copy of the installation and operation instructions should be included in the buildings fire safety plan for each type of damper, along with the initial testing and acceptance documentation. The owner should have documentation including at least the following: location of the damper, model number, date of installation, hourly rating, mounting position, size, leakage rating, maximum velocity, maximum pressure, actuator type, power source, status switch, sleeve construction, access/equipment requirements, any additional notes. This documentation provides information for the ongoing ITM requirements, damper replacement, or building renovation.