Create Fire Resistant Compartments with the Help of Fire Dampers

One of the best methods to prevent the spread of fire via the HVAC ducts is to invest in a fire damper. In order to largely reduce the risk of spreading of smoke and fire, you need an innovative solution to keep the compartments well ventilated.

Modern day offices feature complex infrastructure where ductwork is required for health and comfort of the occupants. However, it is equally essential to have effective fire sealing. The required fire resistance levels can be maintained by investing in an appropriate sealing system, such as a fire damper.

Benefits of Fire Dampers

Designed with a rigid steel framework, most of the fire dampers feature an impact resistant edging that allows that air to pass easily during normal functioning but during a fire, the innovative design creates a fire resilient barrier that prevents smokes and flames from spreading in the entire building.

Always make sure to get in touch with a reliable entity to buy the best product in the segment. When you have your hands on the best-rated fire damper, you will get to see a multitude of benefits:

• For instance, you will have the benefits of a passive fire protection system installed at a competitive price.
• With a quality approved fire damper installed in your HVAC system, you will be able to provide lot more time for escape of the occupants in other parts of the building.
• It will give you peace of mind to have something that will protect lots of property damage and loss of human lives.

Tips to Find the Best Fire Damper

Fire damper is a technical product, and there is a vast range available in the market featuring different designs and specifications. Rather than getting confused, try to buy a product which is approved by UL standards. The product will be more reliable with its compliance with industry standards.

Secondly, you can also invest in a fire smoke damper that offers a higher level of safety and closes itself whenever smoke is detected in the premises.

KAD Air Conditioning is a leading entity offering UL listed fire dampers that are approved by civil defense. Their models are sleek, easy to fit in walls and ceiling and offer the assurance of fire resistant characteristics required in modern day offices. Their fire dampers are intended for HVAC systems, try them to protect individual room or zone by efficient sealing of smoke or fire.

How to Distinguish Between a Static and Dynamic Fire Damper as a Dealer?

It has been seen on many occasions that the fire damper traders get confused while distinguishing the static and dynamic fire dampers. As a result, they have to go with the wrong product. Moreover, they don’t manage to deliver the right product as per their order/requirement. In this blog, we have shared some useful information to help in this aspect.

What is a static and dynamic fire damper?
Fire dampers are usually tested to be used for the static systems or dynamic systems. Fire dampers for static systems are the ones used for HVAC systems, which are automatically closed when it detects any kind of fire or any similar heat generating substance. These also get automatically shut down for air transfer passage in the partitions.

When it comes to fire dampers for dynamic systems, these primarily the ones used for HVAC systems that remain functional during the course of fire. In fact, there are also the combinations of fire smoke dampers available for those positions in HVAC systems, where both the fire damper and smoke damper are desired at one point.

Desired standard:

It is important to note that both static, dynamic and fire dampers representing the combination of fire and smoke dampers, all should comply with UL 555S standard. The static systems should comply with the UL 555 standard. In addition, one should also be aware of the desired fire rating and leakage ratings for ensuring the best quality fire dampers. In this context, the fire dampers having a fire rating of 1.5 hrs are considered the best. When leakage rating is considered, the dampers with leakage rating of Class I at 100 fpm with 4” Wg pressure are considered the ultimate.

The best part about going with the fire dampers those comply with the UL 555 and UL 555S standard is that you can stay ensured about the material quality as well through the process. Fire dampers having frames of 18 gauges galvanized are considered the best. Frames of stainless steel are also considered equally good. Similarly, the blades made up of 24 gauge galvanized steel, or stainless steel enjoy the highest demand among the dealers. Talking about installation, undoubtedly the fire dampers of vertical installation type are the most preferred ones among others.

Role of Fire and Smoke Dampers in Fire Safety Systems

Fire and smoke dampers are an important part of any building’s passive fire protection system. They work in collaboration with the other elements of the fire safety system and limit the spreading of smoke and flames during a fire outburst. Fire safety systems are installed throughout a building to mitigate the losses caused by fire to life and property

Fire Smoke Damper

Buildings are sectioned into compartments with fire-rated partitions like fire-doors, fire-walls, and dampers fitted in the air ducts. The advantage of sectioning a building into smaller parts is that in the case of a fire outbreak, the smoke and flames produced can be blocked in the section where it started.

A fire smoke damper is installed to prevent the spreading of fire and smoke through the ductwork of the building’s HVAC system. This whole system helps in minimizing the fatalities by giving more time for occupants to evacuate the area.

Smoke and fire dampers are fitted to the ductwork at specific points. Manufacturers are coming up with a variety of design as per the needs of the consumers. The three basic types of dampers available are fire damper, smoke damper, and combinational fire smoke damper.

Their function is quite similar but they are differentiated from one another on the basis of what triggers them to close. Apart from that they can be differentiated on the basis of how they are installed – vertically or horizontally and how they function – mechanically or motorized.

Manufacturers of fire and smoke dampers should make sure that their product should comply with the UL555 (for fire dampers) and UL555S (for smoke dampers) standards and also with BS and ASHRE standards and regulations. Most dampers are fabricated from Galvanized steel or Stainless steel and the thickness of frames is kept in the range of 22 gauges up to 16 gauges and that of the blades is kept in the range of 24 gauges to 16 gauges.

Fire and smoke dampers have become a part of the modern infrastructure. It is important to install dampers fabricated by the best and most reliable manufacturers in business.