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What is a Fire Damper?

Fire dampers are an essential safety measure that helps to prevent the spread of fire and smoke in buildings. Dampers belong to the ‘passive fire protection’ family.

They are often installed in mechanical air ductwork, but they can also be found in other areas, such as walls and floors.

Fire dampers are usually close automatically when exposed to heat or smoke. This prevents the flow of air through the ductwork, which can help to contain a fire and prevent it from spreading to other areas of the building thereby buying valuable time for evacuation and enabling the safe evacuation of occupants..

Types of dampers
  • Fusible link dampers use a bimetallic strip that melts at a predetermined temperature. When the strip melts, it opens the damper, which closes off the flow of air through the ductwork.
  • Intumescent dampers use a material that expands when exposed to heat. This expansion closes off the flow of air through the ductwork.
  • Motorised smoke dampers are controlled by a motor that opens or closes the damper. The motor can be activated by a variety of sensors, such as heat detectors, smoke detectors, or manual controls.
Inspection & testing of fire dampers
AS1851 – 2012 Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment is the comprehensive Australian Standard that provides guidelines and requirements for the routine service of fire protection systems and equipment, including fire dampers. AS1851 will be enforced in NSW on 13th February 2025 under the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Amendment (Fire Safety) Regulation 2022.
 
AS1851 requires that 20% of fire dampers be inspected and tested every year (with all dampers to be tested & inspected in a 5 year period). However, if a high number of fire dampers fail during a 20% inspection then all of the fire dampers in the building must be inspected within the next 12 months. This is because a high failure rate indicates that there may be a systemic problem with the fire dampers – usually poor or inadequate installation.
 
The inspection should check for signs of damage or corrosion, and the test should verify that the damper closes properly in response to heat or smoke.
Dampers is a specialist area of fire protection

Passive Fire is a specialist area of fire protection. It is technical & complex! You need to have a deep understanding of not only the BCA, but of all the technical specifications & treatment methods available to protect openings.

Just like your GP referring you to a cardiologist for an irregular heart rhythm, your fire protection contractor may refer you to – or engage directly – a passive fire specialist to properly diagnose & rectify passive fire issues that are present in a building.

  • They are installed in complex areas. Fire dampers are typically installed in HVAC ductwork, which is a complex system of pipes and ducts. This means that the dampers must be installed and maintained by someone who understands the HVAC system and how it works.

  • They may be designed to work in conjunction with other fire protection systems. Fire dampers are designed to work in conjunction with other fire protection systems, such as fire walls and fire doors. This means that the dampers must be installed and maintained in a way that ensures that they will work properly with the other systems.

  • Their manufacturer & test specifications are technical. Fire dampers must be installed exactly in accordance with the manufacturer & test specifications.. These documents are complex. 

Examples of Passive Fire Protection Specialists in Sydney include:

  • Passive First
  • Bowsers
  • Ash Passive
  • Greytons
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