Key takeaways

• Philadelphia Fire Code F-701.6.1 requires damper inspection after installation, then every 4 years (6 in I-2 buildings such as hospitals).

• It covers special assembly buildings, I-2 buildings and high-rise buildings.

• The inspector must hold a Philadelphia sheet metal license and a Fire and Smoke Technician/Engineer or Smoke Control certification, and work for a licensed contractor.

• A licensed contractor files through eCLIPSE. Failed dampers have 90 days to be fixed before a deficiency notice.

Which buildings are covered?

Philadelphia Fire Code F-701.6.1 covers fire, smoke and combination dampers in hospitals and similar I-2 buildings, special assembly buildings and high-rise buildings. Dampers in those buildings must be inspected after installation, then every 4 years, or every 6 years in I-2 buildings.

The City describes special assembly occupancies as places such as nightclubs and music venues that hold 50 or more people. For buildings constructed before 1987, the City's form says a concealed damper only has to be inspected if its access panel is visible and reachable without removing walls or ceilings, not counting lay-in acoustical tiles.

Who can inspect?

The inspector must hold a Philadelphia sheet metal license and one of two certifications: Fire and Smoke Technician/Engineer (formerly Fire Life Safety Level 1) or Smoke Control Systems Technician/Engineer (formerly Level 2). L&I can approve other certifications. A general HVAC or maintenance technician without them cannot sign the certification.

The City describes the inspector as a qualified sheet metal systems technician employed by a licensed contractor. The certification form is signed by both the contractor and the inspector.

What the inspection must show

The City's form asks the inspector to certify four things for each damper:

• Unobstructed access to the damper, verified and corrected where needed

• An operational test showing the damper closes, with no rusted, bent or misaligned frame or blades and no bad hinges or parts

• Nothing penetrating or blocking the damper frame

• Any damaged or painted fusible link replaced with one of the same size, temperature and load rating

Visual inspection is allowed only where access is restricted. Results are listed by floor and location, with damper type and quantity and pass or fail.

How do I file?

A licensed contractor files the damper certification through eCLIPSE, the City's online permit and license system. The City requires a contractor license to submit certifications, so owners do not file it themselves. Keep the signed inspection report with your building records.

Use the property's legal address from the Office of Property Assessment, and submit one certification per system. The form says the contractor presents the certification to the owner when the work is done, and the owner keeps it on the property for inspection. Questions go to firesafetysystemcerts@phila.gov.

What if a damper fails?

A failed damper has 90 days to be corrected before L&I issues a deficiency notice. Repair it, retest it to full closure, and update the certification record.

Per the City, if the failure is not corrected within 90 days of the inspection, the inspector sends a deficiency form (TP_003_F) to L&I. Plan repairs as soon as the report comes in, since parts and ceiling access can eat most of that window.

Common failures

• No access door, so the damper cannot be tested

• Painted or corroded fusible links

• Cable or conduit run through the damper frame

• Smoke damper actuators that do not close the damper

• A certification filed with the wrong address or missing the inspector's numbers

How Tinclad helps

We find every damper, test it to full closure, photograph it and mark it on your drawings, then give you the signed form and the report. We perform the inspection and testing, and coordinate the certification and eCLIPSE filing with a properly licensed and certified technician and contractor. Our fire and smoke damper inspection covers the test, and damper repair and replacement fixes failures inside the 90-day window. See our Philadelphia service area, or get a quote for your next certification.