Why dampers fail their test

Most failures come from things that happen between tests. Links get painted or corrode. Blades rust or collect dust and stick. Springs weaken. Actuators lose power or signal. Someone runs a cable through the frame, or a new pipe blocks the access door. A failed damper leaves an open hole in a rated wall until it is fixed.

What we fix

• Fusible links that are painted, corroded or the wrong temperature

• Blades that stick from rust, debris or paint

• Broken closure springs and latches

• Actuators that do not drive the damper closed or open

• Missing or blocked access doors

• Cables, conduit or pipe run through the damper frame

• Dampers that cannot be repaired: replaced with a UL 555 or UL 555S listed damper

What the code requires

NFPA 80 covers fire dampers and NFPA 105 covers smoke dampers. Both call for a damper that fails its test to be repaired, and we retest every damper after the work. A replacement must be listed for its job: UL 555 for fire dampers, UL 555S for smoke dampers, and both for combination dampers. In Philadelphia, a failed damper has 90 days to be fixed before the city issues a deficiency notice. Our fire damper testing schedule guide explains the full test cycle.

How it works

We price each failed damper from the test report, ours or another firm's. After the repair, every damper is retested to full closure, photographed and closed out in the report.

What a repair visit looks like

1. Plan access. We confirm ceiling and duct access for each damper and schedule around your occupants.

2. Fix in order of risk. Dampers in smoke barriers, shafts and exit paths come first.

3. Retest and photograph. Each damper is dropped to full closure, reset and photographed.

4. Update your records. We update your report and mark any replaced damper on your drawings.

What you get

• One line per repaired damper: ID, location, what failed, what we did

• Before and after photos and the retest result

• Listing information for any new damper or access door

• Updated drawings and a closed status for each item

If you do not have a recent test, start with our fire and smoke damper inspection. We repair dampers for hospital fire barrier compliance and for surgery centers and medical offices, where work has to fit around procedures. Have a list of failed dampers? Get a damper repair quote.