There are two main categories of fire dampers:
- Mechanical fire dampers
- Electrical fire dampers
Mechanical dampers, sometimes known as fusible link fire dampers, act independently from one another, as well as the buildings other fire countermeasures and alarm systems. They are controlled by their namesake, the ‘fusible link’. This small piece of highly engineered metal is designed to melt at a certain temperature, opening the ‘link’ and allowing the shutter to close when the fire is near. Once a fusible link has melted, the fire damper will not open again until it has been reset with a new link by a technician.
The simplicity of the fusible link fire damper is its most prized feature. Whist more sophisticated fire dampers do exist, mechanical fire dampers, when serviced routinely are perfectly capable forms of fire protection.
Fusible link fire damper maintenance
All fire dampers, including mechanical fire dampers, are required by law to be serviced at least once a year. In many cases, especially for larger buildings, this increases to at least every six months. This is to mitigate the chances of a fire damper failing to operate when you need it most.
ADP Compliance offer free advice and quotes on fire damper maintenance, as well as other forms of fire and smoke protection.
If you would like to learn more about how we can help, please contact us on 020 4619 2169. Alternatively, you can reach us via email at Info@adpcompliance.co.uk