The Fire Code Requires Periodic Testing of Life Safety Dampers The building owner's responsibility is to record periodic testing and corrective actions regarding fire and smoke dampers. When inspecting a building, the fire marshal or building official will request the record, a requirement of the NFPA 80 (fire) & NFPA 105 (smoke) standards. Chapter 7: Containment Dampers - International Building Code (IBC) and International Fire Code (IFC) require: * Commissioning and testing at the end of the first year of occupancy * Testing every four years (except in hospitals which is every six years) Chapter 9: Smoke Control System Dampers - IFC requires: * Dedicated systems to be tested at commissioning and then semi-annually * Non-dedicated systems at commissioning and then annually FOUR TYPES OF FIRE AND SMOKE DAMPERS On average, more than 20% of installed fire and smoke dampers are inoperable due to the end of life or fail during a routine inspection; it is not uncommon to have a list of deficient dampers that need repair. There are over 100,000 fires in commercial buildings every year, with an average of 100 deaths and $3 billion in direct property damage. Building and fire codes are confusing; with over 40 years of technical experience with Fire Marshals and Building Officials, Belimo can provide you with the training, code guidance, and replacement solutions needed to maintain a reliable, safe and efficient building. Refer to www.belimo.us/firesmoke or contact a local Belimo sales manager. Reference www.belimo.us/firesmoke Curtain Damper Smoke Damper Photo credit: Greenheck Fan Corp Photo credit:TAMCO (T.A. Morrison Company) Multi-Blade Damper Combination Fire and Smoke Damper Photo credit: Ruskin Company Photo credit: Pottorff (PCI) BELIMO Americas www.belimo.ushttp://www.belimo.us/fi http://www.belimo.us/firesmoke http://www.belimo.us