ASHRAE Journal Supplement - AMCA InMotion - October 2020 - 19

construction that is required for the correct installation.
Fire damper

Some manufacturers elect to provide basic instructions
that cover only common installations, and then rely on

Airflow

supplemental instruction pages that cover unique installation scenarios. As with the basic installation instructions, the supplemental instructions are also an integral
part of the UL certiﬁcation program.
Installation instructions for UL-certiﬁed dampers are

FIGURE 1. Common ﬁ re-damper installation.

reviewed and approved by UL and typically will bear

Recreated from "Dampers Marking and Application Guide"1

the UL logo. These installation instructions include ﬁeld
modiﬁcations covered by the UL certiﬁcation, including

ensure proper protection. This is of particular importance

changes to damper components such as sleeves, mounting

for dampers installed in wood- or metal-stud barriers, as

angles, and duct connections. Damper manufacturers also

UL-approved installation instructions show the proper

have installation instructions covering ﬁeld modiﬁcations

framing needed to construct openings.

outside of UL certiﬁcation. These installation instructions

For proper installation, manufacturer-supplied instruc-

typically do not bear the UL logo. Installation instruc-

tions and any applicable documents from the Fire Resistance

tions vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and, thus,

Directory should be referenced. During commissioning, the

should be reviewed in their entirety.

local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) will look to the
Fire Resistance Directory, architectural and engineering

Sleeves

drawings, and installation instructions for guidance when

UL requires all life-safety dampers to be mounted in a

evaluating a life-safety-damper installation. The AHJ will

sleeve, which can be integral to, or attached to, a damp-

have the ﬁnal say in all matters regarding the installation

er's frame. Sleeves most commonly are factory-supplied,

of life-safety dampers, whether modiﬁcations were made

but also can be installed in the field. Field-supplied

per UL-approved installation instructions or the modiﬁca-

sleeves need to be installed per UL-approved installa-

tions fall outside of those instructions.

tion instructions.

The m ajor it y of l i fe -sa fet y

Following are common modiﬁ-

dampers are UL-certiﬁed. Per UL's

cations to factory-supplied sleeves

"Dampers Marking and Application

that may be needed for a life-

Guide" (Page 11):

safety damper to be installed
successfully:

E a c h d a mp e r s h ipm e nt i s

■

Extending a sleeve (Photo A) to

supplied with a copy of the instal-

accommodate a thicker-than-

lation instructions appropriate for

anticipated barrier or other job-

the speciﬁc damper model. These

site obstruction. Many damper

instructions are an integral part of
the UL certiﬁcation on the dampers.

PHOTO A. Smoke damper

The instructions contain the infor-

installed with actuator below

mation necessary to properly install

the ceiling line. The sleeve

the damper as well as limitations

was extended and the damper

on the installation of the product

was relocated to clear the

such as the type of floor or wall

ceiling line.

w w w. a m c a .o r g

2020 A M CA i n m o t i o n

http://www.amca.org

ASHRAE Journal Supplement - AMCA InMotion - October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal Supplement - AMCA InMotion - October 2020