Fire damper inspection and testing
We find, inspect and drop-test every fire damper in your building, and give you a damper-by-damper record your fire inspector can rely on.
When you need it
- A new building or renovation needs its dampers tested before occupancy.
- The annual fire inspection is due, or an inspector has asked for damper records.
- The dampers have never been tested, or nobody knows where they all are.
- Ductwork or walls around the dampers have been modified.
What we do
Locate
We work from the drawings and the ceiling space to find every damper, and note any without access doors.
Inspect
We check that each damper is installed, unobstructed and undamaged, and that its fusible link is in place.
Drop-test
We release the link or trigger the actuator, confirm the damper closes fully and latches, then reset it.
Record
Each damper gets a location tag and a line in the inventory with its result and any repair needed.
What you receive
- A damper inventory with location and access notes
- A pass or fail result for each damper
- A deficiency list: missing access doors, failed closures, damaged links
- Records ready for your fire inspector
Questions
How often do fire dampers need to be checked?
The National Fire Code of Canada requires fire dampers to be inspected at least every 12 months and tested in accordance with NFPA 80. NFPA 80 calls for testing after installation, again one year later, and then every four years, or every six years in hospitals. Your provincial code and fire department may set their own requirements.
What if a damper can’t be reached?
We record it as inaccessible, with its location, so an access door can be installed. A damper that can’t be tested is a gap in the building’s fire protection.
What’s the difference between a fire damper and a smoke damper?
A fire damper closes when heat melts its fusible link, stopping fire spreading through a duct. A smoke damper is closed by the fire alarm or controls to stop smoke moving through the building. Many buildings have combination dampers that do both.
Further reading
- Return air plenums: benefits, risks and code limits
Learn the advantages of ceiling return plenums, the combustibility and fire separation rules that govern them in Canada, and the common performance problems to avoid.
- Integrated systems testing and CAN/ULC-S1001
Learn how integrated testing verifies that fire protection, life safety and HVAC systems work together, the role of the integrated testing coordinator, and how to prepare.
- Fire suppression interactions with data center HVAC
Learn how fire suppression and cooling systems must be coordinated in a data centre so that suppression works, cooling is not lost unnecessarily and the integrated sequence is proven by testing.
- Fire dampers and smoke control under Canadian codes
Learn the difference between fire dampers, smoke dampers and fire stop flaps, where the NBC requires them, how installation affects performance, and what ongoing inspection and testing involves.
- National Building Code of Canada: HVAC requirements
Learn how the National Building Code is structured, where its HVAC requirements live, which standards it references, and how provinces adopt and amend it.
- Stairwell pressurization and smoke control systems
Learn why high buildings use stair pressurization and other smoke control measures, how the systems are designed around pressure and door force limits, and how they are tested and kept working.
Related services
Also in life-safety verification: Stairwell pressurization verification, Fume hood certification.
Get a quote for fire damper verification
Tell us about the building and what you need. We’ll be in touch within one hour.