HVAC Fire Checks

Process

Australian Standards 1851-2005, requires maintenance of Essential Fire Safety Measures and ongoing certification that Fire Safety Services work properly at the time of commissioning and every year after.

The Four elements of maintenance within AS 1851-2005,

1. Inspection: Visual examination to establish correct settings, physical condition or fitness for purpose.
2. Test: Confirmation of correct function or performance of a component or system
3. Maintenance: (Preventative Maintenance) Actions including lubrication, cleaning, adjustment and replacement of component at a predetermined frequency to minimize the incidence of breakdown.
4. Survey: Visual inspection to identify if fire protection systems or equipment have been altered damaged or compromised.

As an example, the fire damper inspection process is outlined below. For further information on any other processes involved in our routine maintenance please contact us.

Fire Damper Inspection Process

Of all the components that make up a fire-protection system, fire dampers are the most difficult to locate, especially if the damper has limited access and no documentation of location has been kept.

Located within HVAC system ductwork, these dampers prevent the spread of fire and smoke to other compartments of the building throughout the HVAC system.

Australian Standards 1851-2005, requires building owners to Inspect 20% of the fire dampers annually so that all dampers have been inspected by the end of the fifth year.

We can implement service agreements to customer’s future budgets dividing fire inspections over a period of 5 years (20% per year as per Australian standard).

The following procedure is in accordance with AS 1851-2005

1. Locate and identify damper
2. Check and ensure that the fire damper is in place, open and free of obstruction
3. Install duct access panels where necessary for visual inspections
4. Check mounting is sound and free of corrosion
5. Clean damper free from dirt and lubricate blade pivots
6. Release the thermal link to ensure closure and latching ( replace thermal link and release spring if required)
7. Provide Certification Report to Client:
   • Fire damper inspection report
   • Listing the location of every damper
   • Damper number corresponding with the clients completed construction drawings
   • Whether the dampers has passed or failed inspection
   • If the damper has failed inspection a detailed reason will be provided.

The failure rate of a fire damper that has not been inspected or maintained is very high, don’t risk it.

These are images of FAILED fire dampers due to poor maintenance and lack of understanding of the functionality of the equipment.

Control Smoke. Save Lives.