SF-86-12-1 -- Review of Current Fire Damper Requirements in NFPA Standard 90A and Model Codes ✓ Most Recent

Both NFPA 90A and all the model building codes stipulate fire damper performance standards as well as installation requirements. While all of the documents agree as to performance, they vary as to installation, most particularly as to use in one hour rated fire partitions and elimination "when proper tests have shown that fire dampers are not necessary . . . " . Such differences should be resolved.

Prior to 1975, NFPA 90th, Standard for Installation of Air Conditioning and Ventilating Systems, had a paragraph titled "Where Fire Dampers are Required." It was a simple, basic approach but, in practice, was complicated by many exceptions and references to other chapters in the standard . About this time, the use of ceiling dampers was becoming widely enforced and there was frequent confusion as to whether a fire damper was required or could be used in a ceiling, or whether a different device was needed.

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