Have you any idea what type of ‘Tek’ (self-drilling) screw is installed in your smoke control dampers?
A huge number of the 300,000 fire dampers installed every year have ‘Tek’ (or self-drilling) screws that wouldn’t melt in a fire*. If you don't know whether the dampers in your building have the correct screws, let Colt’s experts test your dampers.
The Building Engineering Services Association recently raised the alarm over incorrectly installed fire dampers. These rogue dampers are attached to HVAC ductwork using self-drilling steel ‘Tek’ screws. The dampers are designed to close in the event of a fire to maintain the integrity of the compartment wall in which they are installed. Unfortunately if the ductwork collapses, as it may well do in the event of a serious fire, with steel fixings, there is a risk that the ducting will pull the damper out of the wall and leave an open hole through which the fire can pass.
BESA recommends that aluminum fixings are used, which have a much lower melting point and will allow the duct to separate from the damper much earlier, keeping the damper in place and maintaining the integrity of the wall.
Let Colt’s experts keep your smoke control dampers safe and legal.
If you are unsure what kind of self-drilling screws have been used on your smoke control or fire dampers, call Colt for an inspection as soon as possible to ensure your dampers are safe and fully operational.
*Source: Construction News
Your legal obligations.
Fire and smoke control dampers play a very important role in a building’s fire safety system and under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, it is the legal duty of ‘The Responsible Person’ to oversee their maintenance and testing. It is imperative that your dampers are maintained properly by a competent company.
Colt Service. The UK’s most trusted.
Colt pioneered smoke control in the 1930’s and has over 80 years of servicing experience. This experience, combined with a comprehensive, ongoing training programme means that Colt engineers truly are the best in the country. The strict set of guidelines they work to means you can rest assured that your system will be 100% safe and operational.
One call is all it takes to find out more.
Contact Colt now for all your smoke control and dampers servicing requirements. As the industry’s leading experts for over 70 years, we service all smoke control systems, not just our own.