If you own or manage a commercial building, there are safety devices inside your HVAC system you may rarely, if ever, see. Fire and smoke dampers are installed within ductwork where it passes through certain fire‑rated walls and floors. During a fire, these dampers serve as a life safety device. They help limit the movement of fire and smoke from one area of a building to another.
Without properly operating dampers, the same system can create a path for smoke to travel far from the fire source, putting your employees and firefighters at risk.
Changes in compliance
Recently, Wisconsin put more requirements behind the inspection and testing of these devices. Updated state fire prevention rules took effect Nov. 1, 2025, and specifically address periodic fire and smoke damper inspections under National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1, NFPA 80 and NFPA 105. Wisconsin also requires that this periodic testing be performed by someone with the applicable fire‑life‑safety damper credential.
If your facility has these dampers, this is something you should have on your maintenance radar.
What an inspection actually looks at
Not every commercial building has the same number or type of dampers. Hospitals, hotels, multifamily properties and other larger facilities commonly have them, but the requirements depend on how your building was designed and where rated walls and floor assemblies are located.
During an inspection, a certified technician identifies the dampers, verifies access and checks that each device operates as intended. A traditional fire damper may use a fusible link that releases when exposed to a specified temperature. Smoke and combination fire/smoke dampers are often electronically actuated and can close when a smoke detector or fire alarm is activated or when power is lost.
Accessibility can become an issue, especially in older buildings. If a damper is buried above a ceiling without a usable access point, an access panel may need to be installed before it can be properly inspected.
The inspection also creates a compliance record that shows damper locations, classifications, test results and any deficiencies requiring correction.
Don’t wait for an inspector to ask
The inspection schedule is worth knowing. Applicable NFPA standards generally call for testing one year after installation and then every four years, with a six‑year interval for hospitals. Wisconsin requires property owners to maintain inspection documentation so it is available for review by the authority having jurisdiction.
That authority could be your local fire marshal, building inspector or another agency responsible for enforcement.
My advice is to find out what is in your building before that request comes. Review your building documentation and determine whether you have fire, smoke or combination dampers that require inspection. From there, have a qualified contractor establish a schedule, test the devices and document what was found.
Again, these are life safety devices. Just like sprinkler systems, alarms and safe exit routes, they are there to buy people and firefighters time when every minute counts.
About the Guest Author
Luke Kadow, Sheet Metal Foreman & ICB Supervisor, Hurckman Mechanical Industries
Luke Kadow is a Sheet Metal Foreman and ICB Supervisor at Hurckman Mechanical Industries, Inc., with more than 15 years of experience in commercial and industrial sheet metal fabrication and installation. He leads crews on complex projects and works closely with architects and engineers, while also supporting Hurckman’s fire and smoke damper inspection and code compliance program.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Insight Publications, a division of Woodward Communications, Inc.
