Complete Guide to Ventilation Dampers

Ventilation systems are integral to the safety and operation of all types of buildings. From commercial offices and warehouses to shopping centres/malls, hospitals and factories, ventilation dampers perform a crucial role in maintaining safe and comfortable building standards.

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Brought to you by HAS-Vent, leading UK specialists in ventilation system products, this guide shall explore the purpose, types and applications of dampers for HVAC systems. For further advice and enquiries, contact our specialist team, today.

What are Ventilation Dampers?

Ventilation dampers are critical components in the design and function of building ventilation systems. Dampers act like valves for ventilation systems, allowing for controlled direction and volume of airflow through air ducts.

The term ventilation dampers can be used to describe any number of specific damper types; from volume control and backdraft damping to fire and smoke dampers, the exact type and function of a HVAC damper can vary significantly depending on its required purpose in a building's ventilation design.

Why are ventilation dampers used?

The control of airflow through a building is incredibly important for building safety and maintenance. Whether planning or redesigning the HVAC system for a new or existing building, opting for high-quality, purpose-appropriate dampers is an effective decision to ensure occupant comfort and safety compliance.

Key reasons dampers are used:

Airflow Control:

• Balancing Airflow: Dampers allow for precise control of airflow distribution within a building, ensuring that each zone receives the appropriate amount of air.   
• Energy Efficiency: By regulating airflow, dampers can help optimize the performance of HVAC systems, reducing energy consumption.   
• Comfort Control: Dampers can be used to adjust airflow to maintain comfortable temperature and humidity levels in different areas of a building.

Safety:

• Fire and Smoke Control: Fire and smoke dampers automatically close in response to a fire alarm or high temperature, preventing the spread of fire and smoke through ductwork.
• Backdraught Prevention: Backdraught dampers prevent the backflow of air into a room, which can occur when there is a sudden pressure change, such as when an exhaust fan turns off.

Improved Building operations:

• Sound/Noise Attenuation: By controlling the airflow through ventilation ducts, noise/sound transmission can be minimised and controlled as required.

Got a ventilation problem you need a solution to? Our specialists have the knowledge, products and experience to support you. Whether designing a new HVAC system for your building, or modifying/repairing an existing system, contact our team today for advice and support.

What types of ventilation dampers are there?

As leading suppliers of dampers and ventilation duct components, we have compiled a list of the most common and requested types of dampers available:

Single Blade Dampers

Single blade dampers work to control the airflow through an air duct by either partially or fully obstructing the passage of air. This is achieved by adjusting the rotation of a singular blade within the damper.

When fully rotated/engaged, airflow is blocked completely; when disengaged/open, air can flow unimpeded throughout the system.

Uses of Single Blade Dampers

• Balancing airflow: Adjusting the airflow to different rooms or zones within a building.
• Controlling airflow to specific equipment: Regulating the airflow to heating or cooling coils, fans, or other components.
• Isolating sections of ductwork: Blocking off unused or damaged sections of ductwork.

Single blade dampers as offered by HAS-Vent, offer a simplistic and effective way to control airflow in ventilation systems.

Explore our Single Blade Dampers.

Multi Blade Dampers

Multi-blade ventilation dampers offer precise, variable control of airflow through ventilation systems. Consisting of multiple blades that can be adjusted independently to create custom airflow patterns, multi blade dampers offer a greater degree of control to single blade dampers.

Fine-adjustment of pressure balance and airflow distribution can be achieved with precision and ease.

Uses of multi blade dampers:

• Data centers: Enables for maintained, optimal airflow to cooling equipment to ensure reliability.
• Hospitals: Controlled airflow may be achieved to operating rooms and patient rooms.
• Industrial facilities: Essential to exhaust fumes and provide airflow ventilation to process equipment and systems.
• Commercial Properties: Vital to large, complex buildings with demanding HVAC requirements, such as shopping centres, leisure centers and more. Enables for the balance of airflow between multiple zones with variable loads.

At HAS-Vent our multi blade dampers are engineered to reliably balance airflows in low to medium velocity H&V systems.

Blast Gate Dampers

Blast gate dampers are a type of damper used to control and correct the flow of air in industrial exhaust systems and dust extraction systems. Also known as gate valves, blast gate dampers are simple, robust and used extensively in the ventilation of machinery in industrial environments for dust extraction.

A single gate/blade is typically used to control the flow of air, dirt and debris in extraction and material handling applications. They are typically manually operated, featuring safe and secure locking positioning from easy to operate thumb operated locking screws.

Uses of blast gate dampers:

• • Dust Collection: Controls airflow and waste extraction in material handling applications. Essential for metalworking and woodworking uses to support dust collection systems. Used extensively for grinders, sanders, saws, routers, planers and more.

• Agricultural: Perform a crucial role in agricultural applications including controlling airflow through grain dryers to optimise grain drying efficiency, and the control of air to livestock barns to maintain temperature and humidity conditions.

• Marine: Used to control airflow and isolate sections of marine vessels, ships and tankers. Can be used to isolate sections of engine rooms to prevent the spread of fire or smoke.

We offer a range of blast gate dampers manufactured to a range of diameters, from 63mm to 355mm.

Explore our blast gate dampers.

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Iris Duct Dampers

Iris duct dampers offer an additional solution for the control of airflow in ventilation systems.

In contrast to single or multi blade dampers, iris duct dampers consist of a series of overlapping blades that, when adjusted, close in a circular opening form versus a standard, linear blade form.

Benefits of iris duct dampers:

• Efficient and accurate airflow regulator for circular ducts
• Simple and reliable measure of airflow

We offer a range of iris duct dampers manufactured to a range of diameters, from 80mm to 800mm.

Explore our iris duct dampers.

Fire Dampers & Blocks

Without appropriate measures in place, fire and smoke can spread rapidly through a building through ventilation systems. Fire dampers and ventilation accessories are crucial to minimising this risk.

At HAS-Vent we manufacture and supply a range of fire safety accessories for H&V systems, serving a range of specific requirements.

From motorised failsafe smoke and fire dampers, to single blade fire dampers and intumescent fire blocks, our fire dampers are designed to stop the spread of fire throughout ducts, walls and floors.

A device known as an air damper controls or halts airflow via a duct, chimney, variable-air-volume (VAV) box, air-handling unit, or other similar equipment. In rooms where air conditioning is not necessary, dampers are also employed to block airflow. Some fire or smoke prevention systems use dampers. 

Significance of Industrial Dampers (Air Dampers) in HVAC Systems

Industrial dampers play a crucial role in HVAC systems. Think of a dam, for instance. Like a dam for water, a damper stops air from flowing over it when it is close. 

HVAC dampers are a major element of any zoning system. They function as duct valves, determining which areas of your home require how much heated or cooled air to maintain proper temperatures. Industrial dampers let you regulate the flow of air to various areas of your home since cold air sinks and hot air rises. 

As regulations govern their use, air dampers are an important design element. Regulations govern the design of industrial dampers. Also, to maintain the required pressure level in the various compartments, they should design to reduce energy losses by preventing heat transfer across them when closed. 

EB Air Control is the leading air damper company. We are known for our quality air damper manufacturing. Contact us today. 

Where are the Air Dampers located?

The most typical place for HVAC dampers in air damper manufacturing is in the main trunk line, before and after any significant intersections. Moreover, you can find them at specific locations on various system ducts, with two dampers on each main line spaced 90 degrees apart. Although dampers range from one manufacturer to the next and even from one unit to the next, most dampers have the following characteristics: 

• These are spherical discs constructed of heavy cardboard or thick fiberglass (like egg crate bedding)
• They have a handle that may turn in either direction to allow or inhibit airflow through the damper.
• Some dampers have a pointed metal pin for a superficial rotating grasp.

Every home is unique. Some houses don't even have any dampers. Depending on your property's location, a supply duct from your furnace may exit to the right or left. Often, you may install a damper in the supply duct leading to your upper level. If you have exposed ducting, check each run to determine if any has dampers. Some homes have dampers in each run, which balances the air. 

Uses of Air Dampers in Fire Protection

Fire dampers, smoker dampers, and combined fire/smoke dampers are the primary types used in fire prevention applications. An overview of the two kinds and their uses is below.  

Fire Dampers

Automatic fire dampers stop the duct's airflow, preventing flames from passing through. These dampers are put in ducts that traverse fire-rated assemblies or fire-rated walls to perform their function. They can be curtain-type or multi-blade type and fit in horizontal and vertical ducting. 

A fusible link places all fire dampers in the open position. When the ductwork temperature reaches a predetermined level, gravity or a spring shuts off the damper by melting the fusible link. Fire dampers must pass several tests to ensure they serve their purpose. 

The primary criteria for choosing a fire damper from an air damper company are the operation range, temperature, and fire resistance rating. The time that a damper can tolerate the heat from a fire determines its fire rating of 1.5 hours. Building codes mandate the preservation of the fire resistance rating over the whole area of walls, and partitions and this technique assures compliance. Parking garages, kitchen exhaust ducting, and dryer exhaust ductwork are the exclusions to using fire dampers. 

Smoke Dampers

In HVAC systems intended to shut down in the event of a fire, smoke dampers, which only have two positions, prevent smoke from spreading. When a duct pierces a smoke partition or smoke barrier within a structure, these dampers fit in a slotted duct segment. Designed or passive smoke control systems are the two dampers that are in practice in some HVAC systems. 

Smoke dampers in passive systems seal and stop air and smoke from passing through ducts or ventilation apertures that cross a smoke barrier. Contrarily, designed smoke control systems use the HVAC system of the building or unique fans that produce pressure differences to restrict the spread of smoke. Heat sensors, smoke sensors, fire alarms, or any other mechanism that satisfies the design goal, while air damper manufacturing may regulate smoke dampers. 

Conclusion

Air dampers have several uses. This includes controlling airflow under normal operating circumstances to acting as a dependable fire or smoke barrier in an emergency. Working with a competent HVAC specialist from an air damper company or bubble-tight damper company is better since code compliance is a crucial factor to consider regardless of the application.