Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024
Fire dampers, smoke dampers and
combination fire/smoke dampers shall be provided at the
locations prescribed in Sections 716.5.1 through 716.5.7 and 716.6. Where an
assembly is required to have both fire
dampers and smoke
dampers,
combination fire/smoke
dampers or a
fire damper and a smoke damper shall be
required.
716.5.1
Fire
walls. Ducts and air transfer openings permitted in fire
walls in accordance with Section 706.11 shall be protected with
listed fire dampers installed in accordance with their
listing.
716.5.1.1
Horizontal exits.
A listed
smoke
damper
designed to resist the passage of smoke shall be provided at each point a duct
or air transfer opening penetrates a fire wall that serves as
a horizontal exit.
716.5.2
Fire barriers. Ducts and
air transfer openings of fire barriers shall be protected with
approved fire dampers installed in accordance with their
listing. Ducts and air transfer openings shall not penetrate
exit enclosures and exit passageways except
as permitted by Sections 1022.4 and 1023.6, respectively.
Exception:
Fire dampers are not
required at penetrations of fire barriers where any of the
following apply:
1. Penetrations are
tested in accordance with ASTM E 119 or UL 263 as part of the
fire-resistance-rated assembly.
2.
Ducts are used as part of an approved smoke control system in
accordance with Section 909 and where the use of a fire damper
would interfere with the operation of a smoke control system.
3. Such walls are penetrated by ducted HVAC
systems, have a required
fire-resistance rating of 1 hour or
less, are in areas of other than Group H and are in buildings equipped
throughout with an
automatic sprinkler system in accordance
with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2. For the purposes of this exception, a
ducted HVAC system shall be a duct system for conveying supply, return or
exhaust air as part of the structure's HVAC system. Such a duct system shall be
constructed of sheet steel not less than No. 26 gage thickness and shall be
continuous from the air-handling appliance or equipment to the air outlet and
inlet terminals.
716.5.2.1
Horizontal
exits. A listed
smoke
damper designed to resist the passage of smoke shall be
provided at each point a duct or air transfer opening penetrates a fire
barrier that serves as a horizontal
exit.
716.5.3
Shaft enclosures. Shaft
enclosures that are permitted to be penetrated by ducts and air transfer
openings shall be protected with approved fire and smoke
dampers installed in accordance with their listing.
Exceptions:
1.
Fire
dampers
are not required at penetrations of shafts where:
1.1. Steel exhaust subducts are extended at
least 22 inches (559 mm) vertically in exhaust shafts, provided there is a
continuous airflow upward to the outside; or
1.2. Penetrations are tested in accordance
with ASTM E 119 or UL 263 as part of the fire-resistance-rated assembly;
or
1.3. Ducts are used as part of
an approved smoke control system designed and installed in
accordance with Section 909 and where the fire
damper will interfere with the operation of the smoke control
system; or
1.4. The penetrations
are in parking garage exhaust or supply shafts that are separated from other
building shafts by not less than 2-hour fire-resistance-rated
construction.
2. In Group
B and R occupancies equipped throughout with an
automatic sprinkler
system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1,
smoke
dampers are not required at penetrations of shafts where:
2.1. Kitchen, clothes dryer, bathroom and
toilet room exhaust openings are installed with steel exhaust subducts, having
a minimum wall thickness of 0.0187-inch (0.4712 mm) (No. 26 gage);
2.2. The subducts extend at least 22 inches
(559 mm) vertically; and
2.3. An
exhaust fan is installed at the upper terminus of the shaft that is powered
continuously in accordance with the provisions of Section 909.11, so as to
maintain a continuous upward airflow to the outside.
3.
Smoke dampers are not
required at penetration of exhaust or supply shafts in parking garages that are
separated from other building shafts by not less than 2-hour
fire-resistance-rated construction.
4.
Smoke dampers are not
required at penetrations of shafts where ducts are used as part of an
approved mechanical smoke control system designed in
accordance with Section 909 and where the smoke damper will
interfere with the operation of the smoke control system.
5.
Fire dampers and
combination fire/smoke
dampers are not
required in kitchen and clothes dryer exhaust systems when installed in
accordance with the International Mechanical Code.
716.5.4
Fire
partitions. Ducts and air transfer openings that penetrate fire
partitions shall be protected with listed
fire dampers installed in accordance with their listing.
Exceptions: In occupancies other than Group H,
fire dampers are not required where any of the following
apply:
1. Corridor walls in buildings
equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in
accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2 and the duct is protected as a
through penetration in accordance with Section 713.
2. Tenant partitions in covered mall
buildings where the walls are not required by provisions elsewhere in
the code to extend to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, slab or
deck above.
3. The duct system is
constructed of
approved materials in accordance with the
International Mechanical Code and the duct penetrating the
wall complies with all of the following requirements:
3.1. The duct shall not exceed 100 square
inches (0.06 m2).
3.2. The duct shall be constructed of steel a
minimum of 0.0217 inch (0.55 mm) in thickness.
3.3. The duct shall not have openings that
communicate the corridor with adjacent spaces or
rooms.
3.4. The duct shall be
installed above a ceiling.
3.5. The
duct shall not terminate at a wall register in the fire-resistance-rated
wall.
3.6. A minimum 12-inch-long
(305 mm) by 0.060-inch-thick (1.52 mm) steel sleeve shall be centered in each
duct opening. The sleeve shall be secured to both sides of the wall and all
four sides of the sleeve with minimum
11/2-inch by
11/2-inch by 0.060-inch (38
mm by 38 mm by 1.52 mm) steel retaining angles. The retaining angles shall be
secured to the sleeve and the wall with No. 10 (M 5) screws. The
annular space between the steel sleeve and the wall opening
shall be filled with mineral wool batting on all sides.
716.5.4.1
Corridors. A
listed smoke damper designed to resist the passage of smoke
shall be provided at each point a duct or air transfer opening penetrates a
corridor enclosure required to have smoke and draft control
doors in accordance with Section 715.4.3.
Exceptions:
1.
Smoke dampers are not
required where the building is equipped throughout with an
approved smoke control system in accordance with Section 909,
and smoke dampers are not necessary for the operation and
control of the system.
2.
Smoke dampers are not required in corridor
penetrations where the duct is constructed of steel not less than 0.019 inch
(0.48 mm) in thickness and there are no openings serving the
corridor.
716.5.5
Smoke barriers. A
listed smoke damper designed to resist the passage of smoke
shall be provided at each point a duct or air transfer opening penetrates a
smoke barrier. Smoke dampers and
smoke damper actuation methods shall comply with Section
716.3.3.2.
Exception:
Smoke dampers are
not required where the openings in ducts are limited to a single smoke
compartment and the ducts are constructed of steel.
716.5.6
Exterior walls. Ducts
and air transfer openings in fire-resistance-rated exterior
walls required to have protected openings in accordance with Section
705.10 shall be protected with listed fire dampers installed
in accordance with their listing.
716.5.7
Smoke partitions. A
listed smoke damper designed to resist the passage of smoke
shall be provided at each point that an air transfer opening penetrates a smoke
partition. Smoke dampers and smoke damper
actuation methods shall comply with Section 716.3.3.2.
Exception: Where the installation of a
smoke
damper will interfere with the
operation of a required smoke control system in accordance with Section 909,
approved alternative protection shall be
utilized.
