Well, folks, if your weather is anything like ours is in Memphis right now—both fall and winter arrived seemingly at the same time and are now competing to see who’s here to stay. We know winter will win out in the end but in the meantime, trying to regulate buildings based on the swinging temps is exhausting. With it being the season of giving thanks, all we have to say is thank goodness for dampers!
Get that damper to the right zone!
Why are we so thankful for dampers? Because they are this season’s MVP when it comes to zone control. Dampers are positioned in ductwork to regulate airflow and direct it to the areas that need it. When partnered with correct zoning, a building is set up for success; it truly is the MVP when it comes to getting clean air where it needs to be and helping a building’s system stay regulated temperature-wise!
Image courtesy of ASHRAE
What all goes into making a damper?
Dampers are more than just plates and valves that control airflow. Most dampers are made up of a variety of components such as frames, blades and blade pins, axles, bearings, motors, and much more. And all those components go into making many different types of dampers for a wide array of applications.
What are the different types of dampers?
On average, dampers can be split into two categories where they are deemed either automatic or manual. From here it gets a little more complicated. Types range from fire, smoke, fire and smoke, multi-blade and single-blade, round, barometric, balancing, bypass, and more. Below you can see an example of a fire damper.
Image courtesy of NFPA-Fire Damper
Why do so many damper types exist?
Buildings of course! Every building and BAS has different needs based on a number of things such as facility type, capacity, facility needs, and more. Getting the right one is a must to best serve your customer’s building/facility.
To learn more about dampers and the standard for zoning, air ventilation procedure, and more read up on ASHRAE Standard 62.1 and ASHRAE Guideline 36-2018.
And to get the right damper for your next job so you can be the MVP for your customer, call or click here to browse dampers on kele.com now. Kele’s got you covered!
