Borken · Münsterland · all of NRWMon – Fri · 06:00 – 18:00
↳ Services / Fire dampers

Fire dampers

Ventilation ducts are a building's silent fire paths. Fire dampers close them automatically in the event of fire, preventing flames and smoke from crossing into adjacent fire compartments via the ductwork. We design, supply, install and maintain dampers under DIN EN 15650 and DIN 4102-6 — throughout North Rhine-Westphalia.

K30 · K60 · K90 · K120Trox · Wildeboer · Schako · StrulikMaintenance + inspection access included
Rectangular K90 fire damper fitted to a solid wall
↳ Ventilation fire protection
↳ Function & purpose

What a fire damper is — and why it's mandatory.

Fire dampers are self-closing shut-off devices in ventilation and HVAC systems. They sit at every point where a duct crosses a fire-resistant wall or ceiling and seal that opening within seconds in the event of fire. Release is either purely thermal via a 72 °C fusible link, or electrical via the fire alarm system. Without working dampers, the ventilation network defeats the compartmentation of the building — fire, smoke and heat would spread unhindered.

↳ Fire-resistance classes

From K30 to K120 — matched to the compartment wall.

The damper's fire-resistance rating must be at least equal to that of the penetrated element. Nationally classified under DIN 4102-6 (K), and harmonised across Europe under DIN EN 13501-3 (EI … S).

K30
30 minutes

For penetrations through F30 walls and ceilings — standard in residential and smaller commercial buildings.

K60
60 minutes

For F60 elements — rare in practice, mostly in special-purpose buildings.

K90
90 minutes

The industrial and special-building standard. Required for penetrations through F90 fire walls, stairwell walls and most compartment walls.

K120
120 minutes

For fire walls with the highest requirement class — hospitals, large buildings, security-critical infrastructure.

↳ Construction types

Round, rectangular, motorised, thermal — for every situation.

Which damper fits depends on duct geometry, installation location and the interface with the fire alarm panel.

01

Rectangular

Standard construction for classic rectangular ducts in commercial and industrial buildings. Available up to around 1,600 × 800 mm.

02

Round

For spiral ducts — more compact, easier to install, widespread in office and residential buildings. Nominal sizes DN 100 to DN 630.

03

Thermal release

Purely mechanical via a 72 °C fusible link — works without power, no alarm-panel wiring required. Standard for stand-alone buildings.

04

Motorised with alarm interface

Electric spring-return actuator, triggered by smoke detector or central fire alarm panel. Required for buildings with alarm-monitoring duty.

05

Smoke extract dampers (EK)

Open in a fire to draw off smoke — part of mechanical smoke-extraction concepts. Different function from a fire damper, often fitted in the same duct network.

06

With position feedback

For control rooms and maintenance records: OPEN / CLOSED feedback to BMS or alarm panel. A prerequisite for remote monitoring.

↳ What we do

From design to annual certified inspection.

We look after fire dampers across the full life cycle — new installation, retrofit, maintenance, inspection, replacement.

  1. ↳ 01

    Design & sizing

    Damper positions derived from the compartmentation plan, dimensioned by airflow, selection between thermal and motorised.

  2. ↳ 02

    Supply & installation

    Installation in solid walls, light-weight walls or ceilings — following the manufacturer's approval, including access hatch and labelling.

  3. ↳ 03

    Retrofit in existing buildings

    Retrospective integration into existing duct networks — following fire-safety orders, a change of use or an expert's report.

  4. ↳ 04

    Maintenance under DIN EN 15650

    Six-monthly function test via trip release — logged in the test record. Can be extended to annual intervals on proof of twelve months without fault.

  5. ↳ 05

    Certified inspection

    Annual inspection by a certified expert with written record — a duty of the operator and the basis for insurance cover.

  6. ↳ 06

    Replacement & upgrade

    Replacement of corroded or no longer approved dampers, conversion from thermal to motorised when a fire alarm panel is added.

↳ Typical settings

Wherever ventilation crosses compartment lines.

01

Industry & production

Halls with process ventilation, extract from paint booths and welding cabins — K90 as standard, usually motorised with alarm-panel interface.

02

Office buildings

Central ventilation systems with duct networks across several floors — dampers at every floor slab and stairwell wall.

03

Clinics & care homes

Strict requirements under special-building codes, often K120 with full alarm-panel connection including feedback.

04

Car parks & underground garages

Separate garage ordinance, mixed smoke-extract and fire dampers, special approvals for CO and smoke release.

05

Kitchens & hospitality

Grease-laden extract brings special requirements — dedicated cleaning and test intervals, often combined with explosion protection.

06

Residential buildings

Internal bathrooms and WCs with mechanical extract under DIN 18017-3 — K30 dampers at every dwelling boundary.

↳ Price range

What fire dampers cost — a rough guide.

A reliable price follows on-site measurement and a duct survey. The ranges below cover supply plus installation in a typical NRW building, without surcharges for height, restricted access or alarm-panel integration.

  1. €450 – 950
    Round DN 100 – DN 315
    Thermal release, standard residential and office construction
  2. €750 – 1,600
    Round DN 400 – DN 630
    Commercial, mid-sized ventilation plant rooms
  3. €1,100 – 2,400
    Rectangular up to 800 × 500 mm
    Industrial standard, thermal or motorised
  4. + €300 – 900
    Surcharge motor + alarm-panel connection
    Per damper, including wiring to the sub-distribution board

For a firm fixed price, we survey the duct network on site and coordinate the design with your ventilation engineer or technical building services.

↳ Why Abels

One point of contact for duct, damper and test record.

01 / 4

Manufacturer-independent

We design and install dampers from every major brand — Trox, Wildeboer, Schako, Strulik, Rf-Technologies. Selected for the building, not from stock.

02 / 4

Installation + maintenance from one source

Those who install, maintain. It removes interfaces, and warranty and service records live in a single file.

03 / 4

Alarm-panel coordination

We coordinate with your electrician and alarm-panel installer — from wiring through to commissioning with a joint function test.

04 / 4

Serviceability

Every damper we fit is accessible and labelled — required under DIN EN 15650, but often neglected.

↳ FAQ

Common questions about fire dampers.

↳ Further reading

Related services.

↳ In detail

Related services in this area.

↳ Next step

Plan, install or maintain dampers — one call is enough.

Send us the quantity, construction type and site — or let us survey the existing installation on site. We come back within 24 hours with a firm proposal.