What is a smoke damper designed to do?

What is a smoke damper designed to do?

• A. To enhance airflow in ducts
• B. To prevent smoke from migrating through duct systems during a fire
• C. To lower humidity levels
• D. To filter out pollutants from the air

Answer: (B)

A smoke damper is specifically designed to prevent smoke from migrating through duct systems during a fire. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of smoke barriers and for ensuring the safety of building occupants. By closing automatically in the event of smoke detection, the smoke damper helps to contain smoke and restrict its spread to other areas, thus providing valuable time for evacuation and reducing the risk of smoke inhalation. The operation of smoke dampers is governed by NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards, emphasizing their role in fire protection systems within HVAC systems. Their timely activation is essential for effective smoke control and protection of exit paths in a building during emergencies. This function is distinctly different from the roles suggested by the other options. For instance, enhancing airflow in ducts is not a function of smoke dampers; instead, their primary concern is with smoke management rather than air movement. Lowering humidity levels and filtering out pollutants are also not relevant to the purpose of smoke dampers, as those functions relate to the conditioning and purification of air rather than fire safety and smoke containment.

A smoke damper is specifically designed to prevent smoke from migrating through duct systems during a fire. This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of smoke barriers and for ensuring the safety of building occupants. By closing automatically in the event of smoke detection, the smoke damper helps to contain smoke and restrict its spread to other areas, thus providing valuable time for evacuation and reducing the risk of smoke inhalation.

The operation of smoke dampers is governed by NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards, emphasizing their role in fire protection systems within HVAC systems. Their timely activation is essential for effective smoke control and protection of exit paths in a building during emergencies.

This function is distinctly different from the roles suggested by the other options. For instance, enhancing airflow in ducts is not a function of smoke dampers; instead, their primary concern is with smoke management rather than air movement. Lowering humidity levels and filtering out pollutants are also not relevant to the purpose of smoke dampers, as those functions relate to the conditioning and purification of air rather than fire safety and smoke containment.