Maintenance Visit • Actuator Replacement • Compliance Improvement
Following a routine service visit at a residential site in Lower Parkstone, our engineers identified an issue with the building’s smoke vent system that required corrective action.
During inspection and testing, it was noted that the existing vent actuator — a 200 mm stroke unit — was not opening the smoke vent window to a sufficient area. This limited opening meant the vent could not achieve the required free area for effective smoke control, something that can compromise compliance with relevant fire-safety guidance and risk reducing the efficiency of the smoke ventilation strategy in the event of a fire.
To address this:
- The undersized 200 mm actuator was carefully removed.
- It was replaced with a 600 mm stroke actuator, providing a significantly larger opening movement.
- The new actuator was installed, aligned, tested and commissioned to ensure that the smoke vent now opens fully and reliably as part of the system.
The new actuator installed on the smoke vent frame now achieves the correct opening range, improving both compliance and performance of the system.
Why This Upgrade Was Important
Smoke ventilation systems — whether automatic or manually operated — must provide a sufficient clear opening area to allow smoke and hot gases to escape effectively from a building in the early stages of a fire. If the vent does not open wide enough:
- Smoke can accumulate lower in a stairwell or circulation space
- Visibility for evacuees and firefighters can be reduced
- The system may not meet the performance criteria set out in fire-safety standards or the building’s design specification
In this case, the original 200 mm actuator was capable of only a limited opening, meaning that the vent unit could not meet its design free area and could be deemed non-compliant on performance testing.
By upgrading to a 600 mm actuator, we ensured that:
- The vent now achieves a larger opening span
- Smoke ventilation performance is improved under activation
- The system is aligned with correct operational parameters
- Future maintenance and testing will be simpler with the correct component in place
Outcome & Benefits
✔ System now compliant with designed opening capability
✔ Improved smoke extraction potential if the vent is activated
✔ Long-term reliability with a correctly sized actuator
✔ Reduced risk of smoke retention in upper areas or lobbies
This type of retrofit helps buildings maintain both performance and compliance without requiring full vent replacement — a cost-effective outcome that enhances safety and reliability.
Looking After Your Smoke Vent System
Regular servicing of smoke ventilation — especially components like actuators, sensors, dashpots, and control units — is essential to ensure effective performance. If you’ve had an upcoming fire-risk assessment or have concerns about actuator performance or vent free-area compliance, EAC Fire & Security can provide:
- Full smoke vent surveys
- Component replacement and retrofits
- Functional testing and commissioning
- Detailed compliance reporting
Contact us today to discuss your smoke vent requirements or arrange a site visit.
