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Apprentice Q&A · #073

Does the fire damper sleeve get attached to the wall or just the retaining angles?

2nd YearDampersRED · Stop / Verify

It floats. The fire damper sleeve itself must never be anchored directly into the concrete, masonry, or drywall studs. It is held in place purely by the sandwiching clamping force of the retaining angles touching the outer faces of the wall. This allows the duct to expand or collapse during a fire without tearing down the wall structure.

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Plain-English answer

It floats. The fire damper sleeve itself must never be anchored directly into the concrete, masonry, or drywall studs. It is held in place purely by the sandwiching clamping force of the retaining angles touching the outer faces of the wall. This allows the duct to expand or collapse during a fire without tearing down the wall structure.

Field checklist

Ask Foreman

Hey boss, I’m on dampers and need verification before I touch this: Does the fire damper sleeve get attached to the wall or just the retaining angles? Do you want me to stop here and check the approved detail, submittal, or inspector/manufacturer requirement first?

Open Ask Foreman

Verify before acting

Use this as training guidance. The foreman, approved drawings, project specs, manufacturer installation instructions, employer safety policy, and AHJ/code requirements always control the final answer.

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