To quote Spiderman’s Uncle Ben, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Although fire dampers provide an irreplaceable asset to homes and office buildings, they also come with a catch: they’re a natural access point for someone up to no good. Security bars, however, provide a solution to this vulnerability by enhancing the protection of your fire dampers and the overall security of your building.
Thankfully, Lloyd Industries doesn’t just supply static and dynamic fire dampers — we also provide the security bars needed to keep your dampers, and your building, safe and secure. These bars play a crucial role in preventing unauthorized access to fire dampers and the HVAC system, ensuring that your building remains protected not only from fires but also from potential security threats.
What Are Security Bars?
Security bars are devices that help protect windows, doors, and other points of entry to a building from intruders. Businesses typically install these bars in areas where intruders can break through unprotected doors or windows, giving them access to the building’s interior or other vital spaces.
If you’ve ever been in a mall when it was opening or closing, or to a jewelry store, you’ve probably seen the bars that cover the front doors and windows when the business is closed.
Security bars are a tangible representation of a proactive approach to safeguarding your property. These robust devices not only act as a visual deterrent to potential intruders but also provide a practical and effective means of preventing unauthorized access. Their application extends beyond retail establishments, with various industries and homeowners recognizing the benefits of these bars for protecting their assets and ensuring the safety of occupants. When strategically installed, these bars play a pivotal role in fortifying your building against security threats, making them an integral part of a comprehensive security plan that brings peace of mind and enhanced protection to both commercial and residential settings.
Do Fire Dampers Need Security Bars?
In addition to doors and windows, there are other access points to a home or office that contractors or other professionals should inspect to assure that they are safe from intruders. An access point that we recommend securing that you may not think of are your fire dampers and other heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts. If your HVAC ducts and fire dampers are on the roof of your building, it may seem as though that is not an easy access point for intruders. However, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Installing security bars over your fire dampers prevents someone from accessing your HVAC system, as they might if you do not have security bars. Although security bars could potentially be cut or damaged, it is much more likely that the idea of having to cut or saw through the bars and the noise it would make would deter an intruder.
Types of Security Bars for Fire Dampers
Lloyd Industries carries two primary styles of security bars for fire dampers:
Each style is made for contractors to install in the sleeve or curbs of the fire dampers and contains bolt clearance holes for easy installation.
The SB-1 style contains two vertical bars that separate the metal structure into three sections. Each bar is approximately six inches apart from one another to prevent access to the fire dampers. The style also comes in unlimited sizes to fit any size fire damper. The SB-2 style is a grid and offers both horizontal and vertical security bars for additional protection. At Lloyd Industries, security bars for fire dampers are solid steel and are available unfinished or plated with zinc, painted, or finished with black oxide.
Lloyd Industries has over 35 years of experience manufacturing fire and smoke dampers, security bars, access doors, and HVAC products. For more information on how Lloyd Industries can keep you, your staff, and your customers safe, visit their website or check out their blog for tips, tricks, and essential knowledge about everything related to fire protection!
