AOV Installation

We install and maintain all forms of AOV system and also install an addressable interface to existing AOV systems to modify them to automatic control. We are the preferred installer for many social housing clients and have been called upon to install AOV systems to new and existing residential blocks throughout the UK. We install and maintain a vast array of equipment and have contracts in place with most manufacturers, ensuring that we can provide suitable support to your property, including Velux, S E Controls, Rocburn, Colt, Dyer and SCS systems.

To comply with the latest building regulations every communal stairwell must have an Automatic Opening Vent installation to extract smoke. Most large buildings contain sufficient air to sustain a substantial fire, so the well known domestic advice to shut all doors in the event of a fire do not apply.

In fact the exact opposite applies. The greatest immediate danger to the occupants of a large building in the event of a fire comes from the smoke rather than the heat of the fire. Even a small fire can rapidly fill a large building with smoke to an extent where people escaping the building cannot see to find the escape routes and can be overcome by smoke inhalation.

The recognised method of addressing these problems is to provide a smoke ventilation system with automatically operated roof ventilators.

Disruption? Don't worry we will work alongside our contractors to minimise disruption, in the case that if we have to interupt any utilities (gas, water and electric) to your premisis we ensure that we will notify you as early as possible.

In the case of a fire within a building, more than 60% of fatalities are caused by smoke poisoning. Smoke ventilation installation devices allow for the life-threatening smoke to be released into the open or to dilute its concentration. The danger is therefore reduced before smoke spreads through a building and escape routes like halls and staircases become impassable.

Automatic opening devices can be fitted to windows, roof-lights or doors. These devices will be linked to a central control panel, complete with a battery backup system in case of mains failure. This control panel can then be triggered from either manual override switches local to the ventilator and the ground floor, by dedicated smoke detectors, or by interfacing with a third party smoke detection/fire alarm system.

Smoke vent installation / automatic opening vents installation is an essential requirement for buildings to ensure the escape routes and communal areas are kept clear of smoke during a buildings evacuation stage.

Why install an AOV smoke control system?

Advanced smoke ventilation for safe evacuation

In case of a fire breaking out in a building, installing an AOV smoke control system can provide the following benefits:

Keep escape and access routes free from smoke
Improve visibility to ease firefighting operations
Delay and/or prevent full-fire development
Protect equipment, furnishings and contents
Reduce effects of heat on structural components during a fire
Reduce damage caused by thermal decomposition products and hot or harmful gases like CO2

We offer complete maintenance servicing on all AOV systems. Servicing reduces the likelihood of component failure and prolongs the system’s life. We also provide callouts if something goes wrong with an AOV system. For example, if your roof hatch breaks or fails to open, we’re on hand to correct any faults or issues preventing safety.

Contact us today to learn more about our fire safety services for your building or arrange a full fire risk assessment for your property.

Durcan Services offer Automatic Opening Vents repair, Automatic Opening Vents service and Automatic Opening Vents testing to ensure our customer stay compliant with their fire safety equipment.

Building regulations for AOV windows:

Approved Document B – Fire Safety

The regulations for what a building must be fitted with to prevent the spread of fire are covered in Approved Document B. Specifically, Approved Doc B Volume 2 covers buildings other than dwelling houses, the areas where AOV windows are commonly used. For residential buildings, it’s essential for a fire detection and alarm system to be in place, plus there should be adequate means of escape.

Approved Document F – Smoke Control and Ventilation

Building regs Document F sets out how ventilation is to be provided for specific buildings. The method for ventilation will vary depending on the type of building, the layout, the number of occupants and how the upper floors are reached (by elevator, stairway or alternative method). Approved Document F also aims to prevent the accumulation of smoke within buildings. This is important for providing a means of escape during the event of a fire. More than one Automatic Opening Vent may be required for smoke control purposes, however, in multi-storey buildings, they’re usually fitted above the staircases.

Approved Document L – Conservation of Fuel and Power

Approved Document L regulates how much thermal insulation should be provided by smoke vents. The document points out that smoke vents should be designed in a way to prevent excessive heat loss. U-Values are the unit for measuring heat loss and the lower the U-Value, the smaller amount of heat transmittance or heat loss. To comply with Approved Document L, any smoke vents must have a U-Value of 3.5 W/m2k or lower. Specifically, the two documents mainly relevant to AOV window regulations are:

Approved Document L2A, which covers new buildings other than dwellings

Approved Document L2B, which covers existing buildings other than dwellings

WSK 320 Break Glass Call Point

Standards and certification for AOV windows:

BS EN12101-2

BS EN12101-2 is the harmonised European standard for smoke and heat control. A stringent AOV testing procedure must be performed before an AOV window is certified to this standard. However, this standard applies to every component used as part of a smoke control system. Plus, the whole system has to be tested as a collective unit to comply with Building Regulations.

CE Marking

CE marking certification demonstrates that the AOV has passed all the required tests.

How often should an AOV be tested?

Once a month, AOVs should be tested using the manual controls to make sure that they are working as they should be. Plus, a full test, which includes checking any smoke detectors and other AOV controls, should be performed yearly.

For more information on how we can help install, repair or maintain your property, call us today on 0800 77 20206 or email info@durcans.co.uk

We offer a no obligation assessment and quotation.

We cover most area's within England including Stevenage · Milton Keynes · Cambridge · Northampton · Peterborough · Bedford · Norwich · London · Hertfordshire · Essex · Dartford · Cambridgeshire · Kent · Suffolk · Leicestershire · Bedfordshire · Buckinghamshire · Surrey