access panel

I need to access a duct that drops 4 floors straight down, my problem is the place I would like to install the access panel and the place that offers the most space to work with it is on the bend before it enters the building. Is there a NFPA approved panel that will conform to that bend, Flame guard only offers flat panels, and the only other one I can find is for the side of a small round duct, 8 inches or so. I can put a flat panel in but it will have to be small and nearly impossible to work with because things are in the way. If I can't access it at that bend somehow I don't think I will even summit a bid. anyone know of anything?

4 stories......... whats that about 40 feet? a door at every 12 ft max thats 3 doors and 1 at the change of direction, try to talk em into 4 or 5 doors show em the #96 standard, if they dont go for it put 1 at the change of direction and try a duct spinner for the straight run of duct

ductmate has the sandwich type of door with ceramic gasket and they come in a variety of sizes..call em and get the number of a dist. near you

Richard

Ductmate.com

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc

Yeah I know about the need for one on every floor, this is a government office building in DC, and things that may apply to the rest of us don't often apply to the government. Here is the deal as it stands now. If we need to access any of the offices then the owner of the restaurant has to pay an armed guard to stand by and watch. If we need to be in more than one office at a time then more than one guard is needed. He already has to pay building maintenance to stay and escort us around (double time)
My plan for now is to open up the top and see how dirty it is, it has a panel at the bottom, which is only a few feet from the hood. I will put in writing that I am not responsible for any damage caused by unforeseen leaks between the top and the bottom, this should not be a problem because the duct is straight , so any leaking should end up in the kitchen. The company that was cleaning it went out of business, and the owner told me they had never explained any of this to him. What a surprise! The bill will is likely up near $500 just for building maintenance, and I haven't submitted a bid to him yet, if it becomes necessary to involve armed guards the bill quickly go into the thousands.
Ductmate does not have an access panel that will work in the large bend in the duct. I already deal them quite a bit.

If it becomes apparent that we need to get into the offices I will go that way, just trying to taker the easy and less expensive path first, if that does not work then we will move on from there.

Hello Bryan,

Anytime we have worked in Government owned buildings they want their own people to install any and all access panels. We tell them where we need them and they put them in!

Dave Olson

That may be the case here, the guy called me because the other company was no longer in business, when I told him of the existing access problems he looked at me like I was crazy, but after showing and explaining the process to him, he understands. in the end it may be that they have someone do the install, if we have to work in the office space it will likely mean opening up some walls also. Here is a question, if a NFPA approved access panel does not exist that will work for this spot, what will a government contractor install

My experience is they will do one of two things:

1. Put an appproved access in the easiest place to install one or

2. Put in an unapproved access in the correct location.

Good luck!

Ok I talked to the owner of this restaurant today, and to my dismay, he told me that he was told "any access panels have to meet code", and we probably won't be able to access any of the office space. Talk about a double standard, I have to play by the rules but they can have 4 floors of inaccessible duct!
Before I blow this thing off completely I am going to speak to the guy at the building to confirm what I was told, and to try to explain the problem.
In the meantime I am attaching a drawing if you can call it that, just in case I didn't explain it clearly earlier, and again I ask, does a panel exist that will go here that meets code?

It can be made to conform to code, but it will not be to code.


Sheet Metal Guy.

There is the problem, even if it looks code, if it is not UL approved then it is not code. This is a government building, I don't want to cut any corners here.
I have a feeling if I let it go for a while, they will call back and be a little more accommodating. Now that I have shown them what needs to be done, the other companies won't be able to skim over the details for the payday. If not, oh well I've spent too much time with it already.


This is something that Phil Ackland should chime in on, this is a common design for exhaust systems in this area and a access for that area that meets code would be really nice.
I know he has his hands in most of the code stuff, I have seen him on here before, but only to sell something I think.

FYI

I talked to ductmate today, and they can make that panel, it is likely a special order but can be done.

kmjt1021 said:

There is the problem, even if it looks code, if it is not UL approved then it is not code. This is a government building, I don't want to cut any corners here.
I have a feeling if I let it go for a while, they will call back and be a little more accommodating. Now that I have shown them what needs to be done, the other companies won't be able to skim over the details for the payday. If not, oh well I've spent too much time with it already.


This is something that Phil Ackland should chime in on, this is a common design for exhaust systems in this area and a access for that area that meets code would be really nice.
I know he has his hands in most of the code stuff, I have seen him on here before, but only to sell something I think.

Click to expand...

ha ha ha