Difference Between Dampers and Louvers

Dampers and louvers both are used to manage the free flow of air but with different purposes. People often get confused between louvers and dampers due to a few of the similarities they have. For instance, they both have exterior frames and horizontal blades. Moreover, they are mostly placed on walls and can work as either the supply or exhaust entry point for the ventilation system.

These are the only similarities they have. In this blog, we will discuss mainly about the differences between louvers and dampers. The most prominent difference between them is that when it comes to a building ventilation system, louvers are used to separate things like sand, rain or snow from the airflow whereas backdraft dampers are used for preventing airflow in a single direction.

Dampers and Louvers

As mentioned above dampers and louvers both control the airflow in a process system or enclosed area. Dampers can be found in both motor-driven and gravity-operated versions. The usage of motorized dampers is typically seen in places where a very tight seal is needed or when the damper needs to work against the air pressure.  Gravity dampers, also known as shutters, are needed in horizontal fan exhaust applications. Gravity dampers need to depend on air pressure to open up because of the absence of motor.

On the other hand, louvers are used in places where protection from water infiltration is needed. When an application needs air shutoff, both the support of damper and louver is required as louvers are equipped with fixed blades that are unable to close.

The difference in terms of panels

The Louver is a kind of a shutter or blind that comes with horizontal slats that are angled to allow space for light and air but restrict rain and direct sunlight whereas dampers control the airflow. In HVAC systems, dampers and louvers are used to regulate the flow of air. One can select between dampers and louvers based on the design requirements. Dampers also have the capacity to restrict smoke and heat when used as smoke detectors.

The difference in terms of blades

The most prominent difference between Louvers and Dampers lies on their blades. Louver blades are usually constant and unable to move while the dampers have movable blades.

As louvers do not have the capacity to move, they can not control the regulation of airflow but dampers being movable can act as a regulator to control airflow

We hope that this article will help you get some clarity on the differences between louvers and dampers and decide which one will be the right one for your application. Feel free to reach out to Yizhong for a query related to dampers or louvers.