London and the South East

Fire Damper Testing in West Sussex

We cover 371 towns and villages across West Sussex for fire damper testing, working out of hours with a written report and photos after every visit., done evenings, overnight or at weekends, with a fixed quote before we start and a report with photos afterwards.

Call 0345 646 2711

Get a price

Fire damper testing across West Sussex

Fire damper drop testing and smoke damper testing, with a record for each damper. Pick your town below to see the details for your area, or call or email us for a quick quote.

Main towns

Our fire damper testing service in West Sussex

In a fire, ductwork can act as a shortcut for flame and smoke from one part of a building to the next. A damper only does its job if the blade can drop fully. Regular drop testing is how that gets checked in each part of the building. The work covers fusible link fire dampers, hospitals and care homes and riser dampers, and common reasons people get in touch are fire dampers that haven’t been tested for over a year and blades that jam part-way when released.

We start by comparing what we find with the survey or your pictures. Anything unexpected is raised with you before we go further. After that, the work takes a few hours for a single floor, with bigger buildings phased over more than one visit.

First we look at any damper register, drawings or earlier test reports.
We find every damper and open it up through the access panel.
We release each fire damper blade and operate smoke dampers from their controls.
Each one that passes is reset, ready to work.
We report on every damper, with faults and suggested remedials set out.

How we quote

When the work has to happen, how we reach it and how big the site is can all change the price. We take each of them into account, and the price is fixed before we start.

Why book with us

Fully insured
CHAS and SafeContractor accredited, with ISO 9001
In business since 2009
BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease

How to get a quote

We don’t publish a price list, because no two systems are the same. Instead, we look at your site first, from pictures or a survey, and then give you a fixed quote. To start, ring 0345 646 2711 or send us an email.

Local landmarks in Crawley

Locally, jobs take us to businesses close to Friary Church of St Francis and St Anthony, St Wilfrid's Catholic School and Tilgate Park. Also close by are The George Hotel (less than half a mile north), Three Bridges Junior School (less than half a mile south-east) and St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School (within half a mile south-east). Crawley has its own railway station: Crawley station. Other landmarks nearby include Crawley Hospital (0.5 miles north-west) and County Mall (within half a mile north-east). Not far away are Tilgate Lake.

Fire damper testing around West Sussex

Across West Sussex, from Crawley, Horsham and Worthing outwards, fire dampers sit in offices, schools, hotels, care homes and blocks of flats. BESA guidance is that every one is tested at least annually.

Across London and the South East, we work evenings, overnight and weekends, so sites across West Sussex do not have to lose a day. Near the coast in West Sussex, salt and damp speed up corrosion in fans, ducts and dampers, and corrosion is one of the things that can stop a fire damper closing.

Crawley: For schools like Three Bridges Junior School, damper testing is easiest in the holidays, when corridors and ceilings are clear. Crawley Hospital, about 0.5 miles north-west of Crawley, is the kind of building where dampers protect every compartment; smaller care sites need the same annual tests.

What your team can do, and what needs us

Logging matters as much as cleaning. A simple log of filter washes, wipe-downs and checks shows an inspector that the system is looked after between visits, next to our reports.

Staff cleaning and specialist work aren’t the same thing. A daily filter wipe and a weekly filter wash keep grease down at the front of the system, but grease that has passed the filters is out of reach. That part needs specialist access and equipment.

Landlords, agents and facilities managers

Where a tenant occupies the premises but the landlord owns the building, it’s worth checking the lease for who maintains the systems. We are happy to deal with either side, and the report can go to both.

Running several sites is easier with one contractor. We cover South East England and London, so a run of sites can go into one programme and kept on a regular cycle.

Different parts, different methods

Fusible link fire dampers

The link has to be in good order for the damper to work. We check its condition during the test and note anything that isn’t right.

Smoke dampers

A smoke damper that does not respond to its controls is recorded as a fault, with a note of what we found.

What affects the cost of fire damper testing

The price is fixed before any work begins. It’s based on:

One-off work versus a regular cycle
Any permits to work or inductions
The times the site is available
The scale of the work

No two sites are the same, so each one gets its own fixed quote. The size of the job, how we reach it, its condition and the working hours all make a difference.

Asking for a quote

Many jobs can be priced from pictures and some basics. Useful things to send:

Where the site is and what kind of site it is
Any access panels or hatches you can see
A few general shots of the system
When the site is open and when it’s quiet

Quoting starts with a diagnosis, either from photos and details you send or from a site visit. Then we send a fixed price, before work begins.

Signs you need fire damper testing

Corrosion is another common cause of failure. Condensation, leaks and damp plant rooms corrode the parts that need to move, so a damper can seize without anyone noticing.

Look out for any of the following:

Corroded dampers in damp risers and plant rooms
Dampers flagged on a fire risk assessment
Fire dampers nobody can get to
Blades that jam part-way when released

Your questions about fire damper testing in West Sussex

What if a fire damper won’t close?

The fault is recorded and explained in the report. A repair or a replacement can follow as a remedial job with a fresh test at the end.

Who has the duty to keep fire dampers working?

It sits with the building’s responsible person. Depending on the building, that can be the employer, owner, landlord or whoever manages it. We carry out the testing and give them the records.

How much notice should we give?

Earlier is better, particularly for night and weekend visits. We usually quote within one working day, and there’s a 24/7 line for emergencies.

Can we book visits on a schedule?

Yes. Regular plans can run on 3, 6 or 12-monthly cycles, depending on what the system needs.

Can you test motorised smoke dampers?

Yes. We test smoke dampers through their control system, as they’re motor driven. Each one is checked for full travel and the result recorded.

What types of premises do you cover?

Any site with a kitchen or a ventilation system to look after, from a single café to a large school. We work with hotels, schools, care homes, offices, retail and leisure sites.

Do you work in West Sussex?

Yes. Our technicians work in West Sussex, within the South East and London area we cover.