West Sussex · Fire damper testing
Arundel fire damper testing
Fire damper testing for Arundel and the surrounding area: diagnosis first, then a fixed quote, the work and a report with photos. Call for a fixed quote.
- Smoke dampers that need testing through their controls
- Buildings with no damper register
- Corroded dampers in damp risers and plant rooms
Fire dampers in Arundel buildings
Food Standards Agency data includes about 8 hotels, B&Bs and guest houses within 1.5 miles or so of the middle of Arundel. Many buildings of this kind have ductwork through fire-resisting walls and floors, and the dampers at those points need testing at least annually. Arundel’s nearest hospital, Arundel and District Hospital, is about under half a mile north-west. Where patients or residents may need help to leave a building, working dampers matter all the more. Arundel is covered by West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Under the Fire Safety Order, the responsible person has to keep fire safety systems, dampers included, in working order, and the fire authority enforces that in most non-domestic premises.
Ecclesden Manor, about 4.3 miles south-east, is one of the historic houses near Arundel, and older buildings converted to new uses often have ventilation added later. For managed buildings around Arundel station, damper testing can be booked out of hours so tenants aren’t disturbed.
Arundel is about 3 miles north-west of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. Arundel gets the same approach as every site we work on: a survey first, a fixed quote, work timed around your hours and a report with photos. Our area takes in 371 places across West Sussex, large and small. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 19 miles away.
We cover every part of BN18 for fire damper testing and the roads nearby. If you need fire damper testing at premises on London Road, High Street and Arundel Relief Road or a nearby road, we can help. Main roads around Arundel include the A27 and A284, so getting to you is simple for evening and night visits. We also cover the places around Arundel: Crossbush (1 mile south-east), Tortington (1 mile south-west), Warningcamp (2 miles east), Lyminster (2 miles south) and Ford (2 miles south-west). Larger places within reach include Worthing (7 miles east), Bognor Regis (7 miles south-west), Chichester (10 miles west), Selsey (13 miles south-west), Littlehampton (3 miles south-east) and Shoreham-by-Sea (13 miles east).
Near you in Arundel
In Arundel, that means kitchens and buildings near Arundel Park and The Newburgh Arms. The nearest railway station is Arundel station, roughly 0.7 miles south-east of the centre. A little further out are Arundel Castle (within half a mile north-east) and Arundel and District Hospital (within half a mile north-west). For a walk, there’s Bignor Hill and WWT Arundel.
How we handle fire damper testing in Arundel
Fire dampers sit inside ductwork where it passes through a fire-resisting wall or floor. Most are held open by a fusible link that melts at a set temperature, letting the blade drop and close the duct. Drop testing proves that this still happens, and every result is written down, damper by damper. We’re often asked to deal with fire damper items raised by an assessor and blades that jam part-way when released, across wall and floor dampers, riser dampers and fusible link fire dampers.
In a smaller place like Arundel, buildings with fire dampers are more likely to be a school, a surgery, a care home or a hotel than an office block. The law on keeping them working does not change with the size of the place.
Nothing is signed off by word of mouth: a written report, dated and illustrated with photos, and for TR19® Grease cleans, a certificate issued through the BESCA VHE portal. It shows what was done and what, if anything, couldn’t be reached.
- Place
- Arundel (BN18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Reporting
- Photo report after each visit
- Quote
- A fixed price before any work starts
- Working hours
- After hours by arrangement; emergencies any time
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
Also near Arundel
What else we do in Arundel
What we’re called out for in Arundel
Corrosion is another common cause of failure. Water leaks, condensation and damp plant areas attack the casing, blade and spring, and the damper can seize quietly where no one sees it.
Look out for these warning signs:
- Fire dampers nobody can get to
- Corroded dampers in damp risers and plant rooms
- Dampers flagged on a fire risk assessment
- Dirty dampers that may not close
Healthcare buildings such as Arundel and District Hospital (about under half a mile north-west) rely on fire compartments, and the dampers in them need testing at least annually.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether they recommend a next date
- Whether the work can be done while the site is closed
- Which accreditations they hold, and whether you can check them
- Whether the quote is based on a survey or photos
The process
Protection comes first: sheeting goes over floors and surfaces close to the work. Then we make the system safe and start. The work on site takes from an hour or two in a small building to several visits on a large estate, and we clear up before we go. In a smaller place like Arundel, parking is rarely the issue, but tell us about gates, roof access and opening hours.
- We gather what’s known about the dampers, from drawings, registers or past reports.
- Each damper is located and reached through its access panel.
- Every fire damper is dropped, and every smoke damper is tested through its controls.
- We reset every damper that passes and check it’s left open.
- The results go into a report, with failed dampers and remedials listed.
Getting ready for the visit
- Arrange a key holder or contact on site
- Move anything stored near the system
- Make sure equipment near the work can be switched off and left to cool
How to get a quote
Getting a quote doesn’t take long. Send a few details and photos, and we normally reply with a fixed quote within one working day. Where a survey is needed, we arrange a time that suits the site.
Advice
What affects the quote in Arundel
Your quote is based on your site. We consider:
- A single visit or a regular plan
- The scale of the work
- Parking and loading at the site
- Any permits to work or inductions
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 give you a fixed price before work begins.
Asking for a quote
To help us quote quickly, send us:
- The postcode and the type of business
- Anything you’ve noticed, such as smells, noise, drips or poor airflow
- Photos showing the whole system and its surroundings
- The roof, plant room or outside wall the system runs to
To help us quote: where the site is, what it is and its opening hours, photos of the system and any previous report or certificate. Once you have those, give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or email us.
When it’s something else
A few issues sit outside what this work can do:
- Dampers that were never installed where they’re needed
- Deciding where dampers should be fitted
- Approving the building’s fire strategy
Not sure which it is? You can call 0345 646 2711, or email photos and we will tell you honestly.
Parts of the system we cover
- Offices and schools
- Motorised smoke dampers
- Hospitals and care homes
- Riser dampers
- Fusible link fire dampers
- Wall and floor dampers
Looking after it afterwards
Results last longer with the right care. Here’s what we suggest:
- Never wedge or tie a damper open
- Brief other trades about dampers in ceilings and risers
- Diary the annual test well ahead
- Keep an eye out for damp around dampers
After testing, you get a report listing each of the fire and smoke dampers we tested, with its location and its result. File it with your fire safety log so it’s ready when your assessor or insurer asks.
Keeping to at least annual testing stops small faults turning into failed dampers. Faults caught early are easier to fix.
Arundel questions
Will you come out to Arundel?
Yes. Arundel is within the area we cover across London and the South East. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Which fire service covers Arundel?
Arundel is in the area of West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. A report listing every damper, its location and its result is the easiest way to show the dampers are maintained.
Who has the duty to keep fire dampers working?
It’s the responsible person, under the Fire Safety Order 2005. Annual testing by a competent person, with written records, is a practical way to show the duty is being met.
Do you work with multi-site operators?
Yes. We work across South East England and London, so we can schedule a run of sites as one programme. Each site gets its own report and photos.
How much time does a damper test visit need?
Typically the work takes a morning or an afternoon for a small number of dampers, longer where there are many. The number of dampers and how they’re reached decide the rest.
Where does the waste go?
Waste is contained during the work and removed when we leave, from grease and debris to used cleaning water. We don’t leave it behind.
Which sectors do you work in?
All kinds of commercial and public premises: kitchens, offices, schools, healthcare, retail, leisure and food production. We fit the work around how the site operates.
Do you survey before quoting?
Yes. Photos often do the job, and larger or hidden systems get a visit.
Why deal with it now?
If a damper can’t close, the wall it sits in has a hole in it during a fire. The rest of the compartment can be built perfectly and still be bypassed by the duct. It’s far better to find that out on a test than in a fire. Systems on quieter sites still build up dirt and wear, just more slowly.
Whatever the type of site, the quote works the same way: how much there is, how we reach it, what state it’s in and when we can work. Ask for a fixed quote and we’ll explain each part.
What you get with us
- Fully insured
- Out-of-hours work and a 24/7 emergency line
- A single point of contact for sites across the South East and London
- Every job surveyed first
Read what affects the cost or our accreditations.
For landlords and multi-site operators
We regularly work with managing agents. Send the address, what’s needed and how access works, and we’ll send a fixed quote.
Running several sites is easier with one contractor. We work across London and the South East, so visits at different addresses can be planned together and kept on a regular cycle.