Oxfordshire · Fire damper testing
Fire damper testing in Filchampstead, Oxfordshire
For fire damper drop testing and smoke damper testing, with a record for each damper in Filchampstead, one call is all it takes, from survey to sign-off. Fully insured, with CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001.
- Dampers affected by leaks or condensation
- Smoke dampers with no recent test
- Damper actions from a fire risk assessment
What the work involves, part by part
Schools, hospitals and care homes
Schools are often easiest to test during the holidays, when ceilings can be opened without disturbing lessons.
Smoke dampers
A smoke damper is opened and closed by a motor, not a link. Testing means operating them from the controls to confirm the blade moves all the way.
Fire damper testing in Filchampstead, done properly
Smoke dampers work differently from fire dampers. Smoke dampers are motorised and are opened and closed by a control system, so testing means running them through their controls and checking that each blade moves fully and returns. If you are dealing with dust or grease build-up on damper blades and gaps in the fire damper test log, we can put it right, from riser dampers, fusible link fire dampers and hospitals and care homes onwards.
Rural buildings that have been converted or extended can have ducts passing through fire-resisting walls, and the dampers in them are easily forgotten. A first test typically starts with finding them all.
The paperwork matters as much as the work. You get a written report with photos after each visit, listing what was done, anything we couldn’t reach and when the next visit is due. Keep it with your fire safety records so it’s to hand when an insurer or inspector asks.
- Where
- Filchampstead (OX2)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Reporting
- Photo report after every visit
- Quote
- A fixed quote up front
- Working hours
- When your site is closed, plus a 24/7 line
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Last updated
- 30 October 2026
When it’s something else
To be straight with you, there are a few things this work won’t fix:
- Fire-stopping gaps around the duct where it passes through the wall
- Designing the building’s fire compartments
- Signing off a building’s overall fire safety
If you are not sure, just ring 0345 646 2711, or send details by email and we will give you a straight answer.
Where we work
- Hospitals and care homes
- Riser dampers
- Fusible link fire dampers
- Motorised smoke dampers
- Offices and schools
- Wall and floor dampers
Why deal with it now?
Leaving damper testing for another year does not make the dampers any more likely to work. BESA guidance is to test at least annually, so a missed year leaves a gap in the record too. It’s simpler to plan the work at Filchampstead now than to arrange it in a hurry later.
The price reflects the work, not guesswork. That is why every job is surveyed first, and why the quote is fixed before any work starts.
Why us?
- Accredited under CHAS and SafeContractor, with ISO 9001
- Survey first, then a fixed quote
- Trading since 2009
- A fixed price before any work starts
Read what affects the cost or our accreditations.
Filchampstead buildings and fire safety
The FSA’s food hygiene register lists about 4 hospitals, care homes and childcare premises with registered kitchens or food service within 1.5 miles or so of the middle of Filchampstead. Buildings like these often have ducted ventilation, and wherever a duct crosses a fire-resisting wall or floor there should be a damper, tested at least once a year. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service covers Filchampstead. In most workplaces and other non-domestic buildings, it’s the fire and rescue authority that enforces the Fire Safety Order. The nearest hospital to Filchampstead is Radcliffe Infirmary, about 3.6 miles east. Where patients or residents may need help to leave a building, working dampers matter all the more.
If you manage a school site such as Cumnor Church of England School (Voluntary Controlled), any fire dampers can be tested in the holidays. Radcliffe Infirmary, about 3.6 miles east of Filchampstead, is the kind of building where dampers protect every compartment; smaller care sites need the same annual tests.
Filchampstead is about 5 miles west of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. Sites in Filchampstead get the same service as everywhere we cover: a survey first, a fixed quote, work timed around your hours and a report with pictures. We cover 443 places across Oxfordshire, large and small.
Work in OX2 follows the same survey, fixed quote and written report as everywhere else we cover. Streets in the area include Cumnor Road and Lower Whitley Road, and we cover them all for fire damper testing. We also cover the places around Filchampstead: Farmoor (1 mile north), Cumnor (1 mile south-east), Chawley (1 mile south-east), Dean Court (1 mile east) and Swinford (2 miles north). Further out, we also cover Oxford (5 miles east), Didcot (11 miles south-east), Bicester (13 miles north-east), Abingdon-on-Thames (6 miles south-east), Witney (7 miles west) and Carterton (11 miles west).
Landmarks near Filchampstead
Around Filchampstead, our work takes us to kitchens and buildings near Matthew Arnold School. The nearest railway station is Oxford station, roughly 3.2 miles east. A little further out are Oxford University Press Museum (3.4 miles east) and Radcliffe Infirmary (3.6 miles east). The countryside around Filchampstead includes Lashford Lane Fen and Cumnor Hill.
What we do, step by step
Each visit runs to the same pattern: sheeting and protection first, make the system safe, carry out the fire damper testing, clear away and leave you the report. The visit itself takes a couple of hours for a few dampers, and a day or more across a big site. The timing of a visit to Filchampstead is set by you, and the travel is our side of the planning.
- First we look at any damper register, drawings or earlier test reports.
- We find every damper and open it up through the 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.
How to prepare
- Let us know when the site is closed or quiet
- Mention any sign-in, permit or induction we need
- Make sure equipment near the work can be switched off and left to cool
How to get a quote
Getting a quote does not take long. Send a few details and pictures, and we typically reply with a fixed quote within one working day. Where a survey is needed, we arrange a time that suits the site.
Related advice
Common problems we fix in Filchampstead
The law puts a duty on the responsible person to keep fire safety systems, dampers included, in working order. Employers, owners, landlords and managing agents all need evidence that the dampers have been checked.
Any of these means the system needs a check-up:
- Dampers overdue for their annual drop test
- Motorised smoke dampers due for testing
- Dampers hidden with no access panel or hatch
- Fire dampers that fail to drop shut
Historic buildings that have had ventilation added later can hide dampers in awkward places; Appleton Manor, about 2.8 miles south, is one of the historic houses in the area around Filchampstead.
What to look for in a quote
- When the next visit should be, and why
- Exactly which parts of the system are covered
- Whether they’re fully insured
- Whether the work can be done while the site is closed
More services for Filchampstead
For landlords and multi-site operators
We work for landlords, managing agents and facilities managers as well as the people running the site. Where a system serves more than one tenant, such as a shared riser, it helps to agree who arranges the work, and we can quote for the whole system.
We regularly work with managing agents. Send the address, what’s needed and how access works and we’ll come back with a fixed quote.
What affects the cost of fire damper testing
The diagnosis comes before the price. We look at:
- When the work can happen, such as evenings, overnight or weekends
- The scale of the work
- Where the site is and how we reach it
- Access, including roofs, risers and ceiling voids
Leaving it longer rarely makes the work cheaper. Problems in a system tend to grow, which can make the next visit longer. If you’re unsure, give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or email us and we will give you an honest view and a fixed quote.
What we need to know
A few details help us quote accurately. When you get in touch, it helps to send:
- When the site is open and when it’s quiet
- Any previous report or certificate
- Where the site is and what kind of site it is
- Detail shots of panels, filters and grilles
We do not publish a price list, because every site is different. We look at your system first, from pictures or on a visit, then send a fixed quote. To start, ring 0345 646 2711 or email us.
Questions from Filchampstead
Which fire service covers Filchampstead?
That’s Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Keep each damper test report with the fire risk assessment and the building’s log book, ready to show.
Can you test school fire dampers in Filchampstead out of term?
Yes, out-of-term visits are normal for schools. The FSA’s register shows about 2 schools and colleges with food registrations within roughly a mile and a half of Filchampstead. Tell us your holiday dates and we will book the visit for when the site is empty.
How far ahead should we book?
Earlier is better, particularly for night and weekend visits. We normally quote within one working day, and there’s a 24/7 line for emergencies.
Can you fix fire dampers that fail?
The fault is recorded and explained in the report. A repair or a replacement can follow as a remedial job and test it again.
Does the law say we must follow TR19?
No, not in itself. Insurers, fire officers and EHOs look to TR19® as the benchmark, and many insurance policies ask for proof of TR19® cleaning. The law behind it is the Fire Safety Order 2005, which applies in England and Wales.
What do you do to protect the area?
We cover floors and nearby surfaces with sheeting before we start, and waste is contained as we go. Before we leave, we tidy up and clean down.
Do you offer emergency callouts?
Yes. Our emergency line runs 24/7, for problems that cannot wait. Ring any time and tell us what’s happened.
What paperwork do we get after testing?
Our paperwork is a test report, not a certificate of compliance. It lists each damper, the result and any remedials needed.