West Sussex · Fire damper testing
Fire damper testing in Fontwell, West Sussex
Fire damper testing for Fontwell and the surrounding area: diagnosis first, then a fixed quote, the work and a report with pictures. Ask us for a fixed quote.
- Dirty dampers that may not close
- Dampers overdue for their annual drop test
- Fire damper items raised by an assessor
About our fire damper testing in Fontwell
The idea behind drop testing is straightforward: we release the blade, watch it close fully, then reset it. We test dampers for sites in Fontwell and the rest of West Sussex, logging each one so the record builds year on year. The work covers fusible link fire dampers, offices and schools and wall and floor dampers, and people most often call us about fire dampers that fail to drop shut and dirty dampers that may not close.
In a village or hamlet like Fontwell, there may be only a few buildings with fire dampers. Wherever there are dampers, each one needs testing at least annually.
A written report with photos follows each visit, so there’s a dated record of the work. Kitchen extract cleaning to TR19® Grease is certificated through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal.
- Place
- Fontwell (BN18, PO20)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Paperwork
- Written report with pictures
- Price
- A fixed price before we start
- Working hours
- Nights, weekends or holidays to suit you
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
Fire damper testing in Fontwell: local notes
There are about 8 schools, colleges and universities and about 8 caring premises (care homes, nurseries and hospitals) on the FSA’s food hygiene register across Fontwell and its immediate surroundings (about a mile and a half). Schools, care settings and hotels are the kind of buildings where fire dampers are commonly found. Fontwell 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. Fontwell’s nearest hospital, Arundel and District Hospital, is about 3.7 miles east. Healthcare buildings rely on fire compartments to protect people who can’t easily move, and dampers keep those compartments sealed.
Historic houses near Fontwell, with Goodwood House about 4.2 miles west, are a reminder that older buildings can hold dampers in unexpected places. If you manage a care home or clinic near Fontwell, the testing that a hospital like Arundel and District Hospital (about 3.7 miles east) relies on applies to your dampers too. School buildings such as Ormiston Six Villages Academy are usually tested in the holidays, wherever they have dampers.
Fontwell is about 5 miles north of Bognor Regis, in West Sussex. From the centre of Fontwell to the outskirts, fire damper testing is available to all kinds of commercial premises, from small sites to large estates. 371 places in West Sussex are on our list, from busy centres to quieter spots. We also work in Portsmouth, around 19 miles away.
Here we cover the BN18 and PO20 postcode area for fire damper testing. You’ll find streets such as London Road, Cooke Road and Steeplechase Way, and we cover them all for fire damper testing. Nearby, we also carry out fire damper testing in Eastergate (1 mile south), Slindon (1 mile north-east), Nyton (1 mile south-west), West Barnham (1 mile south) and Slindon Common (1 mile east). Larger places within reach include Worthing (11 miles east), Bognor Regis (5 miles south), Chichester (6 miles west), Selsey (10 miles south-west), Littlehampton (6 miles south-east) and Lancing (14 miles east).
Around Fontwell
Locally, jobs take us to businesses close to Eastergate CofE Primary School. Fontwell’s nearest station is Barnham station, about 1.6 miles south of the centre. Nearby you will also find Tote Copse Castle (2.2 miles south-west) and Arundel and District Hospital (3.7 miles east). Open spaces near Fontwell include Bignor Hill and WWT Arundel.
Multi-site and managed buildings
For anyone managing more than one site, we can schedule visits across all of them on one quote. Each site gets its own report and photos, so records stay tidy.
When the building owner and the occupier are different, it’s worth checking the lease for who maintains the systems. We’re happy to deal with either side, and the report can go to both.
What a clean won’t put right
Not every problem is solved by fire damper testing, and we’ll tell you before work begins. It doesn’t solve:
- Ductwork crossing a fire wall with no damper fitted
- Sign-off of the whole building’s fire safety
- Fire-stopping gaps around the duct where it passes through the wall
Not sure which it is? You can call 0345 646 2711, or email photos and we’ll tell you honestly.
Parts of the system we cover
- Offices and schools
- Riser dampers
- Fusible link fire dampers
- Motorised smoke dampers
- Hospitals and care homes
- Wall and floor dampers
Fixed quotes for fire damper testing in Fontwell
Before we fix a price, we need to know a few things. We look at:
- Travel, parking and unloading
- A single visit or a regular plan
- The condition of the system
- Working hours and out-of-hours timing
Several systems or sites on one quote often makes better use of the time. Mention every system or site you need covered and we will price it together.
Asking for a quote
Photos let us diagnose from a distance. Try to include:
- The roof, plant room or outside wall the system runs to
- Your last certificate, test record or report
- Problems your staff have spotted
- Where the site is and what kind of site it is
Quoting starts with a diagnosis, from your pictures and details or, where that isn’t enough, a survey on site. After that, you get a fixed price for the work, before work begins.
Why act early in Fontwell
Your fire risk assessor or insurer may want evidence that dampers have been tested. A current report on file means you can answer right away when someone asks. A planned visit to Fontwell is easier to arrange than an emergency callout.
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 we start.
Why book with us
- One number for every site across the South East and London
- Out-of-hours work and a 24/7 emergency line
- Ventilation hygiene specialists since 2009
- Every job surveyed first
Part by part
Access panels
Where there’s no access panel, we record the damper as not tested and say why. Fitting a panel means it can be tested on the next visit.
Ceiling voids and risers
Damp plant areas are hard on dampers. We note any rust or water damage on the report so it can be dealt with.
Nearby places to Fontwell
Also in Fontwell
What your team can do, and what needs us
Day-to-day cleaning is something your team can do: wiping canopies, washing grease filters and recording it in a log. What they cannot safely do is clean inside the ductwork, the fan or the risers, which is where we come in.
Good housekeeping makes our visits easier, not unnecessary. Clean filters and tidy surfaces slow the build-up, but hidden parts of the system still need specialist attention.
Common questions in Fontwell
Which fire and rescue service is responsible for Fontwell?
Fire safety enforcement in Fontwell is handled by West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Failed dampers on a report should be followed by a record of the repair, so the file shows the problem was closed out.
Can you get to a site in Fontwell?
Yes, Fontwell is part of our area, however small the site. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the site when you book.
Which accreditations do you hold?
Our accreditations are CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and we are a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease. The Vent Hygiene Elite scheme is run by BESCA and audited independently.
Does the law say we must follow TR19?
No. The law sets the duty; TR19® is the benchmark used to show it’s met. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person has to manage fire risk, and without records, many insurers may refuse or reduce a claim.
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. Hotels, schools, care homes, offices, shops and leisure sites are all part of our work.
Who has the duty to keep fire dampers working?
The duty falls on the responsible person for the premises. Depending on the building, that can be the employer, owner, landlord or whoever manages it. Our part is the testing and the records that show it’s been done.
What paperwork do we get after testing?
We test, record and report, rather than certify dampers to a standard. For each damper it shows the result and anything that needs putting right.
Do you offer maintenance contracts?
Yes. Tell us what you have and how it’s used, and we will suggest a schedule and quote for it.
What happens on the day
Every visit runs to the same pattern: protect the area, make the system safe, carry out the fire damper testing, clear away and hand over the paperwork. On site, the work takes a few hours for a single floor, with bigger buildings phased over more than one visit. Pictures of the system and its access let us plan the work in Fontwell before we set off.
- We plan access and timing with you first, including any out-of-hours work.
- We open up ceilings and hatches and take off each access panel.
- The blade is released and watched to make sure it closes fully.
- We reset it and record any dirt, corrosion or damage.
- Panels and tiles go back, and the results are written up.
Preparing for the visit
- Find the previous report, if there is one
- Plan for cooking equipment or plant to be off before we arrive
- Mention any locked doors, roof access or ceiling voids
Get a fixed quote
The quickest way to a quote is to send photos: wide shots of the system, close-ups of anything that worries you and how we’d get to it. Add the site type and your opening hours, and we can price many jobs without a visit.