Hampshire · Fire damper testing
Fire damper inspection in Foxcotte
Fire damper testing across Foxcotte and nearby, booked around your opening hours and signed off in writing with pictures.
- Blades that jam part-way when released
- Dampers that cannot be reached without an access panel
- Dampers flagged on a fire risk assessment
Common problems we fix in Foxcotte
Rust is a frequent reason a damper won’t close. Condensation, leaks and damp plant rooms corrode the parts that need to move, and the damper can seize quietly where no one sees it.
Look out for any of the following:
- Motorised smoke dampers due for testing
- Dirty dampers that may not close
- Dampers that can’t be reached without an access panel
- Dampers overdue for their annual drop test
The nearest hospital, Andover War Memorial Hospital, is about 0.9 miles south-east; healthcare buildings like it are a reminder that dampers protect people who can’t move quickly.
Questions to ask before you book
- When they can work, and whether that’s outside your opening hours
- How VAT is shown on the quote
- Proof of insurance
- Whether a survey comes first
How we handle fire damper testing in Foxcotte
Under BESA guidance, every fire damper is tested on completion of installation and then at least once a year. Spring-operated dampers need testing every year as a minimum. We carry out fire damper testing for buildings in Foxcotte and give you the records to show it’s been done. Common call-outs are for corroded dampers in damp risers and plant rooms and dust or grease build-up on damper blades, across fusible link fire dampers, offices and schools and hospitals and care homes.
Somewhere as small as Foxcotte, fire dampers are typically found in a school, a care home, a hotel or a converted building, wherever there is one. Wherever there are dampers, each one needs testing at least annually.
The sign-off is always in writing: a dated report with pictures of the work, 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.
- Where
- Foxcotte (SP10)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Reporting
- Report and pictures after the visit
- Price
- A fixed quote up front
- Working hours
- Evenings, overnight and weekends; 24/7 emergencies
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
What fire damper testing can’t fix
Some problems need a different service or another trade:
- Fire alarm or control system faults behind a smoke damper
- Designing the building’s fire compartments
- Ductwork crossing a fire wall with no damper fitted
If in doubt, give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or email us and we will say what we think.
What we work on in Foxcotte
- Motorised smoke dampers
- Hospitals and care homes
- Offices and schools
- Riser dampers
- Wall and floor dampers
- Fusible link fire dampers
FAQs for Foxcotte
Do you work at weekends in Foxcotte?
Yes, evening, overnight and weekend work is normal for us. The site is handed back ready to open. Let us know the hours you’re closed and we will book within them.
Can you test school fire dampers in Foxcotte out of term?
Yes, out-of-term visits are normal for schools. Food Standards Agency records list about 5 schools, colleges and universities with registered kitchens within about a mile and a half of Foxcotte. You can ring 0345 646 2711 or send us an email with the dates the site is empty.
How much does fire damper testing cost?
We do not publish prices, because the cost depends on the job: the size of the system, its condition, access and when we can work. You get a fixed price before we start.
Can you set up regular visits?
Yes, of course. Send details of the systems and how they’re used and we’ll propose a schedule with a fixed quote.
What should I send you?
A short description and a few photos plus the address and your hours. We’ll ask for anything else we need.
What is TR19?
BESA’s ventilation hygiene specification, with two parts that matter most here: TR19® Grease for kitchen extracts and TR19® Air for supply and extract systems. It is not legislation, but it’s the standard people check against.
How do you deal with dampers that can’t be reached?
It goes on the report as inaccessible, with the reason. We can fit an access panel so it’s tested on the next visit.
What happens if a damper fails its test?
We record the damper as failed, with the reason, whether that’s a stuck blade, rust or a damaged link. We offer remedials to repair or replace it, and it’s tested again once the work is done.
How the job changes from site to site
Access panels
If we can’t reach a damper, it goes on the report as inaccessible. We can fit access panels so it’s tested next time.
Offices and retail
Fit-outs and tenant changes are hard on dampers. A test after the works shows the dampers still close.
More services for Foxcotte
Between visits
A little care between visits keeps the system in better shape. We recommend:
- Tell contractors where dampers are before they start work
- Store test records alongside the fire risk assessment
- Make sure access panels stay clear and usable
- Keep the damper register up to date after any building work
Share the results with your fire risk assessor, so the assessment reflects where the dampers stand. Faults on the report are worth closing off quickly.
Deal with leaks and condensation near dampers quickly. Rusted parts are one of the main reasons dampers fail to close.
Why act early in Foxcotte
An untested damper is an unknown. Testing turns it into a known pass or a known fault, with remedials offered for anything that fails, which is far easier to plan for. It’s worth booking a check, because nobody sees inside a duct day to day.
One small site or a whole estate, we price it on the same basis: the work involved, the access and the timing. The price is fixed before we start.
Why us?
- Photo reports with every job
- Survey first, then a fixed quote
- A single point of contact for sites across the South East and London
- Full insurance on every job
See what affects the cost and our accreditations and certificates.
Fire damper testing in Foxcotte: local notes
Food Standards Agency records list about 5 schools, colleges and universities and about 10 hospitals, care homes and childcare premises registered as food businesses across Foxcotte and its immediate surroundings (about a mile and a half). Many buildings of this kind have ductwork through fire-resisting walls and floors, and the dampers at those points need testing at least annually. For Foxcotte, the closest hospital is Andover War Memorial Hospital, roughly 0.9 miles south-east. Hospitals are a good example of a building with fire dampers across many floors and departments. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service covers Foxcotte. 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.
A school like Harrow Way Community School can have any dampers tested over half-term without disturbing lessons.
Foxcotte is about 2 miles north-west of Andover, in Hampshire. We provide fire damper testing for businesses, landlords and public buildings in Foxcotte and the rest of Hampshire. Foxcotte is one of 683 towns, villages and districts in Hampshire where we work for commercial clients. We also work in Southampton, about 22 miles from Foxcotte.
Fire damper testing in SP10 is surveyed, quoted and booked the same way as anywhere else. We also cover the places around Foxcotte: Charlton (1 mile south-east), Penton Mewsey (1 mile west), Penton Grafton (1 mile west), Penton Corner (1 mile south-west) and Hatherden (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Winchester (14 miles south-east), Hyde (14 miles south-east), Tidworth (7 miles west), Weeke (13 miles south-east), Stanmore (14 miles south-east) and Ludgershall (5 miles west).
Around Foxcotte
In Foxcotte, that means kitchens and buildings near Portway Infant School and White Hart Public House. The closest station to Foxcotte is Andover station, about 1.2 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Andover Museum (1.7 miles south-east) and Andover War Memorial Hospital (0.9 miles south-east). Green spaces nearby include Mill Lake and Anton Lakes.
The process
We start by comparing what we find with the survey or your photos. If anything is different, we talk it through with the person on site before carrying on. From there, it takes from an hour or two in a small building to several visits on a large estate. Visits to a village like Foxcotte are booked in advance, at a time that suits whoever runs the site.
- 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.
- Each one that passes is reset, ready to work.
- We report on every damper, with faults and suggested remedials set out.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know when the site is closed or quiet
- Mention any locked doors, roof access or ceiling voids
- Dig out any earlier paperwork for the system
Ask for a quote
Every quote begins with a look at the system, either from photos and details you send or from a site visit. After that, you get a fixed price for the work, before work begins.
Advice
What affects the quote in Foxcotte
There’s no set price list, because sites vary so much. What we look at:
- How easy every part is to reach
- Any permits to work or inductions
- Where the site is and how we reach it
- The size of the system
Kitchens, offices, schools and hospitals are all priced 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 go through it with you.
Helping us quote
A few details help us quote accurately. With your enquiry, please include:
- Photos showing the whole system and its surroundings
- Any symptoms, from odd noises to smells or leaks
- Any previous report or certificate
- Detail shots of panels, filters and grilles
Photos are the quickest way to a quote: 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 many jobs can be priced from that alone.