Oxfordshire · Fire damper testing
Great Tew fire damper testing
Fire damper testing across Great Tew and nearby, booked around your opening hours and signed off in writing with pictures.
- Fire damper items raised by an assessor
- Fire dampers that haven’t been tested for over a year
- Fire dampers nobody can get to
When it’s something else
Before booking, it helps to know what’s not included:
- Deciding where dampers should be fitted
- Sign-off of the whole building’s fire safety
- Fire alarm or control system faults behind a smoke damper
If in doubt, ring 0345 646 2711 or send us an email and we’ll say what we think before booking.
What we work on in Great Tew
- Motorised smoke dampers
- Fusible link fire dampers
- Offices and schools
- Wall and floor dampers
- Hospitals and care homes
- Riser dampers
About our fire damper testing in Great Tew
Some dampers haven’t been tested since the day they went in. Ceilings have gone up, access panels have been covered or lost, and the records have gone missing. We find what we can, test what we can reach and list anything we cannot get to, so you know where the gaps are. We’re often asked to deal with smoke dampers that need testing through their controls and fire dampers that haven’t been tested for over a year, on hospitals and care homes, fusible link fire dampers and riser dampers.
Rural buildings that have been converted or extended can have ducts passing through fire-resisting walls, where the dampers are easy to overlook. The first visit starts by locating each damper.
Nothing is signed off by word of mouth: a dated report with photos of the work, plus a certificate through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal when the work is a TR19® Grease clean. It shows what was done and what, if anything, couldn’t be reached.
- Place
- Great Tew (OX7)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Paperwork
- Written report with pictures
- Quote
- Fixed quote, usually within a working day
- Working hours
- Nights, weekends or holidays to suit you
- Phone
- 0345 646 2711
- Last updated
- 30 October 2026
Different parts, different methods
Ceiling voids and risers
Risers and service shafts often hold dampers at each floor. We work through them floor by floor so each one is accounted for.
Access panels
Testing depends on getting to the damper. Most need an access panel in the duct and a hatch in the ceiling or wall.
What affects the quote in Great Tew
You will get a fixed price before work begins. It takes into account:
- A single visit or a regular plan
- Site rules, permits and inductions
- Working hours and out-of-hours timing
- How easy every part is to reach
A single site or a whole portfolio, we price it on the same basis: what needs doing, how we get to it and when. You will have a fixed price before we start.
Helping us quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote. When you get in touch, it helps to send:
- Any access panels or hatches you can see
- The times we could work without disrupting the site
- Your last certificate, test record or report
- Anything you’ve noticed, such as smells, noise, drips or poor airflow
Quoting starts with a diagnosis, either from photos and details you send or from a site visit. After that, you get a fixed price for the work, before we start.
Towns and villages near Great Tew
More services for Great Tew
The process
Night work is normal for us. A lot of visits happen overnight or at weekends, so the site can open as normal afterwards. The visit itself takes from an hour or two in a small building to several visits on a large estate. Visits to a village like Great Tew are booked in advance, at a time that suits whoever runs the site.
- We plan access and timing with you first, including any out-of-hours work.
- Ceiling tiles and hatches are opened and each damper’s access panel removed.
- 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.
Before we arrive
- Let us know how we reach the system, including roofs, risers and plant rooms
- Make sure equipment near the work can be switched off and left to cool
- Arrange a key holder or contact on site
Get a fixed quote
Photos are enough for some jobs, while others need a look on site. Big or complicated sites, and systems that are hard to see in photos, get a survey first. Either way, the quote is fixed before any work is booked.
Related advice
Why deal with it now?
Your fire risk assessor or insurer may want evidence that dampers have been tested. Having a current report ready for a building in Great Tew saves a scramble when the question comes. A planned visit to Great Tew is easier to arrange than an emergency callout.
You won’t find a price list here, because the cost depends on the site in front of us. For a fixed quote, give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or send us an email, and we will explain what it covers.
What you get with us
- Accredited under CHAS and SafeContractor, with ISO 9001
- In business since 2009
- Member of BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease
- Every job surveyed first
Read how cleaning jobs are priced or our accreditations and certificates.
What fire damper testing looks like in Great Tew
Great Tew is covered by Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. In most workplaces and other non-domestic buildings, it’s the fire and rescue authority that enforces the Fire Safety Order.
Around Great Tew, as anywhere, each damper is released, checked, reset and recorded.
Great Tew is about 8 miles south-west of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. If you need fire damper testing in Great Tew, it’s easy to get a fixed quote: please give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or email us. We work across South East England and London, including Great Tew. Great Tew is one of 443 towns, villages and districts in Oxfordshire we cover for fire damper testing. We also work in Oxford, about 17 miles from Great Tew.
We work across OX7 for fire damper testing and the streets around it. If you need fire damper testing at premises on The Square, Old Road and New Road or anywhere close by, our technicians can take on the work. Close by, we work in Little Tew (1 mile south-west), Swerford (2 miles north-west), Wigginton (2 miles north), South Newington (3 miles north) and Church Enstone (3 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Banbury (8 miles north-east), Bicester (12 miles east), Witney (12 miles south), Carterton (15 miles south-west), Kidlington (11 miles south-east) and Bure Park (12 miles east).
Local landmarks in Great Tew
In Great Tew, that means kitchens and buildings near The Falkland Arms Public House. Nearby you’ll also find Old Forge Museum (Great Tew) (within half a mile north) and Deddington Castle (4.9 miles east). The countryside around Great Tew includes Woodford Bottom and Lamb's Pool.
Common problems we fix in Great Tew
Over time, dust builds up on the blade, the runners and the spring. If the duct carries cooking vapour, a film of grease adds to it, and either one can hold the blade part-open.
Keep an eye out for these warning signs:
- Fire dampers nobody can get to
- Fire dampers that fail to drop shut
- Dampers affected by leaks or condensation
- Missing or out-of-date damper records
For schools like Great Tew County Primary School, damper testing is easiest in the holidays, when corridors and ceilings are clear.
What your quote should include
- Whether the quote is based on a survey or photos
- Whether they’re fully insured
- Whether the whole system is included, or only the parts that are easy to reach
- Whether the quote shows VAT
What staff can safely do
In-house cleaning and specialist cleaning do different jobs. Wiping filters daily and washing them weekly keeps the visible parts in order, but they don’t reach the grease that builds up further in. That part needs specialist access and equipment.
For ventilation and air handling systems, in-house care is mostly about checks: keeping grilles clear, noting unusual noise or smells and logging filter changes. The inside of ducts and units needs a specialist.
Your questions about fire damper testing in Great Tew
Can you work in Great Tew outside opening hours?
Yes, out-of-hours work is a big part of what we do. The site is handed back ready to open. Let us know the hours you are closed and we’ll book within them.
Can you test school fire dampers in Great Tew out of term?
Yes, out-of-term visits are normal for schools. Food Standards Agency records list about 2 schools, colleges and universities with registered kitchens within about a mile and a half of Great Tew. Just call 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line with your term dates and we will plan around them.
How long will damper testing take?
A visit takes a morning or an afternoon for a small number of dampers, longer where there are many. Large buildings can be split over several visits, and you can call us on 0345 646 2711 or email us to talk it through.
How much does fire damper testing cost?
It depends on the site, so we quote each one individually. To get one, ring 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line and tell us about the site and its opening hours.
How do you keep the site clean during the work?
By covering it before any work starts. We keep the work contained and leave the area clean.
How much notice should we give?
It depends on the time you need and how big the job is. Tell us your preferred dates when you ask for a quote, and for anything urgent, ring our 24/7 emergency line.
Who has the duty to keep fire dampers working?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 puts it on the responsible person. Testing at least yearly and keeping the reports is how they can show it’s being done.
Can we book visits on a schedule?
Yes. Plans on a 3, 6 or 12-monthly cycle are available, depending on what the system needs.