Hertfordshire · Fire damper testing
Letchworth fire damper testing
Professional fire damper testing in and around Letchworth, timed so the site keeps working and signed off in writing with photos.
- Fire damper items raised by an assessor
- Dirty dampers that may not close
- Smoke dampers that need testing through their controls
Fire damper testing in Letchworth, done properly
Fire dampers sit inside ductwork where it passes through a fire-resisting wall or floor. A fusible link holds the blade open until heat melts it, and the blade then drops to shut the duct. A drop test shows that the damper still does that when it matters, and every result is written down, damper by damper. The work covers wall and floor dampers, fusible link fire dampers and hospitals and care homes, and common reasons people get in touch are dirty dampers that may not close and smoke dampers that need testing through their controls.
Many building managers in towns like Letchworth find out about their dampers through a fire risk assessment. The first visit normally means finding each damper and recording how to reach it.
We’re CHAS and SafeContractor accredited, we hold ISO 9001 and we’re fully insured. We are also a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease, trading since 2009.
- Place
- Letchworth (SG6)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Records
- Written report with pictures
- Price
- A fixed price before work begins
- Hours
- Evenings, overnight and weekends; 24/7 emergencies
- Phone
- 0345 646 2711
- Reviewed
- 30 October 2026
Leave it or put it right?
After any fire, one of the first questions is what maintenance had been done. Damper test records are part of that answer, and you can only produce records for tests that took place. Whatever the system, dirt and wear only get worse.
What you pay depends on the size of the system, the condition it’s in and access to every part of it. You get a fixed price before we start, so you know where you stand.
What you get with us
- Survey first, then a fixed quote
- A written report with photos after every visit
- Work around your opening hours, with 24/7 emergency cover
- Accredited under CHAS and SafeContractor, with ISO 9001
Take a look at what affects the cost and our accreditations.
Fixed quotes for fire damper testing in Letchworth
We quote each job individually. This is what makes a difference:
- What state the system is in
- When the work can happen, such as evenings, overnight or weekends
- Site rules, permits and inductions
- One-off work versus a regular cycle
You will not find a price list here, because the cost depends on the site in front of us. Call for a fixed quote, and we will talk you through it.
Asking for a quote
You do not need the technical terms. Just send:
- Anything you’ve noticed, such as smells, noise, drips or poor airflow
- How we’d reach plant on a roof or in a plant room
- A few general shots of the system
- Any access panels or hatches you can see
Here’s what helps us quote: where the site is, what it is and its opening hours, a few pictures and the last certificate or report, if there is one. Then give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or email us.
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
A few tasks are always specialist work: opening up ductwork, cleaning fans, drop testing fire dampers and measuring grease call for the right kit, training and safe access. Leave those to us.
Staff cleaning does not replace a specialist visit; it supports it. Regular in-house cleaning slows the build-up, but hidden parts of the system still need specialist attention.
The process
The first job on site is protection: sheeting goes over floors and surfaces close to the work. Then we make the system safe and start. It takes from an hour or two in a small building to several visits on a large estate, and the area is cleaned down before we leave. A few photos of the system and its access points help us plan a visit in Letchworth.
- 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.
- You get a report listing each damper, its result and any remedials needed.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know how we reach the system, including roofs, risers and plant rooms
- Arrange a key holder or contact on site
- Allow time for equipment near the work to be turned off and cool down
How to get a quote
Getting a quote doesn’t take long. Call or email with a few details and you’ll usually have a fixed price within one working day. Where a survey is needed, we arrange a time that suits the site.
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Fire damper testing around Letchworth
Food Standards Agency records list about 18 schools, colleges and universities, about 25 caring premises (care homes, nurseries and hospitals) and about 3 hotels, B&Bs and guest houses registered as food businesses in Letchworth and the streets around it, up to about 1.5 miles out. If any of them has ducted ventilation, its dampers need an annual drop test at least. For Letchworth, the closest hospital is Fairfield Hospital, roughly 1.9 miles north-west. A hospital is the kind of building where dampers sit on every floor, and clinics, surgeries and care homes need the same annual testing for any they have. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service covers Letchworth. Fire and rescue authorities enforce the Fire Safety Order in most non-domestic premises, and keeping dampers working is part of the responsible person’s duty.
For schools like Hillshott Infant School and Nursery, damper testing is easiest in the holidays, when corridors and ceilings are clear. If you manage offices, shops or flats near Letchworth Garden City station, the ductwork in them may pass through fire-resisting walls and floors, and any dampers need testing at least once a year.
Letchworth is about 5 miles north of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. Sites in Letchworth get the same service as everywhere we cover: a survey first, a fixed quote, work timed around your hours and a report with pictures. Letchworth is one of 381 places in Hertfordshire where we work for fire damper testing. Our Milton Keynes page covers sites nearby (24 miles or so).
All of SG6 is within our area for fire damper testing, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your site is on Station Road, Willian Church Road and Rowland Way or a nearby road, our technicians can take on the work. Letchworth is on the A505 and B656, which makes it straightforward for our technicians to reach for fire damper testing. Other places close to Letchworth include Letchworth Garden City (1 mile west), Norton (1 mile north-east), Willian (1 mile south), Walsworth (2 miles south-west) and Poets Estate (2 miles south-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Stevenage (5 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (12 miles south), Harpenden (12 miles south-west), Hitchin (3 miles south-west), Hatfield (15 miles south) and Hertford (14 miles south-east).
Near you in Letchworth
Around Letchworth, our work takes us to kitchens and buildings near Norton School, The Highfield School and Three Magnets pub and the streets around them. There’s a railway station in Letchworth itself: Letchworth Garden City station. Other landmarks nearby include Fairfield Hospital (1.9 miles north-west) and First Garden City Heritage Museum (within half a mile south). The countryside around Letchworth includes Purwell Ninesprings.
Signs you need fire damper testing in Letchworth
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person has a duty to keep fire safety measures working, and dampers are part of those measures. Whoever that is, whether employer, owner, landlord, facilities manager or managing agent, needs to be able to show the dampers work.
Most sites get in touch when they notice one of these:
- Motorised smoke dampers due for testing
- Gaps in the fire damper test log
- Corroded dampers in damp risers and plant rooms
- Dust or grease build-up on damper blades
Hospitals such as Fairfield Hospital, about 1.9 miles north-west, are a good example of buildings with dampers on many floors; if you manage a clinic, surgery or care home near Letchworth, the same annual testing applies.
Before booking anyone
- Their accreditations, such as BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite, CHAS or SafeContractor
- What paperwork you get at the end
- What hours they’ll be on site
- Whether the quote shows VAT
Multi-site and managed buildings
When the building owner and the occupier are different, the lease normally sets out who maintains what. We can quote either party, and the report can go to both.
Keeping records across a portfolio is half the battle. Each visit ends with a dated report and photos, ready to show insurers, fire officers or EHOs.
When something else is needed
Some problems need a different service or another trade:
- Ductwork crossing a fire wall with no damper fitted
- Fire-stopping gaps around the duct where it passes through the wall
- Control wiring problems outside the damper itself
Not sure which it is? You can give us a ring on 0345 646 2711, or send details by email and we’ll tell you honestly.
What the work covers
- Offices and schools
- Wall and floor dampers
- Riser dampers
- Motorised smoke dampers
- Hospitals and care homes
- Fusible link fire dampers
Letchworth: your questions answered
Which fire authority looks after Letchworth?
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service for Letchworth. If a fire safety officer audits the building, they may ask for the latest damper test records.
Can the work in Letchworth be done at night or at weekends?
Yes, out-of-hours work is a big part of what we do. It means the site in Letchworth keeps running as normal. When you ring 0345 646 2711, or send details by email, mention when the site is quiet.
What happens if a damper fails its test?
We note the failure and what we found. A repair or a replacement can follow as a remedial job with a fresh test at the end.
What types of premises do you cover?
Any commercial site with kitchens or ventilation, from a single café to a large school. Hotels, schools, care homes, offices, shops and leisure sites are all part of our work.
Do you work with multi-site operators?
Yes. Our area covers London and the South East, so we can schedule a run of sites on one programme. Every site has its own report.
Is TR19 cleaning required by law?
No. The law sets the duty, and TR19® is the recognised benchmark for meeting it. Under the Fire Safety Order 2005, the responsible person must reduce fire risk, and without records, many insurers may refuse or reduce a claim.
Do you carry out smoke damper testing?
Yes. We test smoke dampers through their control system, as they’re motor driven. Each one is checked for full travel and the result recorded.
What if parts of the system can’t be reached?
The report shows them clearly. In ductwork, new access panels are often the answer, and we can fit those.