Hampshire · Fire damper testing
Fire damper inspection in Little Somborne
For fire damper testing in Little Somborne, 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
- Motorised smoke dampers due for testing
- Fire dampers that fail to drop shut
How we handle fire damper testing in Little Somborne
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. If you’re dealing with fire dampers that haven’t been tested for over a year and dust or grease build-up on damper blades, we can help.
In rural areas, conversions, country hotels and care homes can have ductwork crossing fire-resisting walls, where the dampers are easy to overlook. A first test normally starts with finding them all.
The paperwork matters as much as the work. You get a written report with pictures after every visit, covering the work done, any areas we couldn’t access and a recommended next date. File it in your maintenance log so it’s to hand when an insurer or inspector asks.
- Where
- Little Somborne (SO20)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Records
- Written report with photos
- Price
- A fixed quote up front
- Hours
- Evenings, overnight and weekends; 24/7 emergencies
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
How the job changes from site to site
Fusible link fire dampers
Spring-operated fire dampers need testing at least once a year. A weak spring or a sticking blade shows up when the damper is dropped.
Access panels
Over time, hatches and panels get covered up. Clear access makes the test quicker and less disruptive.
Little Somborne: your questions answered
Do you work in villages like Little Somborne?
Yes, we work in villages as well as towns, and Little Somborne is covered. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Can the work in Little Somborne be done at night or at weekends?
Yes, out-of-hours work is a big part of what we do. That way a site in Little Somborne does not have to lose a day’s trading. Tell us your opening hours when you ask for a quote.
How often do fire dampers need drop testing?
BESA guidance calls for testing by a competent person at least once a year. Dampers should also be tested when they’re first installed.
Whose job is it to make sure fire dampers are tested?
It’s the responsible person, under the Fire Safety Order 2005. Testing at least yearly and keeping the reports is how they can show it’s being done.
Where does the waste go?
We take it away at the end of the visit. During the work, it’s contained so the area stays clean.
How long will damper testing take?
As a guide, it takes from an hour or two in a small building to several visits on a large estate. It comes down mainly to how many dampers there are and how easy they are to get to.
What is TR19?
A BESA specification, with two parts that matter most here: TR19® Grease for kitchen extract systems and TR19® Air for general ventilation. It isn’t law, but it’s the benchmark.
What should I send you?
Some pictures and a quick description of the system, with the address and opening hours. We will ask for anything else we need.
Common problems we fix in Little Somborne
Building work often happens right next to dampers. Cables get run through them, links get knocked and blades get wedged open, and any of those can stop a damper closing.
These are the problems we see most often:
- Dampers clogged with dust or grease
- Fire dampers that haven’t been tested for over a year
- Rusted damper blades and springs
- Buildings with no damper register
In Little Somborne, each damper is dropped to prove it closes fully, then reset.
What your quote should include
- Which accreditations they hold, and whether you can check them
- Whether inaccessible sections are listed on the report
- Whether a written report and pictures are included
- What hours they’ll be on site
For landlords and multi-site operators
When the building owner and the occupier are different, the lease normally sets out who maintains what. We can quote either party and send the paperwork to whoever needs it.
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 are happy to quote for all of it.
Places near Little Somborne
Other services in Little Somborne
What staff can safely do
Staff cleaning doesn’t replace a specialist visit; it supports it. Clean filters and tidy surfaces slow the build-up, but hidden parts of the system still need specialist attention.
For ventilation and air handling systems, in-house care is mostly about checks: clear grilles, a log of filter changes and reporting anything odd. Cleaning inside ducts and units is specialist work.
Fire damper testing around Little Somborne
Little Somborne’s nearest hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, is about 5.6 miles east. 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. Fire safety in Little Somborne falls to Hampshire and Isle of Wight 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.
If you manage a care home or clinic near Little Somborne, the testing that a hospital like Royal Hampshire County Hospital (about 5.6 miles east) relies on applies to your dampers too.
Little Somborne is about 6 miles west of Winchester, in Hampshire. We provide fire damper testing for commercial premises of every kind in Little Somborne and the rest of Hampshire. Little Somborne is one of 683 places in Hampshire where we work for fire damper testing. For sites nearby, see our Southampton page (12 miles or so).
Work in SO20 follows the same survey, fixed quote and written report as everywhere else we cover. Fire damper testing is available to premises on Chalk Hill and Somborne Park Road and the roads around them. Neighbouring places we cover for fire damper testing include Up Somborne (1 mile east), Ashley (1 mile south), King's Somborne (2 miles south-west), Lower Slackstead (5 miles south) and Braishfield (5 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Winchester (6 miles east), Eastleigh (10 miles south-east), Andover (8 miles north), Totton (12 miles south), Chandler's Ford (8 miles south) and Hedge End (14 miles south-east).
Around Little Somborne
A little further out are Royal Hampshire County Hospital (5.6 miles east).
Why it’s worth doing now in Little Somborne
Faults found early are often simpler to put right. Left for years, corrosion and build-up can turn it into a full damper replacement. Somewhere as small as Little Somborne, losing a kitchen or building to a fault is felt by everyone who uses it.
No two sites are the same, so we price each one individually. Size, access, the condition of the system and when we can work all make a difference.
Why us?
- Photo reports with every job
- We diagnose before we treat
- We are fully insured
- Fixed quotes, typically within one working day
Take a look at how cleaning jobs are priced and our accreditations and certificates.
What we do, step by step
Protection comes first: sheeting goes over floors and surfaces close to the work. Then we make the system safe and start. It takes a morning or an afternoon for a small number of dampers, longer where there are many, and the area is cleaned down before we leave. Photos of the system and how to reach it help us plan a visit to Little Somborne.
- Before the visit, we agree access, timings and any areas with restrictions.
- We open up ceilings and hatches and take off each access panel.
- The blade is released and watched to make sure it closes fully.
- The damper is reset and its condition noted.
- Panels and tiles go back, and the results are written up.
Before we arrive
- Plan for cooking equipment or plant to be off before we arrive
- Tell us the best time to work, such as after service or at a weekend
- Arrange a key holder or contact on site
Getting a quote
Need a price for fire damper testing? Please ring 0345 646 2711 or email us and tell us about the site. We will explain what we’d do and send a fixed quote before you commit to anything.
Read more
How we price fire damper testing
A fixed price needs a few facts first. We check:
- Parking and loading at the site
- A single visit or a regular plan
- The condition we find in the survey
- Site requirements such as sign-in and permits
Working hours, access and the scale of the site all affect the cost. Each of those is built into the quote, and the price is fixed before we start.
What to send for a quote
When you call or email, these details help:
- The postcode and the type of business
- Anything you’ve noticed, such as smells, noise, drips or poor airflow
- Close-ups of filters, grilles, hatches or access panels
- The roof, plant room or outside wall the system runs to
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 pictures, get a survey first. Either way, the quote is fixed before any work is booked.