Oxfordshire · Fire damper testing
Fire and smoke damper testing in New Marston
For fire damper testing in New Marston, one call is all it takes, from survey to sign-off. Fully insured, with CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001.
- Rusted damper blades and springs
- Dampers flagged on a fire risk assessment
- Missing or out-of-date damper records
What fire damper testing looks like in New Marston
The FSA’s food hygiene register lists about 82 schools, colleges and universities, about 30 caring premises (care homes, nurseries and hospitals) and about 12 hotels and guest houses with registered kitchens or food service in and around New Marston, up to about a mile and a half out. If any of them has ducted ventilation, its dampers need an annual drop test at least. Fire safety in New Marston falls to 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. Churchill Hospital is the nearest hospital, about 0.7 miles east of New Marston. Hospitals are a good example of a building with fire dampers across many floors and departments.
If you manage a care home or clinic near New Marston, the testing that a hospital like Churchill Hospital (about 0.7 miles east) relies on applies to your dampers too. Holywell Manor, about 0.7 miles south-west, is one of the historic houses near New Marston, and older buildings converted to new uses often have ventilation added later.
New Marston is about 1 mile north of Oxford, in Oxfordshire. We provide fire damper testing for commercial premises of every kind in New Marston and the rest of Oxfordshire. New Marston is one of 443 towns, villages and districts in Oxfordshire we cover for commercial clients.
Postcode districts we cover here for fire damper testing: OX3, OX1 and OX4. Fire damper testing is available to premises on Ferry Road, Croft Road and Copse Lane and nearby roads. Nearby, we also carry out fire damper testing in Headington Hill (1 mile south-east), Northway (1 mile north-east), Oxford (1 mile south), St Clement's (1 mile south) and Norham Manor (1 mile west). Further out, we also cover Didcot (11 miles south), Bicester (10 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (6 miles south), Witney (11 miles west), Carterton (15 miles west) and Thame (11 miles east).
Around New Marston
In New Marston, that means kitchens and buildings near English Faculty Library, Cheney School and Headington Hill Park and the streets around them. Other local landmarks include Rye St Antony School (0.5 miles south-east) and White Horse pub (0.8 miles south-east). For rail, the closest station is Oxford station, about 1.6 miles south-west. A little further out are Clarendon Shopping Centre (1.2 miles south-west) and Churchill Hospital (0.7 miles east). Green spaces nearby include Headington Hill and CS Lewis Nature Reserve.
Fire damper testing in New Marston, done properly
The point of testing is to find dampers that fail. When one sticks, has a damaged link or is corroded, we report it and offer remedials rather than leaving you with a problem and no fix. If you’re dealing with rusted damper blades and springs and blades that jam part-way when released, we can put it right.
In smaller places like New Marston, dampers are often in the ductwork serving kitchens, plant rooms and escape routes. Testing is planned around residents, pupils or guests.
For insurers and inspectors, the record counts. That is why every job is written up in a report with photos, plus a TR19® certificate through the BESCA VHE portal where the work is a TR19® Grease clean.
- Where
- New Marston (OX3, OX1, OX4)
- Wider area
- Oxfordshire
- Records
- Report and photos after the visit
- Quote
- A fixed quote up front
- Working hours
- Overnight and weekend work, 24/7 emergency callout
- Phone
- 0345 646 2711
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
Places near New Marston
Also in New Marston
What the work involves, part by part
Fusible link fire dampers
The link has to be in good order for the damper to work. Each link is looked at as part of the test and any problems go on the report.
Offices and retail
Each new fit-out brings a risk of damaged or covered dampers. A test after the works shows the dampers still close.
Do you need fire damper testing in New Marston?
Corrosion is another common cause of failure. Condensation, leaks and damp plant rooms corrode the parts that need to move, so a damper can seize without anyone noticing.
Keep an eye out for these warning signs:
- Fire dampers with no recent test record
- Fire damper items raised by an assessor
- Corroded dampers in damp risers and plant rooms
- Blades that jam part-way when released
Site managers at schools such as St Michael's CofE Primary School usually find the summer break the easiest time for ceiling work like damper testing.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether the price is fixed
- What paperwork you get at the end
- Whether a survey comes first
- How areas they can’t reach will be recorded
How it works
Before we leave, we walk the area with whoever is on site. We point out anything that couldn’t be reached or needs a follow-up, and the same goes into the written report. All told, the work takes a couple of hours for a few dampers, and a day or more across a big site. For a place like New Marston, we load the van from the survey notes so the work can be done in one visit where possible.
- 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.
- The damper is reset and its condition noted.
- We close everything up and send the results in a report.
Getting ready for the visit
- Agree a time when the area can be out of use
- Find the previous report, if there is one
- Let us know about permits to work or site inductions
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.
Advice
Landlords, agents and facilities managers
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must assess and reduce fire risk, which may be the employer, owner, landlord, FM or managing agent. With shared responsibility, good records help everyone.
Whether it’s one building or many, the standard is the same: diagnosis, a fixed price, work booked around your hours and a written report with pictures.
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
Logging matters as much as cleaning. A simple log of filter washes, wipe-downs and checks shows an inspector that the system is looked after between visits, next to our reports.
Your own staff can handle the daily basics: wiping canopies, washing grease filters and recording it in a log. What they can’t safely do is clean inside the ductwork, the fan or the risers, which is where we come in.
Keeping the system healthy
To keep the system working properly between visits:
- Warn anyone working in ceiling voids about the dampers
- Keep cables and fixings away from damper blades
- Keep an eye out for damp around dampers
- Keep damper test reports with the fire safety log
Tell other contractors where the dampers are, and ask them not to run cables through or wedge them. Anything they disturb should be checked again.
Keeping to at least annual testing stops small faults turning into failed dampers. A blade that’s just starting to stick is easier to deal with than a seized one.
FAQs for New Marston
Which fire service covers New Marston?
That’s Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. If a fire safety officer audits the building, they may ask for the latest damper test records.
Is New Marston within the area you cover?
Yes, we work in villages as well as towns, and New Marston is covered. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the site when you book.
What information do you need?
Where the site is, what it is and when it’s open, along with a few pictures and any previous report.
How much notice should we give?
The more notice, the better, especially for out-of-hours work. Quotes usually come back within one working day, and emergencies are covered by our 24/7 line.
Do you have insurance?
Yes, fully. CHAS and SafeContractor accreditation sit alongside it, for sites that check contractor safety.
What’s TR19?
TR19® is the BESA specification for keeping ventilation systems clean. TR19® Grease, a standalone specification since 2019, covers grease in kitchen extract systems, and TR19® Air covers general supply and extract systems.
Do you survey before quoting?
Yes. For many sites, pictures and a few details are enough, and larger or hidden systems get a visit.
Can you test out of hours?
Yes, the visit is arranged to suit the site. Out-of-hours and weekend work is available if daytime testing would get in the way.
What fire damper testing cannot fix
We will always give you a straight diagnosis, so here’s what fire damper testing will not do:
- Dampers that were never installed where they’re needed
- Holes around ductwork in fire-resisting walls
- Fire alarm or control system faults behind a smoke damper
Not sure which it is? You can phone us on 0345 646 2711 or send us an email and we will tell you honestly before you book.
What the work covers
- Riser dampers
- Motorised smoke dampers
- Wall and floor dampers
- Fusible link fire dampers
- Hospitals and care homes
- Offices and schools