Medway · Fire damper testing
Fire damper testing in Rochester, Medway
Fire damper testing for Rochester, from a team that has been trading since 2009. Evenings, overnight and weekends, plus a 24/7 emergency line.
- Motorised smoke dampers due for testing
- Dirty dampers that may not close
- Dampers affected by leaks or condensation
How we handle fire damper testing in Rochester
Under BESA guidance, every fire damper is tested on completion of installation and then at least once a year. For spring-operated types, annual testing is the minimum. Our job is to do the testing and hand you the paperwork that shows it. If you’re dealing with dampers overdue for their annual drop test and blades that jam part-way when released, we can put it right.
In a town like Rochester, the buildings with fire dampers tend to be schools, offices, surgeries, care homes, hotels and blocks of flats. Wherever a duct crosses a fire-resisting wall or floor, the damper there needs testing at least once a year.
Think of the report as the system’s health record: a dated account with photos of everything we did. Grease extract cleans are also certificated to TR19® Grease through the BESCA VHE portal and sits alongside the report.
How the visit works
A visit follows the same order every time: protect the area, isolate whatever needs isolating, carry out the fire damper testing, clear away and hand over the paperwork. On site, the work takes a few hours for a single floor, with bigger buildings phased over more than one visit. Before the visit, a few photos of the system and how to reach it help us plan the work in Rochester.
- 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
- Dig out any earlier paperwork for the system
- Make sure someone can let us in and lock up afterwards
- Move anything stored near the system
Ask for a quote
Photos are the quickest way to a quote: the system from a couple of angles, plus any access panels or hatches. Add the site type and your opening hours, and we can price many jobs without a visit.
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What affects the cost of fire damper testing
Every site gets its own quote. This is what makes a difference:
- How easy every part is to reach
- Working hours and out-of-hours timing
- How big the system is
- How many systems or sites are involved
When the work has to happen, how we reach it and how big the site is can all change the price. We take each of them into account, and the price is fixed before work begins.
What we need to know
Many jobs can be priced from pictures and some basics. Send what you can of the following:
- Where the plant sits or the system leaves the building, such as a roof or outside wall
- The paperwork from the last visit, if you have it
- When the site is open and when it’s quiet
- Any symptoms, from odd noises to smells or leaks
We don’t publish a price list, because every site is different. We look at your system first, from pictures or on a visit, then send a fixed quote. To start, call 0345 646 2711, or send details by email.
When to call us in Rochester
Other trades work around dampers all the time. Cables get run through them, links get knocked and blades get wedged open, and any of those can stop a damper closing.
Any of these means the system needs a check-up:
- Dampers flagged on a fire risk assessment
- Fire dampers that fail to drop shut
- Buildings with no damper register
- Dampers clogged with dust or grease
School buildings such as Rochester Riverside Church of England Primary School are usually tested in the holidays, wherever they have dampers.
Comparing quotes
- Their accreditations, such as BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite, CHAS or SafeContractor
- Whether they’re fully insured
- Whether the quote shows VAT
- What happens if part of the system can’t be accessed
Landlords, agents and facilities managers
Facilities teams in offices, schools and healthcare sites book us too across Medway. Work can be phased by floor, building or site around the people who use them.
Landlords, managing agents and facilities managers book us, not only the businesses that use the systems. Shared systems, like a riser serving several units, need a clear agreement on who books the work, and we can quote for the whole system.
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
Day-to-day cleaning is something your team can do: wiping down canopy surfaces, cleaning filters and keeping a simple log. Inside the ducts, risers and fan is specialist work, which is where we come in.
Some jobs should never be done in-house: entering ducts, working on fans, testing dampers and taking grease readings call for the right kit, training and safe access. Leave those to us.
Aftercare tips
So the system stays in good health:
- Do not let anything obstruct a damper’s blade
- File every damper report where your assessor can find it
- Keep to at least yearly testing
- Act on failed dampers rather than leaving them on file
The next test should be no more than a year away. BESA guidance is at least annual testing, so it helps to book it before the date slips.
Where a damper sits in ductwork that collects dust or grease, keeping that ductwork clean helps. Duct cleaning and damper testing can be planned side by side.
What fire damper testing cannot fix
It’s worth knowing the limits before booking:
- Fire alarm or control system faults behind a smoke damper
- Signing off a building’s overall fire safety
- Fire risk assessments, which need a fire risk assessor
If you’re not sure, just call 0345 646 2711, or send details by email and we will give you a straight answer.
What the work covers
- Wall and floor dampers
- Hospitals and care homes
- Riser dampers
- Fusible link fire dampers
- Offices and schools
- Motorised smoke dampers
Questions from Rochester
Can the work in Rochester be done at night or at weekends?
Yes, evening, overnight and weekend work is normal for us. The site is handed back ready to open. Just phone us on 0345 646 2711 or email us with your opening times and we’ll plan around them.
Does being near the coast affect fire damper testing in Rochester?
It can. Being within about 3 miles of the sea means more corrosion on metalwork in Rochester than inland. If corrosion is stopping a blade, the report says so and remedial work can be quoted.
Is a quote from pictures possible?
Often, yes. With good photos, the site type and your last report, we can price many jobs. Larger or hidden systems need a survey on site first.
Can you come out in an emergency?
Yes. There’s a 24/7 emergency line, for problems that cannot wait. Call us any time and explain what’s happened.
Who has the duty to keep fire dampers working?
The responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, who might be the employer, owner, landlord, facilities manager or managing agent. They must keep fire safety measures, including dampers, in working order.
Do we need to close while you work?
Not normally. Visits are timed for when the area is closed, such as overnight or at a weekend, so the site can carry on as normal.
Who is the responsible person?
The Fire Safety Order 2005 calls them the responsible person: normally the employer or whoever controls the premises. Landlords, facilities managers and managing agents can also hold responsibility.
How much does fire damper testing cost in Rochester?
Size, condition, access and working hours all affect the cost. Call for a fixed quote and we’ll normally reply within one working day.
Fire dampers in Rochester buildings
Rochester lies within about 3 miles of the sea. Dampers close to louvres and air intakes can corrode in sea air, and a corroded blade may not drop. Going by the FSA’s register, there are about 18 schools, colleges and universities, about 37 care, childcare and hospital premises and about 6 hotels and B&Bs serving food across Rochester and its immediate surroundings (about a mile and a half). Larger buildings like these are often divided into fire compartments, with dampers where ducts pass between them. Rochester is covered by Kent Fire and Rescue Service. 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.
Healthcare buildings such as French Hospital (about within half a mile south-east) rely on fire compartments, and the dampers in them need testing at least annually. If you manage an older building converted to a hotel or venue, like many historic houses in the area (Restoration House is about 0.4 miles south-east), finding every damper is the first job.
Rochester is about 27 miles east of London, in Medway. Whatever kind of site you run in Rochester, fire damper testing is something we can help with. Visits can be booked for evenings, overnight or weekends so the site keeps running. Across Medway, we cover 68 places, Rochester among them. For sites nearby, see our Maidstone page (9 miles or so).
Work in ME2, ME1, ME3 and ME4 is surveyed, quoted and booked the same way as anywhere else. Streets in the area include High Street, Gundolph Square and Station Road, all of which we cover for fire damper testing. With the A2 and A226 close by, Rochester is easy for our technicians to reach for fire damper testing. Other places close to Rochester include Strood (1 mile west), Borstal (1 mile south-west), Cuxton (2 miles south-west), Lower Bush (3 miles west) and North Halling (3 miles south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Gillingham (4 miles east), Chatham (3 miles south-east), Rainham (5 miles south-east), Park Wood (5 miles south-east), Lordswood (4 miles south-east) and Twydall (4 miles east). As one of the bigger places in Medway, Rochester has commercial sites of every size, and we cover all of them for fire damper testing.
Around Rochester
Around Rochester, our work takes us to kitchens and buildings near Former Ordnance Store At Chatham Gun Wharf, Fort Pitt Grammar School and Broomhill Park. Nearby too are Temple School (1.2 miles north) and Royal Crown Hotel (within half a mile east). There’s a railway station in Rochester itself: Rochester station. Nearby you will also find Rochester Castle (within half a mile east) and Huguenot Museum (less than half a mile east). For a walk, there’s Gad's Hill and Rede Common.