West Sussex · Fire damper testing
Fire damper testing in Shipton Green, West Sussex
Specialist fire damper testing for Shipton Green: a survey, a fixed price, careful work and proper paperwork. Call for a fixed quote.
- Damper actions from a fire risk assessment
- Dampers overdue for their annual drop test
- Rusted damper blades and springs
How we handle fire damper testing in Shipton Green
Fire dampers sit inside ductwork where it passes through a fire-resisting wall or floor. Most are held open by a fusible link that melts at a set temperature, letting the blade drop and close the duct. Drop testing proves that this still happens, and every result is written down, damper by damper. If you have fire dampers that haven’t been tested for over a year and smoke dampers with no recent test, we can help, from hospitals and care homes, fusible link fire dampers and wall and floor dampers onwards.
Somewhere as small as Shipton Green, fire dampers are usually found in a school, a care home, a hotel or a converted building, wherever there is one. Wherever there are dampers, each one needs testing at least annually.
Insurers, fire officers and environmental health officers all look at records. So every job comes with a written report and pictures, and grease extract cleans come with a TR19® certificate issued through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal.
- Where
- Shipton Green (PO20)
- Wider area
- West Sussex
- Paperwork
- Report and photos after the visit
- Quote
- A fixed price before work begins
- Hours
- Out of hours as standard, 24/7 emergency line
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
Between visits
Looking after the system between visits is straightforward, and it makes the next visit easier:
- Don’t let anything obstruct a damper’s blade
- Update the register when ductwork changes
- File every damper report where your assessor can find it
- Make sure access panels stay clear and usable
Tell other contractors where the dampers are, and ask them not to run cables through or wedge them. If a damper has been disturbed, have it tested again.
The simplest way to avoid failures is to test on time, every year. Faults caught early are easier to fix.
Different parts, different methods
Schools, hospitals and care homes
In hospitals and care homes, people are there day and night. We plan the order of work with the site team to keep disruption to a minimum.
Offices and retail
Each new fit-out brings a risk of damaged or covered dampers. Testing after a fit-out shows whether anything was disturbed.
The process
A visit follows the same order every time: protect the area, isolate whatever needs isolating, carry out the fire damper testing, tidy up and hand over the paperwork. The visit itself takes a few hours for a single floor, with bigger buildings phased over more than one visit. Seeing the system in photos first means the trip to Shipton Green can be planned properly.
- Before the visit, we agree access, timings and any areas with restrictions.
- 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.
- The damper is reset and its condition noted.
- We close everything up and send the results in a report.
Before we arrive
- Arrange a key holder or contact on site
- Make sure equipment near the work can be switched off and left to cool
- Clear the space around the work
Get a fixed quote
Photos are enough for some jobs, while others need a look on site. Larger sites, and anything hidden behind walls, ceilings or floors, are normally surveyed first. Either way, you get a fixed price before any work starts.
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Fixed quotes for fire damper testing in Shipton Green
There’s no set price list, because sites vary so much. What we look at:
- Access, including roofs, risers and ceiling voids
- Parking and loading at the site
- A single visit or a regular plan
- Site requirements such as sign-in and permits
No two sites are the same, so each one gets its own fixed quote. Size, access, the condition of the system and when we can work all play a part.
Helping us quote
To help us quote quickly, send us:
- A few general shots of the system
- The site address and the type of premises
- Any access panels or hatches you can see
- The paperwork from the last visit, if you have it
The quickest way to a quote is to send pictures: the system from a couple of angles, plus any access panels or hatches. Tell us what kind of site it is and when it’s open, and many jobs can be priced from that alone.
FAQs for Shipton Green
Can you come to Shipton Green after we close?
Yes, out-of-hours work is a big part of what we do. Your customers, staff or residents in Shipton Green needn’t be disturbed. Tell us your opening hours when you ask for a quote.
Which fire service covers Shipton Green?
That is West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. BESA guidance is that every fire damper is tested at least once a year, so an officer or insurer may expect a report less than a year old.
Can you look after several sites?
Yes. We work across South East England and London, so we can schedule a run of sites as one programme. Every site has its own report.
What should I send you?
A short description and a few pictures plus the address and your hours. If we need more, we’ll ask.
Where does the waste go?
We contain it and take it with us. Grease, debris and waste water are collected as the work goes on rather than letting it spread.
Do you test smoke dampers as well?
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.
Who is the responsible person?
The law calls them the responsible person. It’s normally the employer, or whoever controls the building, and in shared buildings more than one person can have duties. Your lease and fire risk assessment should make it clear.
Who has the duty to keep fire dampers working?
It sits with the building’s responsible person. Depending on the building, that can be the employer, owner, landlord or whoever manages it. We carry out the testing and give them the records.
What a clean will not put right
We’d rather tell you now than book work that will not help, so these are the things it won’t cover:
- Gaps in the wall or floor around the damper
- Deciding where dampers should be fitted
- Dampers that were never installed where they’re needed
Not sure which it is? You can ring 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line and we’ll tell you honestly.
What the work covers
- Riser dampers
- Wall and floor dampers
- Offices and schools
- Hospitals and care homes
- Motorised smoke dampers
- Fusible link fire dampers
Fire dampers in Shipton Green buildings
The coast is only about 1 mile from Shipton Green. A damper that has corroded can stay open when it should close, which is why coastal sites are worth testing carefully. Going by the FSA’s register, there are about 3 hospitals, care homes and childcare premises serving food across Shipton Green and its immediate surroundings (about a mile and a half). Buildings like these often have ducted ventilation, and wherever a duct crosses a fire-resisting wall or floor there should be a damper, tested at least once a year. Shipton Green is covered by West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Its fire safety officers enforce the Fire Safety Order in most non-domestic buildings, and that covers fire safety systems such as dampers.
School buildings such as Birdham CE Primary School are normally tested in the holidays, wherever they have dampers. Hospitals such as St Richard's Hospital, about 5.2 miles north-east, are a good example of buildings with dampers on many floors; if you manage a clinic, surgery or care home near Shipton Green, the same annual testing applies.
Shipton Green is about 5 miles south-west of Chichester, in West Sussex. Anywhere in PO20, we can carry out fire damper testing at your premises. Our West Sussex coverage runs to 371 places, and Shipton Green is one of them. Our Portsmouth page covers sites nearby (10 miles or so).
Every address in PO20 is within our area for fire damper testing, from busy streets to back roads. That includes premises on Shipton Green Lane and Itchenor Road and nearby roads. We also cover Somerley (1 mile south-east), Birdham (1 mile east), Almodington (2 miles south-east), Earnley (2 miles south) and East Wittering (2 miles south). Further out, we also cover Bognor Regis (7 miles east), Chichester (5 miles north-east), Selsey (5 miles south-east), Littlehampton (14 miles east), Emsworth (5 miles north-west) and Rustington (15 miles east).
What’s near Shipton Green
The nearest railway station is Bosham station, roughly 3.6 miles north of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Chichester Castle (4.9 miles north-east) and St Richard's Hospital (5.2 miles north-east). Green spaces nearby include Pilsey Island.
For landlords and multi-site operators
From a single site to a large estate, the standard is the same: diagnosis, a fixed price, work booked around your hours and a written report with pictures.
We work for landlords, managing agents and facilities managers as well as the people running the site. 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.
Why it’s worth doing now in Shipton Green
Leaving damper testing for another year doesn’t make the dampers any more likely to work. The guidance from BESA is at least once a year, and a skipped year leaves a hole in your records as well. A planned visit to Shipton Green is easier to arrange than an emergency callout.
Kitchens, offices, schools and hospitals are all priced the same way: how much there is, how we reach it, what state it’s in and when we can work. Call for a fixed quote and we will explain each part.
Why book with us
- One number for every site across the South East and London
- A BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease
- Out-of-hours work and a 24/7 emergency line
- CHAS and SafeContractor accredited, with ISO 9001
Take a look at how cleaning jobs are priced or how to check a contractor.