Hampshire · Fire damper testing
Fire and smoke damper testing in Sleaford
One call covers fire damper drop testing and smoke damper testing, with a record for each damper in Sleaford, from survey to sign-off. Fully insured, with CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001.
- Dampers hidden with no access panel or hatch
- Dampers flagged on a fire risk assessment
- Blades that jam part-way when released
Common problems we fix in Sleaford
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. Employers, owners, landlords and managing agents all need evidence that the dampers have been checked.
Clients typically contact us when they notice one of these:
- Buildings with no damper register
- Blades that jam part-way when released
- Smoke dampers with no recent test
- Damper actions from a fire risk assessment
For schools like Mill Chase Academy, damper testing is easiest in the holidays, when corridors and ceilings are clear.
Comparing quotes
- Whether the quote is based on a survey or pictures
- Whether a written report and photos are included
- Whether the quote shows VAT
- Whether inaccessible sections are listed on the report
Fire damper testing for kitchens and businesses in Sleaford
BESA guidance is that fire dampers should be tested by a competent person when they’re installed and at least annually after that. For spring-operated types, annual testing is the minimum. Our job is to do the testing and hand you the paperwork that shows it. The work covers fusible link fire dampers, riser dampers and offices and schools, and the jobs we see most are rusted damper blades and springs and damper actions from a fire risk assessment.
For a building in or near Sleaford, the visit is planned ahead, with access agreed in advance, and the test itself is the same as in any city building.
Good records are part of the job. Each visit is written up with photos, covering the work done, any areas we couldn’t access and a recommended next date. Keep it with your fire safety records so it’s ready for an insurer, fire officer or EHO.
- Location
- Sleaford (GU35)
- Region
- Hampshire
- Paperwork
- Written report with photos
- Quotes
- Fixed quote, usually within a working day
- Hours
- After hours by arrangement; emergencies any time
- Phone
- 0345 646 2711
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
What else we do in Sleaford
Managing agents and facilities teams in Sleaford
Keeping records across a portfolio is half the battle. Every visit ends with a dated report and photos, so you can show an insurer or inspector what was done at each site.
If you look after several sites, we can schedule visits across all of them on one quote. Each site gets its own report and photos, so records stay tidy.
Looking after it afterwards
Good habits slow the build-up between visits. A few tips:
- Keep cables and fixings away from damper blades
- Warn anyone working in ceiling voids about the dampers
- File every damper report where your assessor can find it
- Diary the annual test well ahead
Share the results with your fire risk assessor so their assessment matches what was found. Faults on the report are worth closing off quickly.
Water is a damper’s enemy, so fix leaks and condensation near them promptly. Corrosion is a common reason blades stick.
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
Your own staff can handle the daily basics: wiping canopies, washing grease filters and recording it in a log. Inside the ducts, risers and fan is specialist work, which is where we come in.
If your staff spot something between visits, such as dripping grease, a noisy fan, a smell or a filter that will not come clean, it’s best reported rather than tackled in-house. We will take a look and give you a fixed quote.
What happens if it’s left?
If a damper cannot close, the wall it sits in has a hole in it during a fire. The rest of the compartment can be built perfectly and still be bypassed by the duct. Testing now is how you find out before it matters. Somewhere as small as Sleaford, losing a kitchen or building to a fault is felt by everyone who uses it.
A single site or a whole portfolio, the quote is built the same way: what needs doing, how we get to it and when. You will have a fixed price before any work starts.
What you get with us
- CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001
- Photo reports with every job
- Fully insured
- In business since 2009
Take a look at what affects the cost and our accreditations.
How the visit works
There are three stages on the day: set-up, the treatment itself and the sign-off. Getting ready means protecting surfaces and switching off what needs to be off, while signing off means the written report and photos. Most of the time goes on the work itself, which takes anything from a couple of hours for a handful of dampers to a full day for a large building. Somewhere like Sleaford, lanes, gates and parking are worth mentioning in advance.
- We start with whatever records exist: registers, drawings or old reports.
- We find every damper and open it up through the access panel.
- Fire dampers are drop tested and smoke dampers are run through their controls.
- Dampers that close fully are reset and left open.
- The results go into a report, with failed dampers and remedials listed.
Before we arrive
- Arrange a key holder or contact on site
- Let us know how we reach the system, including roofs, risers and plant rooms
- Mention any parking or loading restrictions
Ask for a quote
We don’t publish a price list, because no two systems are the same. Instead, we look at your site first, from pictures or a survey, and then give you a fixed quote. To get going, call us on 0345 646 2711 or email us.
Advice
Sleaford questions
Do you work overnight in Sleaford?
Yes. We work evenings, overnight and at weekends. That way a site in Sleaford doesn’t have to lose a day’s trading. When you call 0345 646 2711 or use the quote form, mention when the site is quiet.
Which fire and rescue service is responsible for Sleaford?
It’s Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, which covers Sleaford. Keep each damper test report with the fire risk assessment and the building’s log book, ready to show.
Who is responsible for fire damper testing?
It’s the responsible person, under the Fire Safety Order 2005. Annual testing by a competent person, with written records, is a practical way to show the duty is being met.
Do you have a 24/7 line?
Yes. There’s a 24/7 emergency line, for problems that can’t wait. Ring any time and tell us what’s happened.
Can you look after several sites?
Yes. Send the list of sites and the work at each and you’ll get one fixed quote.
Do you certify fire dampers?
After testing, we provide a report covering each damper, with its location, its result and any faults. It belongs in your fire safety log.
How much time does a damper test visit need?
A visit takes anything from a couple of hours for a handful of dampers to a full day for a large building. Large buildings can be split over several visits, and you can ring 0345 646 2711 or email us to talk it through.
Can you set up regular visits?
Yes, of course. Tell us what you have and how it’s used, and we will suggest a schedule and quote for it.
Fire damper testing in Sleaford: local notes
The FSA’s food hygiene register lists about 3 hospitals, care homes and childcare premises with registered kitchens or food service across Sleaford and its immediate surroundings (about a mile and a half). If any of them has ducted ventilation, its dampers need an annual drop test at least. For Sleaford, the closest hospital is Chase Community Hospital, roughly 2.1 miles south. Healthcare buildings rely on fire compartments to protect people who can’t easily move, and dampers keep those compartments sealed. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service covers Sleaford. When a fire safety officer audits a non-domestic building, maintenance of systems like dampers can come up.
The nearest hospital, Chase Community Hospital, is about 2.1 miles south; healthcare buildings like it are a reminder that dampers protect people who can’t move quickly.
Sleaford is about 5 miles east of Alton, in Hampshire. From the centre of Sleaford to the outskirts, fire damper testing is available to all kinds of commercial premises, from a single unit to a large public building. Sleaford is one of 683 places in Hampshire we cover for fire damper testing. Guildford is in our area too, around 14 miles away.
All of GU35 is within our area for fire damper testing, from the main roads to the quietest streets. We also cover the places around Sleaford: Kingsley (1 mile west), Pinewood Village (1 mile south), Lindford (1 mile south), Frithend (1 mile north) and Bordon (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Basingstoke (14 miles north-west), Farnborough (12 miles north), Fleet (10 miles north), Aldershot (9 miles north-east), Alton (5 miles west) and Petersfield (10 miles south).
Landmarks near Sleaford
Locally, jobs take us to businesses close to The New Inn and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Bentley (Hampshire) station, roughly 3.2 miles north. Nearby you will also find Chase Community Hospital (2.1 miles south). Open spaces near Sleaford include Deadwater Valley.
What the work involves, part by part
Schools, hospitals and care homes
Where residents can’t easily get out, holding fire and smoke back matters even more. Annual damper testing is part of keeping that in place.
Ceiling voids and risers
Damp plant areas are hard on dampers. Signs of corrosion or water are recorded so the cause can be tackled.