Fire damper servicing and planned maintenance

For spring-operated and curtain dampers, the fusible link is released so the damper can close under its own mechanism. The engineer confirms it travels fully and seals against the frame, then resets the damper and fits a new link where required.

Motorised dampers are driven closed through their actuator, ideally in conjunction with the fire alarm or building management system, and checked for full travel, correct signalling and correct reopening.

Alongside the operational test, every damper receives a visual inspection: corrosion, distortion, obstruction by insulation or cabling, paint fouling the blades, missing fusible links, loose or incorrect fixings and defective builders work around the penetration are all recorded.

We work to whatever cycle suits the building and your obligations: three-monthly, six-monthly, nine-monthly or annual. Kitchen extract, workshops and other dust-laden or grease-laden environments seize far faster and belong on the shorter cycles; clean office ventilation is usually fine annually.

BS 9999:2017 sets a floor rather than a target: testing on completion of installation, then at intervals not exceeding two years, with annual testing for spring-operated dampers in dust-laden atmospheres. Two years is the longest a damper should ever go untested, not a schedule to aim for, and most insurers and fire risk assessors expect annual testing at least. Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places a duty on the responsible person to keep fire safety equipment in efficient working order, and a documented service cycle is how that duty is demonstrated.

For larger estates we phase visits across the year so costs and disruption are spread evenly, and reminders come from us rather than from your fire risk assessor.