AOV and smoke ventilation for Durham buildings
The North East combines student cities, riverside apartments, older terraces let as HMOs, and established industrial estates and trade parks across Tyne and Wear, Teesside and Northumberland.
In most blocks of flats, smoke ventilation is what keeps the common corridor and stair usable during a fire, for residents leaving and for firefighters coming in. If the vent does not open, or opens late, the escape route can fill with smoke in minutes.
AOV systems are usually triggered by smoke detectors on each landing and are linked to a control panel with battery backup. We test the detection, the actuators, the free area at the opening, the panel and its batteries, the firefighter override switches, and the link to the fire alarm. Where a system is failing, we repair or replace actuators and panels from most major manufacturers.
The rules that apply in Durham
In England, fire safety in non-domestic premises and the common parts of blocks of flats is governed by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as amended by the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. Higher-risk residential buildings are also covered by the Building Safety Act 2022, which is overseen by the Building Safety Regulator.
What is included
- Functional testing of AOVs and smoke shafts
- Actuator, motor and window mechanism checks
- Control panel, battery and charger tests
- Firefighter override switch tests
- Cause and effect checks with the fire alarm
- Repairs and like-for-like replacements
- Service reports and logbook entries
Buildings we work on in Durham
- Blocks of flats
- Managing agents
- Housing associations
- Build-to-rent
- Student accommodation
- Mixed-use buildings
Areas we cover from Durham
From Durham we also cover Washington (9 miles), Sunderland (12 miles), Gateshead (12 miles), Newcastle upon Tyne (14 miles) and Hartlepool (16 miles). Elsewhere in County Durham we work in Darlington, Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool. If your building is not in a listed town, we still cover it: every enquiry for aov and smoke ventilation in North East England is handled the same way.