Smoke Leakage Testing
​UKTC's smoke leakage chamber enables comprehensive and UKAS accredited smoke leakage testing performed to either BS EN 1634-3:2004 or BS 476-31.1:1983.​​
UKAS Accredited Smoke Leakage Testing
The smoke leakage test is an important safety measure that determines how well your fire doors and shutters will keep you safe in case of emergencies. This examination looks at the possibility for hot or cold air flow through them when they're activated during fires.
Why do I require smoke leakage testing?
As an essential part of all building safety, doors require to perform various functions and achieve the correct the satisfactory level of performance as part of of the overall building outcome. Smoke Leakage testing is a critical process of your fire safety testing process. A fire door that is correctly halts and reduces the spread of flame, but allows a passageway for smoke is insufficient for the protection of life in the event of a fire incident.
What to expect from a smoke leakage test?
To evaluate smoke leakage at ambient temperatures, the test is conducted using a specially designed smoke leakage chamber that houses a partition to install the sample. The chamber uses fans to control the pressure exerted and includes a pressure transducer, a flow meter and digital displays to record pressure and leakage rates throughout the test. Leakage over the perimeter length of the opening element is used to determine the results.
It is possible to evaluate both positive and negative pressures at ambient temperature. This can be done by simply reversing the chamber control fan's polarity to demonstrate leakage rates at ambient temperatures from both directions; leakage readings are taken at 10 pascals (Pa), 25 Pa and 50 Pa.
BS 8214:2026 Guidance on Smoke Leakage Testing
The 2026 update to BS 8214 tightened the rules and expectations on smoke leakage measurements for fire and smoke control doors. The most significant change is that smoke leakage must be measured across the whole specimen including the threshold and not simply just the head and jambs as per the previous guidance.
How much does smoke leakage testing cost?
UKAS accredited smoke leakage tests cost approximately £2500 (ex-VAT) including the associated supporting construction. Prices can vary on unique test programmes for manufacturers whereas savings can be made when testing the same specimen for both smoke and fire.
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UKTC's fire resistance laboratory is fully equipped with a smoke leakage chamber and 3x3m furnace to allow specimens to be subjected to both smoke and fire testing with minimal downtime, saving the manufacturer time and money.
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For a quote tailored to your test requirements, contact a member of our team by clicking here.