Essex · Ductwork cleaning
Aldham ductwork cleaning
Cleaning of kitchen extract ductwork, horizontal runs and vertical risers through access panels in Aldham, surveyed first and signed off with a written report and photos. Call for a fixed quote.
- Years of grease along the duct floor
- Readings above 200 microns from a grease thickness test
- Smells of old cooking grease from the ductwork
Ductwork cleaning for kitchens and businesses in Aldham
Each extract duct we take on in Aldham goes through the full routine: we test the grease first, remove thick deposits by hand and degrease what’s left. Readings are taken again afterwards and pictures go into your report. The work covers bends and junctions, horizontal duct runs and multi-storey ducts, and common reasons people get in touch are ductwork that has never been cleaned and years of grease along the duct floor.
In a small place like Aldham, kitchens are often in older or extended buildings, with long single-storey duct runs, and those horizontal sections are where grease settles. We agree access and timings in advance.
Insurers, fire officers and environmental health officers all look at records. So every job comes with a written report and pictures, plus a TR19® certificate through the BESCA VHE portal where the work is a TR19® Grease clean.
- Where
- Aldham (CO6)
- Region
- Essex
- Records
- Certificate and photo report
- Quote
- Fixed quote, usually within a working day
- Working hours
- Overnight and weekend work, 24/7 emergency callout
- Phone
- 0345 646 2711
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
What ductwork cleaning looks like in Aldham
Look up Aldham on the FSA’s food hygiene register and you will find about 8 cafés, restaurants and staff canteens and about 3 sandwich bars and takeaways in Aldham and the streets around it, up to about 1.5 miles out. Each kitchen that cooks under a canopy sends grease-laden air into a duct, where it cools and settles. Kitchens in Aldham get their food hygiene inspections from Colchester council. An officer looking round a kitchen will see the canopy, and grease there is hard to miss. Before-and-after pictures from each clean are a simple way to show the extract is in hand. Aldham is covered by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. Its fire safety officers can audit commercial kitchens, and grease in the extract is part of a kitchen’s fire risk.
If you run a church or community hall kitchen, near Church of St Margaret and St Catherine or elsewhere in Aldham, its extract still collects grease from every lunch and event. If you look after a school kitchen, at a school such as Holy Trinity CofE Primary School or anywhere near Aldham, the holidays are the usual time for a TR19® clean. A hospital like Essex County Hospital, about 4.4 miles east, is the kind of site where a kitchen may cook for patients, staff and visitors all day.
Aldham is about 5 miles west of Colchester, in Essex. Whether your site is in the middle of Aldham or further out, ductwork cleaning is available to all kinds of commercial premises, from a single unit to a large public building. Our Essex coverage runs to 644 places, and Aldham is one of them. Our Chelmsford page covers sites nearby (17 miles or so).
Postcode districts we cover here for ductwork cleaning: CO6. If you need ductwork cleaning at premises on Green Lane, Hardings Close and Church Grove or anywhere close by, we can help. Neighbouring places we cover for ductwork cleaning include Copford (1 mile south-east), Marks Tey (2 miles south-west), Little Tey (2 miles south-west), Mulberry Green (2 miles south) and Easthorpe (3 miles south). We also work in nearby towns such as Colchester (5 miles east), Braintree (10 miles west), Maldon (13 miles south), Witham (9 miles south-west), Camulodunum (4 miles east) and Halstead (7 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Aldham
In Aldham, that means kitchens and buildings near The Queen's Head Public House. For rail, the closest station is Marks Tey station, about 1.2 miles south of the centre. Nearby you’ll also find Birch Castle (4.1 miles south) and Essex County Hospital (4.4 miles east). Open spaces near Aldham include Iron Latch.
Keeping the system healthy
How long the results last depends on use and care. Here’s what we suggest:
- File each certificate and photo report in the maintenance log
- Tell us if grease leaks from the ductwork
- Ask us about extra access panels where sections can’t be reached
- Never cook with a filter missing
File the paperwork in the maintenance log. An insurer, fire officer or EHO may ask to see it, and the photos make the duct’s condition easy to see.
Book the next duct clean before the date passes. A change in cooking hours may change the interval under BESA guidance, and grease thickness testing will show it.
Different parts, different methods
Bends and transitions
Wherever the duct turns or changes size, grease builds up. Slowing air leaves grease behind, so we clean these points carefully.
Multi-storey and shared buildings
A fire in a duct in a shared building can affect far more than one kitchen, which makes keeping it clean all the more important. Your certificate and report give building managers the record they need.
The process
The first job on site is protection: sheeting goes over floors and surfaces close to the work. Then we make the system safe and start. It takes a few hours for a short run, longer for long runs and tall risers, and we clear up before we go. We agree a date with you, plan the drive to Aldham and turn up when the site is quiet.
- First the duct route is traced and every access point noted.
- Grease readings are taken at set points along the duct.
- Access panels are opened and heavy deposits scraped out by hand.
- The duct is degreased with the method that suits the grease, from degreasers to hot water or steam.
- We test again, take pictures and note any part that couldn’t be reached.
Preparing for the visit
- Let us know when the site is closed or quiet
- Clear the space around the work
- Tell us about access, such as roof hatches, plant rooms, ceilings or locked areas
How to get a quote
Here’s what helps us quote: the address, the type of site and when it’s open, photos of the system and the last certificate or report, if there is one. Once you have those, phone us on 0345 646 2711 or send us an email.
Advice
Honest limits
A few issues sit outside what this work can do:
- A duct that is too small or badly routed for the kitchen (a design issue)
- A worn-out fan that needs replacing
- Faulty fire dampers
If you’re not sure, just call 0345 646 2711 or use the quote form and we will give you a straight answer.
What the work covers
- Horizontal duct runs
- Bends and junctions
- Access panels
- Attenuators
- Vertical risers
- Multi-storey ducts
FAQs for Aldham
Can you come to Aldham after we close?
Yes, out-of-hours work is a big part of what we do. The site is handed back ready to open. Let us know the hours you are closed and we will book within them.
Can you get to a site in Aldham?
Yes. Aldham is within the area we cover across London and the South East. The journey is planned ahead, so a few details about the route help.
Is a quote from photos possible?
Usually, yes. Send wide shots, close-ups of any access panels and anything that worries you, and a fixed quote usually follows within one working day. If pictures aren’t enough, we will survey first.
Who is the responsible person?
It depends on the building. Under the Fire Safety Order 2005, it’s the responsible person, which may be the employer, owner, landlord, facilities manager or managing agent.
What happens to the waste?
It leaves the site with us when we go. While we work, it’s kept contained so the area stays clean.
How can I tell if my extract ducts are dirty?
We measure it. Readings are taken by Wet Film Thickness Test (WFTT) or Deposit Thickness Test (DTT). A mean above 200 microns, or 500 microns at any point, means it’s due.
How long will the duct clean take?
Allow a few hours for a short run, longer for long runs and tall risers. The survey tells us how long your duct needs.
What does ductwork cleaning cost?
It depends on the site, so we quote each one individually. To get one, ring 0345 646 2711 or email us and tell us about the site and its opening hours.
Towns and villages near Aldham
Also in Aldham
What your team can do, and what needs us
Staff cleaning doesn’t replace a specialist visit; it supports it. Clean filters and tidy surfaces slow the build-up, but the parts you can’t see still need a specialist at the right interval.
Some jobs should never be done in-house: opening up ductwork, cleaning fans, drop testing fire dampers and measuring grease call for the right kit, training and safe access. Leave those to us.
Landlords, agents and facilities managers
Landlords, managing agents and facilities managers book us, not only the businesses that use the systems. Where a system serves more than one tenant, such as a shared riser, it helps to agree who arranges the work, and we are happy to quote for all of it.
Keeping records across a portfolio is half the battle. Every visit ends with a dated report and pictures, so you can show an insurer or inspector what was done at each site.
What affects the quote in Aldham
Your quote is based on your site. We take into account:
- The condition we find in the survey
- The times the site is available
- Whether it’s a one-off visit or part of a schedule
- The number of sites or systems
Putting the work off seldom saves money. Problems in a system tend to grow, and a neglected system can mean more work. If you’re unsure, give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or send us an email and we will give you an honest view and a fixed quote.
Asking for a quote
You don’t need the technical terms. Just send:
- Any access panels or hatches you can see
- The site address and the type of premises
- How we’d reach plant on a roof or in a plant room
- Your last certificate, test record or report
Some systems can be priced from photos; others need a survey. Larger sites, and anything hidden behind walls, ceilings or floors, are normally surveyed first. Either way, you get a fixed price before work begins.