Surrey · Extract fan cleaning
Extract fan cleaning in Caterham, Surrey
Extract fan cleaning for Caterham, from a team that has been trading since 2009. Evenings, overnight and weekends, plus a 24/7 emergency line.
- Weak extraction at the canopy
- A noisy fan that has got louder over time
- Hot, greasy smells near the fan
Extract fan cleaning in Caterham
Duct Doctor has been cleaning kitchen extract fans since 2009. We are a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease, and we’re fully insured, with CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001. The work covers fan housings, in-line fans and roof-mounted fans, and common reasons people get in touch are hot, greasy smells near the fan and weak extraction at the canopy.
Many kitchens in a town like Caterham were fitted into buildings built for something else, which can mean awkward duct routes, long flat runs and not enough access panels. Sections we cannot reach are listed on the report, and access panels can be added.
Accreditations are easy to claim and worth checking. Ours are BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite membership, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease, plus CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, with full insurance on top.
- Location
- Caterham (CR3)
- Region
- Surrey
- Records
- TR19® certificate and photo report
- Price
- Fixed quote, usually within a working day
- When we work
- Out of hours as standard, 24/7 emergency line
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Reviewed
- 30 October 2026
When to call us in Caterham
How fast a fan gets greasy in Caterham depends on the cooking: how many hours a day the kitchen runs and what it cooks. Under BESA guidance, the whole system, fan included, needs cleaning at least every 3, 6 or 12 months depending on daily hours.
Keep an eye out for any of the following:
- Weak extraction at the canopy
- Rough running from the extract fan
- An extract fan that vibrates or rattles
- A smell of hot grease from the extract
Where a hall near Sacred Heart Church, or anywhere in Caterham, hosts lunch clubs or events, its extract gathers grease just as a café’s does.
What your quote should include
- Whether the price is fixed
- Whether the quote shows VAT
- When the next visit should be, and why
- Whether inaccessible sections are listed on the report
Nearby places to Caterham
What else we do in Caterham
Part by part
Fan housings and motors
Inside the casing, grease is thrown onto the walls. It’s scraped and degreased with the impeller.
Impellers and blades
The blades of the impeller do the work, and it collects grease unevenly. An uneven coating throws it off balance, so it’s cleaned carefully blade by blade.
Caterham: your questions answered
Can you work in Caterham outside opening hours?
Yes, we can come after you close and finish before you open. It means the site in Caterham keeps running as normal. When you ring 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line, mention when the site is quiet.
Which council inspects kitchens in Caterham?
Kitchens in Caterham are inspected by Tandridge council’s environmental health officers. An officer may look up into the canopy, so clean filters on the day and a recent certificate on file both help.
Where does the waste go?
It leaves the site with us when we go. During the work, it’s contained so the area stays clean.
Do you have a 24/7 line?
Yes, any time. For anything urgent, such as a fan failure or damage after a fire, ring the 24/7 line, and we will advise on what to do next.
Can the fan be cleaned between full cleans?
Yes, a fan can be cleaned on its own. That helps when the fan needs attention before the next full clean, but it does not replace a full TR19 clean.
How long does extract fan cleaning take?
One easily reached fan is quick, but hard-to-reach fans take more time. It’s done while the kitchen is closed.
Is there a survey before the work?
Yes. We always survey first, from your pictures and details, or with a visit where necessary. Then you get a fixed quote.
Can you look after several sites?
Yes. Send the list of sites and the work at each and you’ll get one fixed quote.
Looking after it afterwards
A little care between visits keeps the system in better shape. We recommend:
- Keep records of every fan clean
- Look for grease stains near the discharge
- Listen for new noises or vibration from the fan
- Check filters are seated before cooking
You get before and after photos of the impeller and housing. It notes what was done and anything that couldn’t be reached, along with the recommended next clean date.
Make sure the fan is reachable. A fan that can be reached safely is a fan that gets cleaned, whether it’s on a roof, in a ceiling or on a wall.
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
Day-to-day cleaning is something your team can do: wiping down canopy surfaces, cleaning filters and keeping a simple log. Inside the ducts, risers and fan is specialist work, and that is where we come in.
A few tasks are always specialist work: entering ducts, working on fans, testing dampers and taking grease readings need training, the right equipment and safe access. Leave those to us.
What we do, step by step
There are three stages on the day: getting the area ready, doing the work and signing it off. Getting ready means protecting surfaces and switching off what needs to be off, and the sign-off is a written report with photos. The middle part takes longest, and that takes a couple of hours per fan, depending on its size and the build-up. Photos taken on a phone are typically enough for us to plan a job in Caterham and give a fixed quote.
- First we locate the fan and agree how it’s safely isolated.
- Power to the fan is isolated before anyone touches it.
- Grease is scraped from the impeller blades and the inside of the housing.
- Blades, housing and the area around the motor are degreased with care.
- It’s closed up, run and checked, and photos go into your report.
Getting ready for the visit
- Plan for cooking equipment or plant to be off before we arrive
- Let us know about permits to work or site inductions
- Tell us where we can park and unload
Get a fixed quote
Need a price for extract fan cleaning? Please ring 0345 646 2711, or send details by email with a few details about the site. We’ll explain what we’d do and send a fixed quote before anything is booked.
Related advice
Kitchen extracts in Caterham
The FSA’s data shows about 9 pubs and bars registered in Caterham and the streets around it, up to about 1.5 miles out. Where they serve hot food, their kitchen extracts need cleaning to TR19® like any restaurant’s. Environmental health officers from Tandridge council inspect food businesses in Caterham. An officer looking round a kitchen will see the canopy, and grease there is hard to miss. A TR19® certificate and photo report after each clean gives you a record to show an inspector. The fire and rescue service for Caterham is Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. In most workplaces, including commercial kitchens, it’s the fire and rescue authority that enforces the Fire Safety Order.
School kitchens, at schools like Hillcroft Primary School for example, are typically cleaned in the holidays so no lunches are lost. For kitchens close to Caterham station, where the day often starts early and ends late, the extract can be cleaned overnight.
Caterham is about 11 miles south-west of Orpington, in Surrey. Across the CR3 area, we cover extract fan cleaning for commercial sites. Caterham is one of 395 places in Surrey we cover for commercial clients. For sites nearby, see our London page, about 15 miles away.
Here we cover the CR3 postcode area for extract fan cleaning. Extract fan cleaning is available to premises on High Street, London Road and Park Road and nearby roads. Caterham sits on or near the B2030 and B2031, which makes travel easy for extract fan cleaning. Neighbouring places we cover for extract fan cleaning include Woldingham Garden Village (2 miles east), Tyler's Green (2 miles south-east), Woldingham (3 miles east), Godstone (3 miles south) and Church Town (3 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Epsom (8 miles north-west), Horley (8 miles south-west), Redhill (5 miles south-west), Ewell (8 miles north-west), Reigate (6 miles south-west) and Walton-on-Thames (15 miles north-west).
What’s near Caterham
Locally, jobs take us to businesses close to Sunnydown School, The King And Queen Public House and de Stafford School and the streets around them. The closest station to Caterham is Caterham station, roughly 0.7 miles south-east of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Bletchingley Castle (3.4 miles south) and East Surrey Museum (0.6 miles south-east). Not far away are South London Downs National Nature Reserve and Mercers Lake.
Managing agents and facilities teams in Caterham
Where a tenant occupies the premises but the landlord owns the building, it’s worth checking the lease for who maintains the systems. We are happy to deal with either side and send the paperwork to whoever needs it.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must assess and reduce fire risk, and that can be the employer, the owner, a landlord, a facilities manager or a managing agent. Where responsibility is shared, records matter even more.
What extract fan cleaning can’t fix
In fairness, some problems need a different fix:
- Wiring faults to the fan
- A cracked or broken impeller (it needs replacing)
- A fan that was never right for the kitchen
Not sure which it is? You can phone us on 0345 646 2711 or send us an email and we’ll tell you honestly.
What the work covers
- Centrifugal fans
- Fan housings
- In-line fans
- Discharge points
- Roof-mounted fans
- Axial fans