Hertfordshire · Extract fan repair and replacement
Extract fan repair and replacement in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire
Extract fan repair for Sawbridgeworth, from a team that has been trading since 2009. Out-of-hours visits and 24/7 emergency callout.
- A whining or grinding extract motor
- A worn or slipping fan belt
- An extract fan that rattles or knocks
Honest limits
We won’t sell you work that does not address the problem, so these are the things it won’t cover:
- Cooking smells reaching neighbours, which may need odour control
- Grease throughout the ductwork, which needs a full TR19 clean
- Faults in the building’s electrical supply, which need an electrician
Not sure which it is? You can ring 0345 646 2711 or email us and we’ll tell you honestly.
What the work covers
- Roof and wall fans
- Fan housings
- Belts and pulleys
- Kitchen extract fans
- Fan motors
- Bearings
Extract fan repair in Sawbridgeworth
Grease and fans do not mix. A coated impeller spins unevenly, which shakes the bearings and mountings. That is why we check the grease whenever we work on a fan, and a full TR19® clean can be booked alongside. Common call-outs are for a squealing belt on start-up and a fan rattling in its housing, across fan motors, bearings and fan housings.
In a place like Sawbridgeworth, extract fans are often older units on a wall or roof. An older fan that fails may be better replaced than repaired, and we will explain the options.
Nothing is signed off by word of mouth: a written report, dated and illustrated with photos, and for TR19® Grease cleans, a certificate issued through the BESCA VHE portal. It shows what was done and what, if anything, couldn’t be reached.
- Where
- Sawbridgeworth (CM21, CM22)
- Wider area
- Hertfordshire
- Records
- Written report with pictures
- Quotes
- A fixed quote up front
- Working hours
- Overnight and weekend work, 24/7 emergency callout
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
If your staff spot something between visits, like drips, unusual noise, smells or damaged filters, it’s best reported rather than tackled in-house. We can diagnose it and quote.
Staff cleaning does not replace a specialist visit; it supports it. Regular in-house cleaning slows the build-up, but the parts you cannot see still need a specialist at the right interval.
What happens on the day
When we arrive, we check the system against the survey or the photos you sent. If anything is different, we talk it through with the person on site before carrying on. After that, the work takes part of a day for most faults, with a return visit if parts have to be ordered. Tell us when your site near Sawbridgeworth is quiet and the visit will be booked for then.
- You describe the fault and we arrange a visit.
- On site, the fan is safely isolated.
- We diagnose the fault, checking the controls as well as the fan.
- You get a fixed price for putting it right.
- We fix the fault and run the fan to check it.
How to prepare
- Mention any parking or loading restrictions
- Clear loose items from the work area
- Tell us about site rules, permits or sign-in
How to get a quote
Here’s what helps us quote: where the site is, what it is and its opening hours, a few photos and the last certificate or report, if there is one. Then call 0345 646 2711, or send details by email.
Advice
Sawbridgeworth: your questions answered
Can you come to Sawbridgeworth after we close?
Yes, out-of-hours work is a big part of what we do. Your customers, staff or residents in Sawbridgeworth needn’t be disturbed. Let us know the hours you are closed and we will book within them.
Which environmental health team covers Sawbridgeworth?
Kitchens in Sawbridgeworth are inspected by East Hertfordshire council’s environmental health officers. An officer may ask how the kitchen is ventilated, so keep repair records with your maintenance file.
Do you offer emergency callouts?
Yes. There’s a 24/7 emergency line for anything that can’t wait until a planned visit. Call us any time and explain what’s happened.
Will I get paperwork for my records?
Yes. You get a written report with pictures after each visit, showing what was done, anything we couldn’t reach and when the next visit is due. Where the work is a TR19® Grease clean, there’s also a certificate issued through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal.
What accreditations do you have?
Duct Doctor is a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease. CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001 are in place too, and we’re fully insured.
Why is our extract fan so noisy?
There are several possible causes, including bearings, belts, grease and mounts. The safest step is a proper diagnosis before it leads to a breakdown.
Can you supply and fit a replacement fan?
Yes. If repair is not sensible, we replace the fan. The replacement has to suit the ductwork and the cooking so we confirm that first.
Which records should we keep?
Visit reports, certificates and your in-house cleaning logs. Insurers, fire officers and EHOs may all ask to see them, so keep them where they can be found quickly.
Multi-site and managed buildings
Landlords, managing agents and facilities managers book us, not only the businesses that use the systems. Shared systems, like a riser serving several units, need a clear agreement on who books the work, and we can quote for the whole system.
Whether it’s one building or many, you get the same standard: a survey first, a fixed quote, the work timed around the site and a report with photos.
What we are called out for in Sawbridgeworth
Bearings wear out with heat and long hours. As they wear, you hear a whine or a rumble, and if they’re left they can seize.
Common reasons sites call us are:
- A whining or grinding extract motor
- A fan running too slowly to clear the kitchen
- A fan worn beyond sensible repair
- A belt-driven fan that squeals
If you manage a school such as Fawbert and Barnard Infants' School and the kitchen fan is getting louder, the next break is the time to deal with it.
Before booking anyone
- When the next visit should be, and why
- Their accreditations, such as BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite, CHAS or SafeContractor
- How VAT is shown on the quote
- Whether a survey comes first
Extract fans in Sawbridgeworth
The FSA’s food hygiene register shows about 21 restaurants, cafés and canteens and about 5 takeaways and sandwich shops in Sawbridgeworth and the streets around it, up to about 1.5 miles out. Those that cook under a canopy rely on a fan that runs every hour they’re open. Food hygiene inspections in Sawbridgeworth are the job of East Hertfordshire council’s environmental health team. A kitchen with no working extract can fall short of the suitable and sufficient ventilation food hygiene rules expect. So a failed fan is worth fixing before the next service, not the next month. We cover Sawbridgeworth, about 24 miles from central London, as part of our work across London and the South East. Evening, overnight and weekend visits are all possible.
For a takeaway near Sawbridgeworth station, a fan that fails on a busy evening means turning customers away, and our emergency line runs 24/7. Hall kitchens near Sawbridgeworth Congregational Church, or anywhere around Sawbridgeworth, often use their fans only now and then, and an idle fan can stick.
Sawbridgeworth is about 3 miles north-east of Harlow, in Hertfordshire. If you need extract fan repair in Sawbridgeworth, please phone us on 0345 646 2711, or email photos for a fixed quote. We work across South East England and London, Sawbridgeworth included. Across Hertfordshire, we cover 381 places, Sawbridgeworth among them. Our Chelmsford page covers sites nearby, about 15 miles away.
Our technicians cover all of CM21 and CM22 for extract fan repair and the streets around it. That includes premises on London Road, Station Road and Maylins Drive and the roads around them. You will find Sawbridgeworth on the A1184, so it’s easy for us to get to for out-of-hours visits. Other places close to Sawbridgeworth include Lower Sheering (1 mile east), High Wych (1 mile west), Sheering (2 miles east), Spellbrook (2 miles north) and Gaston Green (2 miles north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Bishop's Stortford (4 miles north), Welwyn Garden City (15 miles west), Hoddesdon (8 miles south-west), Cheshunt (11 miles south-west), Hertford (10 miles west) and Ware (8 miles west).
Local landmarks in Sawbridgeworth
Locally, jobs take us to businesses close to Leventhorpe, Gibberd Garden and White Lion Hotel. The closest station to Sawbridgeworth is Sawbridgeworth station, roughly 0.7 miles north-east. Nearby you will also find Harlow Mill (1.6 miles south-west) and Princess Alexandra Hospital (3.7 miles south-west). Not far away are Sawbridgeworth Marsh and Portingbury Hills.
Leave it or put it right?
Vibration does damage beyond the fan. It loosens fixings, strains duct connections and wears the housing, so a small repair can grow into a bigger one. Booking ahead lets us plan the trip to Sawbridgeworth at a time that suits you.
You won’t find a price list here, because the cost depends on the site in front of us. Call for a fixed quote, and we’ll explain what it covers.
Why Sawbridgeworth businesses choose us
- Fully insured
- CHAS and SafeContractor accredited, with ISO 9001
- Trading since 2009
- Every job surveyed first
Nearby places to Sawbridgeworth
More services for Sawbridgeworth
Between visits
Here’s the after-treatment advice, short and simple:
- Tell us about a new rattle or whine straight away
- Keep all filters fitted while cooking
- Get a noisy fan checked rather than slowed down
- Book regular TR19 cleaning, which includes the fan
Your kitchen can get back to normal as soon as the fan is running. We leave the area tidy and explain anything you need to know.
When filters block, the fan works harder. Changing or cleaning them on time takes load off the motor and protects the motor.