FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about TR19® cleaning, testing, certificates and how we work.
How much does TR19 kitchen extract cleaning cost?
It depends on the size of the system, how much grease has built up, access (roof fans, risers, ceiling voids and access panels) and when the work can be done. We survey first, from photos or on site, and give you a fixed quote before any work starts, usually within one working day. Our cost guide explains what changes the price.
Do I get a TR19 certificate?
Yes. Every TR19® Grease clean ends with a certificate issued through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal and a photo report showing the system before and after, with anything we couldn’t reach recorded. It’s the evidence your insurer, fire officer and environmental health officer will ask to see.
How often should a kitchen extract be cleaned?
BESA’s minimum intervals are every 3 months for heavy use (12–16 hours a day), every 6 months for moderate use (6–12 hours) and every 12 months for light use (2–6 hours). Grease readings and a risk assessment set the real interval. Source: BESA.
Will it disrupt my business?
We work evenings, overnight and at weekends, or in school holidays, so you don’t lose a service. The kitchen is protected, grease and waste water are contained and taken away, and the kitchen is left ready to use.
Is TR19 a legal requirement?
No. TR19® is BESA’s specification and the benchmark insurers, fire officers and environmental health officers look to. The law is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005: the responsible person must assess and reduce fire risk, and in a kitchen that means keeping grease in the extract under control.
Do you cover my area?
We cover Greater London and the whole South East: Surrey, Kent, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex. Check the areas below or call 0345 646 2711.
What does a TR19 clean cover?
The whole kitchen extract system: canopy, plenum, grease filters, horizontal ductwork, risers, the extract fan and its housing, and the discharge. Ductwork is reached through access panels. Anything that can’t be reached is recorded on the report, and we can fit new panels so it can be cleaned next time.
Isn’t cleaning the canopy enough?
No. The canopy is the part everyone sees, but grease collects in the plenum, ductwork and fan, where a fire can spread. A canopy-only clean leaves that fuel in place. Our guide to canopy-only versus full system cleaning explains more.
What are WFTT and DTT?
The Wet Film Thickness Test and the Deposit Thickness Test measure grease in the ductwork. BESA says grease shouldn’t exceed a mean of 200 microns between cleans, and 500 microns or more anywhere needs immediate spot cleaning. See grease thickness testing.
How often should fire dampers be tested?
BESA guidance is that fire dampers are tested by a competent person when they’re installed and at least annually after that. See fire damper testing.
Do you need to close the kitchen?
Only while we’re working, and we plan the clean for when you’re closed: overnight, early morning, weekends or school holidays.
Can you look after several sites?
Yes. One schedule and one point of contact for every site across London and the South East, with reminders when each clean is due. See maintenance contracts.
Do you offer emergency callouts?
Yes, 24/7. For example a failed extract fan, a flooded grease trap or a clean-down after a fire once the fire service has made the site safe. See emergency callout.
Who is responsible for kitchen extract cleaning?
The responsible person under the Fire Safety Order: usually the employer, owner or whoever controls the premises. In leased or shared buildings, check your lease. Our guide to landlord and tenant responsibilities explains more.
Do you publish prices?
No, because every system is different. We give a fixed price after a survey or from your photos, so you know the cost before we start.
Are you accredited?
Yes. We’re a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease, and we hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001. We’re fully insured.