Surrey · Grease filter exchange
Grease filter exchange in Caterham, Surrey
Grease filter exchange for Caterham, from a team that has been trading since 2009. Out-of-hours visits and 24/7 emergency callout.
- Grease building up behind the canopy filters
- Grease filters clogged with grease
- Damaged filters letting grease past
Grease filter exchange for kitchens and businesses in Caterham
In Caterham, our filter exchange runs on a schedule set by how much the kitchen cooks. Busy kitchens need changes more often while a lighter kitchen can go longer. We agree the interval with you at the start. The work covers wall canopies, baffle filters and mesh filters, and the jobs we see most are a canopy running with filters missing and poor airflow through the filters.
Around a town like Caterham, extract cleaning normally means a restaurant, pub, takeaway or the kitchen of a school or care home. Whatever the kitchen, the canopy, filters, duct and fan all collect grease, and each is cleaned to the same TR19® standard.
The sign-off is always in writing: a written report, dated and illustrated with photos, and for TR19® Grease cleans, a certificate issued through the BESCA VHE portal. Any parts we couldn’t reach are recorded on it too.
- Where
- Caterham (CR3)
- Region
- Surrey
- Reporting
- Report and photos after the visit
- Quote
- Fixed quote, normally within a working day
- Hours
- Nights, weekends or holidays to suit you
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Checked
- 30 October 2026
Aftercare tips
To keep the system working properly between visits:
- Keep every filter in place during service
- Never cook with the extract switched off
- Keep the canopy clear for exchange visits
- Clean the canopy surfaces regularly
Between visits, check that every filter is still in place. Gaps let grease into the plenum, so let us know if one goes missing or gets damaged.
Filters that are left too long stop protecting the system. A regular cycle keeps the rest of the system cleaner until the next TR19 clean.
Why act early in Caterham
Clogged filters choke the extract. Heat and fumes hang in the kitchen while the fan strains. A regular exchange keeps the airflow where it should be. Nothing in a duct, damper or fan improves by being left.
We don’t list prices on the website, because each job is priced on what it involves. Call for a fixed quote, and we will explain what it covers.
Why choose Duct Doctor in Caterham
- In business since 2009
- A single point of contact for sites across the South East and London
- Fully insured
- Evenings, overnight and weekends, plus 24/7 emergency callout
See what affects the cost and our accreditations.
What we are called out for in Caterham
Sometimes a filter is taken out and never put back. A missing filter leaves an open route into the system and on into the ductwork.
Most sites get in touch when they notice something like this:
- Grease filters clogged with grease
- Filters that leave gaps in the canopy
- Poor airflow through the filters
- Filter washing that keeps being missed
Healthcare kitchens cannot easily close, so their extracts are cleaned overnight or between meal services; the nearest hospital to Caterham is Caterham Dene Hospital, about under half a mile south-east.
Comparing quotes
- Proof of insurance
- When they can work, and whether that’s outside your opening hours
- Whether the price is fixed
- Which accreditations they hold, and whether you can check them
Nearby places to Caterham
More services for Caterham
When something else is needed
Some problems need a different service or another trade:
- Odours from the discharge that filters won’t stop
- Grease behind the filters that a swap cannot remove
- A canopy that does not capture the vapour properly
Not sure which it is? You can phone us on 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line and we’ll tell you honestly.
Parts of the system we cover
- Baffle filters
- School and hospital kitchens
- Restaurants and pubs
- Wall canopies
- Island canopies
- Mesh filters
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
Away from the kitchen, the in-house job is mainly checking: clear grilles, a log of filter changes and reporting anything odd. The inside of ducts and units needs a specialist.
If your staff spot something between visits, like drips, unusual noise, smells or damaged filters, they should report it rather than try to fix it. We’ll take a look and give you a fixed quote.
What happens on the day
Your trading hours come first. Most visits are booked for when the area is out of use, such as evenings, overnight, early mornings or weekends. Once we’re in, the area is sheeted and anything that has to be off is turned off and cooled, and the job takes well under an hour for most canopies. In a town like Caterham, we usually work after closing or on a quiet day, so the site opens again on time.
- The filters in each canopy are measured and counted.
- We set the interval with you.
- The dirty set is lifted out.
- Clean filters go in and we check they sit snugly.
- We take the greasy set away and confirm the next date.
How to prepare
- Make sure someone can let us in and lock up afterwards
- Tell us the best time to work, such as after service or at a weekend
- Tell us about site rules, permits or sign-in
How to get a quote
To get a fixed quote, call us on 0345 646 2711 or email us with the site type, your trading hours and a short description of the system. Photos and the last report, if you have one, make the quote quicker. We normally come back within one working day.
Related advice
Grease filter exchange in Caterham: the local picture
Food Standards Agency records list about 43 cafés, restaurants and staff canteens and about 19 sandwich bars and takeaways within about 1.5 miles of central Caterham. Clogged filters slow the airflow, and busy kitchens like these clog them fast. Fire safety in Caterham falls to Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. Fire and rescue authorities enforce the Fire Safety Order in most non-domestic premises, and in a kitchen that fire risk includes the grease in the extract. In Caterham, food businesses are inspected by environmental health officers from Tandridge council. An officer looking round a kitchen will see the canopy, and grease there is hard to miss. Keeping each certificate and photo report on file helps show the extract is looked after.
For schools such as Hillcroft Primary School, kitchen extract cleaning is normally booked for the holidays, when the canteen is closed. 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 can carry out grease filter exchange at your premises. Caterham is one of 395 places in Surrey we cover for commercial clients. You can also see our page for London, about 15 miles away.
We work across CR3 for grease filter exchange and the roads nearby. That includes premises on High Street, London Road and Park Road and nearby roads. With the B2030 and B2031 close by, Caterham is simple for us to get to at any hour. We also cover 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). We also work in nearby towns such as 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).
Around Caterham
In Caterham, that means kitchens and buildings near Sunnydown School, The King And Queen Public House and de Stafford School and the streets around them. The nearest railway station is Caterham station, about 0.7 miles south-east of the centre. Nearby you will also find Bletchingley Castle (3.4 miles south) and East Surrey Museum (0.6 miles south-east). For a walk, there’s South London Downs National Nature Reserve and Mercers Lake.
Your questions about grease filter exchange in Caterham
Can school kitchens in Caterham be cleaned in the holidays?
Yes, and it’s the easiest time to do it. The FSA’s register shows about 15 schools and colleges with food registrations within roughly a mile and a half of Caterham. Send us your term dates when you give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or use the quote form, and we’ll fit the work in.
Which environmental health team covers Caterham?
Food hygiene inspections in Caterham are carried out by Tandridge council. An officer may look up into the canopy, so clean filters on the day and a recent certificate on file both help.
Are you accredited?
Duct Doctor is a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease. We also hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and we are fully insured.
Which kinds of sites do you work on?
All kinds of commercial and public premises: kitchens, offices, schools, healthcare, retail, leisure and food production. We fit the work around how the site operates.
Do we need to close the kitchen while filters are changed?
A filter change is quick and can be timed around service. Cooking shouldn’t happen with the filters out, so we swap them in one go.
Is Caterham in your area?
Yes. We work in Caterham and across Surrey, as part of our work across South East England and London. To book, ring 0345 646 2711, or email photos.
What happens to the dirty filters?
We do. Used filters go with us to be cleaned and the clean set stays in the canopy.
How often should grease filters be changed?
It varies from kitchen to kitchen. We look at your cooking and set an interval to match and can change if your kitchen gets busier.
How the job changes from site to site
Busy restaurant and pub kitchens
When service is non-stop, filters get forgotten. A regular exchange means nobody has to remember.
School, care home and staff kitchens
For kitchens closed in the holidays, visits can be timed around term or rota so the filters are clean when cooking picks up.