Hertfordshire · Kitchen extract cleaning
Hitchin kitchen extract cleaning
TR19 grease cleaning of complete kitchen extract systems, from canopy to discharge for commercial sites in Hitchin and across Hertfordshire. BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease.
- Extraction mentioned at an environmental health visit
- Fat running down the canopy edge
- Grease smells coming from the extract
Commercial kitchen extraction cleaning in Hitchin
A closed kitchen isn’t earning, so the timing of a clean matters. Cleans are booked for evenings, overnight or weekends, or between services where the kitchen has a gap. With the equipment off and cool and the area sheeted, we clean and hand the kitchen back ready for the next service. The work covers extract fans, discharge points and canopies and hoods, and common reasons people get in touch are a new tenancy or takeover with no cleaning history and fat running down the canopy edge. Kitchens in Hitchin book us for TR19 cleaning for three reasons: the insurer asked, the EHO asked, or the canopy is dripping. Either way, the answer is the same: a proper clean and the paperwork to match.
BESA sets minimum intervals by hours of cooking a day: 3-monthly for heavy use, 6-monthly for moderate use and yearly for light use, adjusted by what the grease readings show.
Many kitchens in a town like Hitchin were fitted into buildings built for something else, which can mean awkward duct routes, long flat runs and not enough access panels. Where the duct can’t be reached, new panels can be fitted, and anything left uncleaned is recorded on the report.
Each visit ends with a written report and photos, so there’s a dated record of the work. Kitchen extract cleaning to TR19® Grease is certificated through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal.
- Place
- Hitchin (SG4, SG5)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Records
- TR19® certificate and photo report
- Quote
- A fixed price before work begins
- Working hours
- Evenings, overnight and weekends; 24/7 emergencies
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Last updated
- 30 October 2026
What we do, step by step
On the day, we arrive at the time agreed with you, often in the evening, overnight or at the weekend so the site keeps working. Equipment that has to be off is switched off and allowed to cool first, and the area around the work is covered and protected. On site, it takes anything from a few hours to a full night, depending on the size of the system. The more we can see of the system beforehand, the smoother the visit to Hitchin will be.
- We survey the system, from your pictures or on site, canopy to discharge.
- We take grease readings at set points and send you a fixed quote.
- On the night, the equipment is off and cool and the kitchen is sheeted.
- Filters, canopy and plenum are cleaned, then the ducts, risers, fan and discharge.
- Readings are repeated, pictures taken, and your TR19 certificate and photo report issued.
Preparing for the visit
- Mention any sign-in, permit or induction we need
- Tell us the best time to work, such as after service or at a weekend
- Mention any locked doors, roof access or ceiling voids
Getting a quote
Quotes are quick. Send a few details and photos, and we normally reply with a fixed quote within one working day. If we need to see the system first, we book a survey around your hours.
Advice
Signs you need kitchen extract cleaning in Hitchin
A lot of duct grease gets there because the filters let it through. Filters that are bent, badly fitted, missing or left uncleaned let more fat into the plenum and duct, and it does not stop until it reaches the fan.
What we are most often called out for:
- Ductwork thick with old, hardened grease
- A kitchen taken over without any extract records
- A TR19 certificate needed for the insurer
- Extraction mentioned at an environmental health visit
For kitchens close to Hitchin station, where the day often starts early and ends late, the extract can be cleaned overnight.
What to look for in a quote
- Which accreditations they hold, and whether you can check them
- What hours they’ll be on site
- Whether the quote is based on a survey or photos
- Whether the quote shows VAT
What the work involves, part by part
Ductwork and risers
Vertical risers carry the air up through the building, and grease runs down their walls and pools at the base. They’re cleaned through access points along their height.
Extract fan and discharge
Grease that reaches the fan coats the blades and the housing. It’s isolated, opened and cleaned as part of the TR19 clean.
Grease, kitchens and Hitchin
The FSA’s food hygiene register shows about 92 restaurants, cafés and canteens and about 37 sandwich bars and takeaways within about 1.5 miles of central Hitchin. Those that fry, grill or roast under a canopy need their extracts cleaned at intervals set by how long they cook. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service covers Hitchin. Grease in a kitchen extract is a recognised fire risk, and the fire authority enforces the law on managing it in most commercial premises. Kitchens in Hitchin get their food hygiene inspections from North Hertfordshire council. Extraction counts as kitchen equipment, so its condition can come up on the day. A dated certificate in the maintenance file answers the question before it’s asked.
Healthcare kitchens, like those at hospitals such as Lister Hospital (about 3.1 miles south-east), often cook for long hours, which puts them in BESA’s heavier-use bands. Volunteers running a hall kitchen near Church of the Holy Saviour, or anywhere in Hitchin, may not know when the extract was last cleaned, and a grease test settles it.
Hitchin is about 5 miles north-west of Stevenage, in Hertfordshire. We carry out kitchen extract cleaning for businesses, landlords and public buildings in Hitchin and the rest of Hertfordshire. Hitchin is one of 381 places in Hertfordshire we cover for kitchen extract cleaning. We also work in Milton Keynes, around 22 miles away.
Postcode districts we cover here for kitchen extract cleaning: SG4 and SG5. We cover sites on Market Place, London Road and Harrison Close and the roads around them. Hitchin is on the A505 and A600, which makes it straightforward for our technicians to reach for kitchen extract cleaning. Other places close to Hitchin include Benslow (1 mile east), Poets Estate (1 mile east), Bearton (1 mile north-west), Walsworth (1 mile north-east) and Westmill (1 mile north-west). Larger places within reach include Stevenage (5 miles south-east), St Albans (14 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (11 miles south), Harpenden (10 miles south), Hatfield (13 miles south) and Hertford (13 miles south-east). As one of the bigger places in Hertfordshire, Hitchin has a wide mix of commercial premises, and we cover all of them for kitchen extract cleaning.
Local landmarks in Hitchin
Locally, jobs take us to businesses close to Highbury Infant School and Nursery, Butts Close and Kingshott School and the streets around them. Also close by are Radcliffe Arms (less than half a mile north-east) and St Mary's Church (under half a mile south-west). There’s a railway station in Hitchin itself: Hitchin station. Well-known places in the area include Wymondley Castle (1.7 miles east) and Lister Hospital (3.1 miles south-east). Not far away are Purwell Ninesprings and Markham's Hill.
Why it’s worth doing now in Hitchin
Grease that is left only gets thicker. Under BESA guidance, grease shouldn’t exceed a mean of 200 microns between cleans, and 500 microns or more at any point needs immediate spot cleaning. Heavy build-up takes longer to remove than regular cleans. Grease, dust and wear all build up with time.
Leaving it longer rarely makes the work cheaper. Build-up, wear and faults tend to get worse, not better, which can make the next visit longer. If you’re unsure, call us on 0345 646 2711 or email us and we’ll give you an honest view and a fixed quote.
Why book with us
- We’re fully insured
- Fixed quotes from a survey or pictures
- Accredited under CHAS and SafeContractor, with ISO 9001
- Every job surveyed first
Read our cost guide and our accreditations.
Also in Hitchin
FAQs for Hitchin
Who would carry out a food hygiene inspection at a kitchen in Hitchin?
The local authority for Hitchin is North Hertfordshire council, and its environmental health team does the inspecting. It helps to keep the extract cleaning records with your food safety paperwork, so they’re ready if asked for.
Do you work at weekends in Hitchin?
Yes, out-of-hours work is a big part of what we do. Your customers, staff or residents in Hitchin needn’t be disturbed. When you phone us on 0345 646 2711 or email us, mention when the site is quiet.
Does the law say I must clean to TR19?
No law names TR19 directly, but the Fire Safety Order 2005 does require the responsible person to manage fire risk. TR19 is the standard insurers and fire officers expect, and many policies require it.
Why do insurers care about extract cleaning?
Extract grease is fuel for a kitchen fire, which is why many insurers require TR19 cleaning. Each clean gives you a certificate and photo report to show them.
Are you accredited for kitchen extract cleaning?
As a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease, our work sits within an independently audited scheme. We hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001 too, and we’re fully insured.
How much does kitchen extract cleaning cost?
Size, condition, access and working hours all affect the cost. Ask us for a fixed quote, normally ready within one working day.
What’s the right cleaning interval for a kitchen extract?
It depends on how many hours a day the kitchen cooks. Heavy use of 12 to 16 hours a day calls for a clean at least every 3 months under BESA guidance, and lighter use less often. Your report gives a recommended next clean date.
Can one contract cover all our sites?
Yes. You deal with one contact for every site in our area, with visits on a regular schedule.
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
Staff cleaning does not replace a specialist visit; it supports it. Clean filters and tidy surfaces slow the build-up, but hidden parts of the system still need specialist attention.
Away from the kitchen, the in-house job is mainly checking: keeping grilles clear, noting unusual noise or smells and logging filter changes. Cleaning inside ducts and units is specialist work.
Managing agents and facilities teams in Hitchin
We regularly work with managing agents. Send the address, what’s needed and how access works and we’ll come back with a fixed quote.
Multi-site operators often want one contractor and one number. We work across London and the South East, so visits at different addresses can be planned together and kept on a regular cycle.
Aftercare tips
Think of this as the after-treatment advice, in brief:
- Wipe the canopy down at the end of each day
- Diarise the next clean as soon as you get the certificate
- Don’t let the canopy gutters overflow
- Run the extract fan throughout cooking
After cleaning, we re-test the same points we measured at the start, so you can see the difference in numbers as well as pictures. Your TR19 certificate is then issued through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal.
Wipe the canopy down regularly and empty grease troughs or collection points. A daily wipe isn’t a deep clean, but it helps between visits.