Kent · TR19 inspections and grease testing
TR19 inspections and grease testing in Gravesend, Kent
Need TR19 inspection in Gravesend? We diagnose first, fix the price and book the work around your hours, finishing with a written report and pictures.
- Confirming a clean reached the whole system
- Sites with gaps in their extract records
- Insurers asking for TR19 evidence
About our TR19 inspection in Gravesend
If you’ve taken over a kitchen in Gravesend and don’t know when the extract was last cleaned, an inspection is the place to start. You get readings, pictures and a clear view of what’s needed, before any cleaning is booked. We are often asked to deal with kitchens whose menu or hours have changed and post-clean verification after another contractor’s clean, on pre-clean surveys, insurer audits and deposit thickness tests.
Many kitchens in a town like Gravesend were fitted into buildings built for something else, so duct runs can be awkward, with bends, long horizontal sections and too few access panels. Where the duct can’t be reached, new panels can be fitted, and anything left uncleaned is recorded on the report.
Nothing is signed off by word of mouth: a dated report with photos of the work, plus a certificate through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal when the work is a TR19® Grease clean. Any parts we couldn’t reach are recorded on it too.
- Where
- Gravesend (DA12, DA11)
- Wider area
- Kent
- Reporting
- TR19® certificate and photo report
- Price
- A fixed price before we start
- Working hours
- Overnight and weekend work, 24/7 emergency callout
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
How the visit works
Everything the job needs comes with us, including protection sheets, the right tools and access kit. All we need from you is clear access and the right equipment switched off. The visit takes around an hour or two per canopy and duct system. Photos taken on a phone are typically enough for us to plan a job in Gravesend and give a fixed quote.
- The visit is arranged for when the kitchen is not busy.
- The system is checked from canopy to discharge.
- Grease readings are taken at set points using WFTT or DTT.
- We photograph the test points and record any sections we cannot reach.
- We send a report setting out the readings, photos and next steps.
Getting ready for the visit
- Allow time for equipment near the work to be turned off and cool down
- Tell us where we can park and unload
- Let us know about permits to work or site inductions
Get a fixed quote
Every quote begins with a look at the system, from your photos and details or, where that isn’t enough, a survey on site. After that, you get a fixed price for the work, before work begins.
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Leave it or put it right?
Sites in Gravesend that have never measured grease can’t tell whether their cleaning interval suits the kitchen. Testing gives you the evidence to set it properly. Whatever the system, dirt and wear only get worse.
No two sites are the same, so we price each one individually. The size of the job, how we reach it, its condition and the working hours all make a difference.
Why choose Duct Doctor in Gravesend
- Survey first, then a fixed quote
- One contact for all your sites in London and the South East
- Ventilation hygiene specialists since 2009
- Every visit written up, with pictures
Kitchen extracts in Gravesend
Sea air reaches Gravesend, which sits within about 2 miles of the coast. Salt air speeds up corrosion of roof-level fans, discharge cowls and their fixings. Food Standards Agency records include about 55 bars, pubs and nightclubs and about 3 hotels and guest houses in and around Gravesend, up to about a mile and a half out. A pub or hotel kitchen that cooks every day builds up grease in its extract like any other. Kitchens in Gravesend get their food hygiene inspections from Gravesham council. A greasy canopy or dripping filters are the sort of thing an inspection can pick up. Our report lists what was cleaned and when, which is useful to have ready.
Healthcare kitchens can’t easily close, so their extracts are cleaned overnight or between meal services; the nearest hospital to Gravesend is Gravesham Community Hospital, about 1 mile north-west. A hall kitchen that only cooks for events, whether near Christ Church Milton or elsewhere in Gravesend, still needs its extract cleaned, just less often.
Gravesend is about 9 miles north-west of Gillingham, in Kent. We provide TR19 inspection for commercial premises of every kind in Gravesend and the rest of Kent. Gravesend is one of 922 places in Kent we cover for TR19 inspection. There’s also a page for Maidstone, about 13 miles away.
We cover every part of the DA12 and DA11 postcode area for TR19 inspection and the streets around it. Streets in the area include Christ Church Road, Hillside Drive and Laurel Avenue, all of which we cover for TR19 inspection. You will find Gravesend on the A2 and A226, which makes it straightforward for our technicians to reach for TR19 inspection. Other places close to Gravesend include Windmill Hill (1 mile north-west), Milton-next-Gravesend (1 mile north-east), Denton (1 mile east), Singlewell or Ifield (1 mile south) and Northfleet (1 mile west). We also work in nearby towns such as Maidstone (13 miles south-east), Dartford (7 miles west), Sevenoaks (13 miles south-west), Swanley (9 miles west), Kings Hill (11 miles south) and Foley Park (12 miles south-east).
Local landmarks in Gravesend
Around Gravesend, our work takes us to kitchens and buildings near Northfleet Urban Country Park, St John's Catholic Comprehensive and St John's Catholic Comprehensive and the streets around them. Gravesend’s nearest station is Gravesend station, about 0.9 miles north-west of the centre. Nearby you will also find Gravesham Museum (0.9 miles north-west) and Stone Castle (4.5 miles west). The countryside around Gravesend includes Sawyers Lake and Gad's Hill.
What your team can do, and what needs us
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.
If your staff spot something between visits, such as dripping grease, a noisy fan, a smell or a filter that will not come clean, they should report it rather than try to fix it. We’ll take a look and give you a fixed quote.
What TR19 inspection can’t fix
We’d rather tell you now than book work that will not help, so these are the things it will not cover:
- Installation problems, which fall under design guidance such as DW172
- Sections with no access, until panels are fitted
- Mechanical faults in the extract
If in doubt, phone us on 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line and we’ll say what we think before you book.
What the work covers
- Access surveys
- Post-clean checks
- Deposit thickness tests
- Pre-clean surveys
- Wet film thickness tests
- Insurer audits
Signs you need TR19 inspection in Gravesend
Menus, opening hours and cooking styles change over time, and more frying or longer hours mean more grease. A cleaning interval set years ago may no longer fit.
Signs it’s time to call us include:
- Systems cleaned on a calendar with no measurements
- Parts of the system left out of past cleans
- An insurer’s request for a TR19 audit
- Confirming a clean reached the whole system
If you cook for passing trade around Gravesend station, the extract can be cleaned between your last and first customer.
Questions to ask before booking
- Proof of accreditation you can verify
- Whether they recommend a next date
- Whether the figure could change on the day
- Proof of insurance
Also near Gravesend
More services for Gravesend
Gravesend: your questions answered
Is TR19 inspection any different in a coastal place like Gravesend?
It can. Being within about 2 miles of the sea means more corrosion on metalwork in Gravesend than inland. Outdoor metalwork near the sea is worth inspecting at each visit.
Can a school canteen extract in Gravesend be done out of term time?
Yes, holiday work suits schools best. With about 33 schools and colleges on the FSA’s register within roughly a mile and a half of Gravesend, it pays to plan holiday dates ahead. Tell us your holiday dates and we will book the visit for when the site is empty.
What if parts of the system cannot be reached?
The report shows them clearly. In ductwork, new access panels are often the answer, and we can fit those.
What does TR19 inspection cost?
Size, condition, access and working hours all affect the cost. Ask us for a fixed quote, typically ready within one working day.
What information do you need?
The site address, the type of premises and your opening hours, along with a few photos and any previous report.
What is post-clean verification?
Post-clean verification is a check after a clean, with fresh grease readings and pictures. It works whoever carried out the clean.
What is TR19?
It’s the industry benchmark for cleaning ventilation and kitchen extract systems, written by BESA. It sets out inspection, cleaning and record keeping and expects a risk-based approach.
How often should grease be tested?
Often enough to know the mean stays under 200 microns between cleans. If readings rise, the interval should shorten.
Keeping the system healthy
No system stays clean for ever, but care slows the build-up. A few tips:
- Book the next test on the date in the report
- Tell us if menus or opening hours change
- Clean grease off the canopy between professional cleans
- Have the latest report ready for insurance renewals
Where sections couldn’t be reached, the report says where access panels would help. With panels fitted, the next clean can cover every section.
Close the access gaps found during inspection, so grease is not left building in hidden parts.
What affects the quote in Gravesend
The diagnosis comes before the price. We look at:
- How many systems or sites are involved
- What state the system is in
- The scale of the work
- Parking and loading at the site
The price reflects the work, not guesswork. That is why every job is surveyed first, and the price is agreed before we start.
What we need to know
Before you ask for a quote, gather:
- The roof, plant room or outside wall the system runs to
- Your opening hours and when the area is out of use
- Any symptoms, from odd noises to smells or leaks
- Photos showing the whole system and its surroundings
Getting a quote doesn’t take long. Send a few details and pictures, and we usually reply with a fixed quote within one working day. If we need to see the system first, we book a survey around your hours.