West Berkshire · TR19 inspections and grease testing
TR19 inspections in Hermitage
TR19 inspections, grease thickness testing, pre-clean surveys and post-clean verification for commercial sites in Hermitage and across West Berkshire. BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease.
- An insurer’s request for a TR19 audit
- Checking the result of a recent clean
- Extracts that have never been grease tested
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
Keep a record of what your team does. A dated log of in-house cleaning and checks helps show that the system is managed between specialist visits, alongside our reports.
Some jobs should never be done in-house: opening up ductwork, cleaning fans, drop testing fire dampers and measuring grease need training, the right equipment and safe access. Leave those to us.
TR19 inspection for kitchens and businesses in Hermitage
Before any clean in Hermitage, we survey the canopy, plenum, filters, ducts, fan and discharge. We check where the access panels are and whether every section can be reached, and record grease readings at set points. If you’re dealing with surveys needed before quoting a full clean and an insurer’s request for a TR19 audit, we can put it right.
In a village or hamlet like Hermitage, the kitchens that need extract cleaning are normally a pub, a school, a care home or a hall kitchen, wherever there is one. Every one of them still needs its extract kept clear of grease, whatever the size of the place.
Every visit ends with a written report and pictures, so you have a record of what was done and when. Kitchen extract cleaning to TR19® Grease is certificated through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal.
- Place
- Hermitage (RG18)
- Wider area
- West Berkshire
- Reporting
- TR19® certificate and photo report
- Price
- A fixed quote up front
- Working hours
- Nights, weekends or holidays to suit you
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
What else we do in Hermitage
Common problems we fix in Hermitage
Looking at a canopy tells you little about what’s in the duct. Clean filters can hide a heavy layer behind them, so readings are the reliable guide.
Any of these means the system needs a check-up:
- Ductwork where grease may be over the TR19 limits
- Extracts that have never been grease tested
- Missing TR19 certificates or history
- Sections of duct that can’t be reached
Historic houses near Hermitage, such as Shaw House about 3.4 miles south-west, are a reminder that older buildings with event kitchens can have long, awkward duct routes.
Before booking anyone
- When the next visit should be, and why
- Whether the price is fixed
- How areas they cannot reach will be recorded
- Their accreditations, such as BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite, CHAS or SafeContractor
Fixed quotes for TR19 inspection in Hermitage
The quote reflects the site in front of us. We take into account:
- The condition we find in the survey
- The number of sites or systems
- Access, including roofs, risers and ceiling voids
- Site requirements such as sign-in and permits
Every site is different, so each one gets its own fixed quote. Size, access, the condition of the system and when we can work all make a difference.
Helping us quote
A few details help us quote accurately. With your enquiry, please include:
- The postcode and the type of business
- How we’d reach plant on a roof or in a plant room
- The times we could work without disrupting the site
- Anything you’ve noticed, such as smells, noise, drips or poor airflow
Every quote begins with a look at the system, from your photos and details or, where that is not enough, a survey on site. After that, you get a fixed price for the work so you know the cost before we start.
Multi-site and managed buildings
When the building owner and the occupier are different, the lease normally sets out who maintains what. We can quote either party, and the report can go to both.
Records are where multi-site compliance often slips. Each visit ends with a dated report and pictures, ready to show insurers, fire officers or EHOs.
How the visit works
There are three stages on the day: set-up, the treatment itself and the sign-off. Set-up means sheeting and making equipment safe, while signing off means the written report and photos. Most of the time goes on the work itself, which takes an hour or two for a single kitchen, longer for a large or complex system. A few pictures of the system help us make the most of a visit to a place like Hermitage.
- We agree a time when the kitchen is closed or quiet.
- The system is checked from canopy to discharge.
- Grease thickness is measured at set points by WFTT or DTT.
- Each test point and any access problems are photographed.
- The findings go into a report with readings, photos and a recommended next clean.
Getting ready for the visit
- Dig out any earlier paperwork for the system
- Clear the space around the work
- Tell us the best time to work, such as after service or at a weekend
Getting 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 phone us on 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line.
Related advice
Questions from Hermitage
Who inspects food businesses in Hermitage?
The local authority for Hermitage is West Berkshire council, and its environmental health team does the inspecting. An officer may look up into the canopy, so clean filters on the day and a recent certificate on file both help.
Do you do school kitchen extract cleaning in Hermitage in the summer holidays?
Yes, holiday work suits schools best. Food Standards Agency records list about 8 schools, colleges and universities with registered kitchens within about a mile and a half of Hermitage. Send us your term dates when you phone us on 0345 646 2711, or email photos, and we will fit the work in.
Do you work with multi-site operators?
Yes. Tell us the addresses and what each needs and we’ll quote them together.
What’s TR19?
It’s the industry benchmark for cleaning ventilation and kitchen extract systems, written by BESA. It covers how systems are inspected, cleaned and checked and expects a risk-based approach.
Can you quote from pictures?
In many cases, yes. With good photos, the site type and your last report, we can price many jobs. Where we can’t see enough, we arrange a survey.
Can you come out in an emergency?
Yes. Our emergency line runs 24/7, for problems that can’t wait. Ring any time and tell us what’s happened.
Where does the waste go?
We contain it and take it with us. Grease, debris and waste water are collected as the work goes on, so it doesn’t spread.
What is grease thickness testing?
It’s a measurement of how much grease is coating the inside of the extract, by WFTT or DTT. The results are given in microns.
Kitchen extracts in Hermitage
There are about 5 cafés, restaurants and staff canteens within about 1.5 miles of central Hermitage, according to the Food Standards Agency’s register. For any of them with a canopy, measuring grease is better than guessing when to clean. Hermitage is covered by Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service. Its fire safety officers can audit commercial kitchens, and grease in the extract is part of a kitchen’s fire risk. Kitchens in Hermitage get their food hygiene inspections from West Berkshire 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.
Healthcare kitchens, like those at hospitals such as West Berkshire Community Hospital (about 3.3 miles south), often cook for long hours, which puts them in BESA’s heavier-use bands. Volunteers running a hall kitchen near Holy Trinity, or anywhere in Hermitage, may not know when the extract was last cleaned, and a grease test settles it.
Hermitage is about 4 miles north of Thatcham, in West Berkshire. We carry out TR19 inspection for commercial premises of every kind in Hermitage and the rest of West Berkshire. 155 places in West Berkshire are on our list, from busy centres to quieter spots. For sites nearby, see our Reading page, about 13 miles away.
Here we cover the RG18 postcode area for TR19 inspection. You will find streets such as Newbury Road, Lipscomb Close and Marlston Road, and we cover them all for TR19 inspection. Neighbouring places we cover for TR19 inspection include Longlane (1 mile south-west), Little Hungerford (1 mile north-east), Oare (1 mile north), Wellhouse (1 mile east) and Curridge (1 mile south-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Newbury (4 miles south-west), Thatcham (4 miles south), Burghfield Common (10 miles east), Speenhamland (4 miles south-west), Hungerford (11 miles west) and Spencers Wood (14 miles east).
Local landmarks in Hermitage
In Hermitage, that means kitchens and buildings near The White Horse pub and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Newbury Racecourse station, about 4 miles south of the centre. Other landmarks nearby include Hampstead Norris Castle (2.4 miles north-east) and West Berkshire Community Hospital (3.3 miles south). For a walk, there’s Snelsmore Common.
Between visits
How long the results last depends on use and care. We suggest:
- Store grease readings where your insurer can see them
- Don’t box in or cover duct access panels
- Send TR19 audit reports to your insurer on request
- Keep canopy edges and gutters wiped down
Each report suggests the next clean and the next test, based on the readings and how the kitchen is used.
Revisit the cleaning interval whenever the menu or hours change. A quick grease test answers the question.
Leave it or put it right?
A check after cleaning shows whether the work reached every part it should have, before the next clean is due. Out of sight is the usual reason a rural system goes too long without attention.
A single site or a whole portfolio, the quote is built the same way: the work involved, the access and the timing. The price is fixed before we start.
What you get with us
- CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001
- Fully insured
- Fixed quotes, typically within one working day
- One number for every site across the South East and London
Take a look at what affects the cost and our accreditations.