Medway · TR19 inspections and grease testing
TR19 inspections and grease testing in Higham, Medway
TR19 inspection in Higham from ventilation hygiene specialists trading since 2009. Out-of-hours visits and 24/7 emergency callout.
- Systems cleaned on a calendar with no measurements
- Checking the result of a recent clean
- Heavy grease suspected in the plenum or ducts
How we handle TR19 inspection in Higham
Before any clean in Higham, we survey the canopy, plenum, filters, ducts, fan and discharge. Access is checked along the full length, and record grease readings at set points. The work covers insurer audits, pre-clean surveys and deposit thickness tests, and common reasons people get in touch are insurance renewals needing proof of TR19 cleaning and parts of the system left out of past cleans.
In a village or hamlet like Higham, 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.
We’ve been trading since 2009, as a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease. We also hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and we are fully insured.
- Place
- Higham (ME3, DA12)
- Region
- Medway
- Paperwork
- Certificate and photo report
- Quote
- Fixed quote, typically within a working day
- When we work
- After hours by arrangement; emergencies any time
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
When it’s something else
We’ll always give you a straight diagnosis, so here’s what this work cannot put right:
- Parts of the duct nobody can reach yet
- The legal duty, which stays with the responsible person
- Installation problems, which fall under design guidance such as DW172
If in doubt, phone us on 0345 646 2711 or use the quote form and we’ll say what we think.
Where we work
- Insurer audits
- Deposit thickness tests
- Post-clean checks
- Wet film thickness tests
- Pre-clean surveys
- Access surveys
Places near Higham
Also in Higham
Between visits
Aftercare is simple, and it makes the next visit easier:
- Keep canopy edges and gutters wiped down
- Mention new equipment or longer hours at the next test
- Have the latest report ready for insurance renewals
- Report grease dripping from the canopy
The report recommends when the system should next be cleaned and tested, from the measured grease and the kitchen’s hours.
Keep all TR19 records together so the history is easy to show.
What TR19 inspection looks like in Higham
There are about 8 restaurants, cafés and works canteens and about 4 sandwich bars and takeaways in Higham and the streets around it, up to about 1.5 miles out, according to the Food Standards Agency’s register. Kitchens like these cook for very different hours, and grease testing shows which extracts need cleaning soonest. Environmental health officers from Gravesham council inspect food businesses in Higham. Extraction counts as kitchen equipment, so its condition can come up on the day. Keeping each certificate and photo report on file helps show the extract is looked after. Higham sits within the area of Kent Fire and Rescue Service. The Fire Safety Order puts the duty on whoever runs a kitchen to control its fire risk, and a greasy duct is fuel.
If you run catering at a healthcare site, such as a hospital like French Hospital about 2.8 miles south-east, the extract may need cleaning more often than a part-time kitchen. If you run a café or takeaway near Higham station, early starts and late finishes leave little time to clean, so overnight extract cleaning suits.
Higham is about 2 miles north-west of Rochester, in Medway. We provide TR19 inspection for businesses, landlords and public buildings in Higham and the rest of Medway. Higham is one of 68 towns, villages and districts in Medway we cover for TR19 inspection. You can also see our page for Maidstone, roughly 11 miles from Higham.
Every address in ME3 and DA12 is within our area for TR19 inspection, from the main roads to the quietest streets. Whether your site is on Villa Road, Darby Gardens and Ash Crescent or anywhere close by, our technicians can take on the work. We also cover Gadshill (1 mile south), Lower Higham (1 mile north), Shorne (1 mile west), Shorne Ridgeway (1 mile south-west) and Mockbeggar (2 miles east). Within a short drive, we also cover Gillingham (6 miles south-east), Chatham (5 miles south-east), Rainham (8 miles south-east), Luton (5 miles south-east), Park Wood (8 miles south-east) and Lordswood (7 miles south-east).
Landmarks near Higham
In Higham, that means kitchens and buildings near Rede Common, Sir John Falstaff Public House and Strood Academy. The closest station to Higham is Higham station, about 0.9 miles north-east. Other landmarks nearby include Rochester Castle (2.6 miles south-east) and French Hospital (2.8 miles south-east). The countryside around Higham includes Gad's Hill and Rede Common.
When to call us in Higham
Records can go missing when a business changes hands or contractors. Without them, nobody knows how much grease is in the system or when it was last cleaned.
It’s time to book a visit if you see:
- Extracts that may be over the 200 micron mean
- An insurer’s request for a TR19 audit
- Surveys needed before quoting a full clean
- Sites with gaps in their extract records
Church and community hall kitchens, near Church of St John or anywhere around Higham, are easy to forget, but their extracts collect grease like any other.
Comparing quotes
- Whether the price is fixed
- Whether the quote is based on a survey or photos
- Whether VAT is included
- What’s included in the scope, part by part
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
Good housekeeping makes our visits easier, not unnecessary. Clean filters and tidy surfaces slow the build-up, but hidden parts of the system still need specialist attention.
Staff cleaning and specialist work aren’t the same thing. Wiping filters daily and washing them weekly keeps the visible parts in order, but grease that has passed the filters is out of reach. Reaching it takes a specialist with the right equipment.
How it works
There’s very little for your team to do on the day. A contact on site lets us in at the agreed time and points us to the system, and we take it from there. Before we leave, the area is tidied and the paperwork follows. In a small place like Higham, the journey is planned ahead and the visit arranged around the site’s hours.
- First we look at the system’s cleaning history, if there is one.
- We follow the extract from canopy to discharge.
- We note where access panels are and where more are needed.
- We measure the grease and photograph each point.
- We report back with readings and a fixed quote.
Preparing for the visit
- Dig out any earlier paperwork for the system
- Let us know about parking and loading
- Agree a time when the area can be out of use
Getting a 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 so you know the cost before we start.
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Common questions in Higham
Which fire service covers Higham?
It’s Kent Fire and Rescue Service, which covers Higham. TR19® isn’t law, but it’s the benchmark many fire officers and insurers look to when they ask how often the extract is cleaned.
Do you do school kitchen extract cleaning in Higham in the summer holidays?
Yes, and it’s the easiest time to do it. The FSA’s register shows about 5 schools and colleges with food registrations within roughly a mile and a half of Higham. Booking early in the term gives the best choice of holiday dates.
What do you do with what you remove?
We contain it and take it with us. Grease, debris and waste water are collected as the work goes on, so it does not spread.
Do you work in Higham?
Yes. Higham is part of the area we cover, within the South East and London area we cover.
What if parts of the system cannot be reached?
Anything we cannot reach goes on the report, with photos where possible, and we explain what access is needed, such as extra access panels in ductwork.
Can you quote from photos?
Yes, if we can see what we need. Otherwise, we book a survey at a time that suits the site, then a fixed quote.
What is TR19?
BESA’s ventilation hygiene specification in two main parts: TR19® Grease for kitchen extract systems and TR19® Air for general ventilation. It isn’t law, but it’s the benchmark.
What information do you need?
A short description and a few pictures, with the address and opening hours. We will ask for anything else we need.
Different parts, different methods
Horizontal duct runs
Grease settles on the floor of horizontal ducts as the air cools. We test at points along the run through access panels.
Vertical risers
Vertical risers take the extract up through the floors. Grease can run down and collect at the base, so the base is a key test point.
For landlords and multi-site operators
Keeping records across a portfolio is half the battle. Every visit ends with a dated report and photos, so you can show an insurer or inspector what was done at each site.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must assess and reduce fire risk, and that can be the employer, the owner, a landlord, a facilities manager or a managing agent. With shared responsibility, good records help everyone.