Hertfordshire · TR19 inspections and grease testing
TR19 inspections in Holwell
Specialist TR19 inspection for Holwell: a survey, a fixed price, careful work and proper paperwork. Ask us for a fixed quote.
- Post-clean verification after another contractor’s clean
- Parts of the system left out of past cleans
- Kitchen extract systems with no recent grease readings
About our TR19 inspection in Holwell
A grease test measures how thick the grease is inside a kitchen extract system. Readings are taken at set points using the Wet Film Thickness Test (WFTT) or the Deposit Thickness Test (DTT). From the numbers, you can see whether cleaning is due. If you’re dealing with confirming a clean reached the whole system and insurance renewals needing proof of TR19 cleaning, we can put it right.
Rural kitchens often have long, low duct runs through a roof space or along an outside wall, and those horizontal sections are where grease settles. Access, parking and timings are agreed before the day.
Duct Doctor has been trading since 2009, and we are a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease. We also hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and we carry full insurance.
- Place
- Holwell (SG5)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Paperwork
- TR19® certificate and photo report
- Quotes
- Fixed quote, typically within a working day
- When we work
- Out of hours as standard, 24/7 emergency line
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Last updated
- 30 October 2026
When it’s something else
A few issues sit outside what this work can do:
- Installation problems, which fall under design guidance such as DW172
- Sections with no access, until panels are fitted
- The responsible person’s own fire risk assessment
If in doubt, call us on 0345 646 2711 or use the quote form and we’ll say what we think before you book.
What the work covers
- Wet film thickness tests
- Insurer audits
- Post-clean checks
- Deposit thickness tests
- Access surveys
- Pre-clean surveys
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
When your team notices a problem between visits, such as dripping grease, a noisy fan, a smell or a filter that won’t come clean, it’s best reported rather than tackled in-house. We will take a look and give you a fixed quote.
Staff cleaning does not replace a specialist visit; it supports it. Regular in-house cleaning slows the build-up, but the parts you cannot see still need a specialist at the right interval.
How the visit works
There are three stages on the day: getting the area ready, doing the work and signing it off. Getting ready means protecting surfaces and switching off what needs to be off, and the sign-off is a written report with photos. The middle part takes longest, which takes anything from an hour for a small canopy and short duct to a good part of a day for a large site. Somewhere like Holwell, lanes, gates and parking are worth mentioning in advance.
- We go through any past certificates and reports.
- We follow the extract from canopy to discharge.
- Access panels are located and any missing ones noted.
- Grease readings are taken and photos recorded.
- You get a report and a fixed quote for the clean.
Getting ready for the visit
- Let us know when the site is closed or quiet
- Let us know about parking and loading
- Arrange a key holder or contact on site
Ask for a quote
For a fixed quote, give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or email us and tell us the type of site, your opening hours and roughly what the system looks like. Photos and the last report, if you have one, make the quote quicker. We usually come back within one working day.
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Holwell: your questions answered
Who carries out food hygiene inspections in Holwell?
In Holwell, it’s North Hertfordshire council that carries out food hygiene inspections. Have your latest TR19® certificate and photo report to hand, as an officer may ask how the extract is maintained.
Which fire and rescue service is responsible for Holwell?
That is Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Records of extract cleaning are a sensible thing to have ready if a fire safety officer carries out an audit.
How long does a TR19 inspection take?
Typically, the inspection takes an hour or two for a single kitchen, longer for a large or complex system. The size of the system and the access make the difference.
How much notice do you need?
The more notice, the better, particularly for night and weekend visits. We normally quote within one working day, and emergencies are covered by our 24/7 line.
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 is not legislation, but it’s the standard people check against.
How do you protect the area?
We cover floors and nearby surfaces with sheeting before any work starts, and anything we remove is contained. Before we leave, we tidy up and clean down.
What accreditations do you have?
Our accreditations are CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, alongside BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite membership, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease. The Vent Hygiene Elite scheme is run by BESCA and audited independently.
Do you check other contractors’ cleans?
Verification means repeat readings and pictures once the clean is done. The report flags anything missed.
Between visits
After the visit, a few habits help the work last:
- Flag changes in how much frying the kitchen does
- Clean grease off the canopy between professional cleans
- Keep TR19 certificates, readings and reports together
- Share inspection reports with your insurer or broker when asked
The report recommends when the system should next be cleaned and tested, based on the readings and how the kitchen is used.
Test grease regularly instead of relying on the calendar. It shows if build-up is speeding up.
Why act early in Holwell
A pre-clean survey avoids surprises on the night. Missing access panels, hidden duct runs and awkward fans are found before the cleaners arrive, and the quote reflects the real job. Somewhere as small as Holwell, losing a kitchen or building to a fault is felt by everyone who uses it.
Working hours, access and the scale of the site can all change the price. Each of those is built into the quote, and the price is fixed before any work starts.
Why choose Duct Doctor in Holwell
- We’re fully insured
- Fixed quotes from a survey or pictures
- Out-of-hours work and a 24/7 emergency line
- Accredited under CHAS and SafeContractor, with ISO 9001
Read what affects the cost or our accreditations and certificates.
What we’re called out for in Holwell
Some parts of a system are hard to reach, and grease can be missed there clean after clean. A survey finds the sections that cannot be reached, so panels can be fitted.
Most sites get in touch after spotting one of these:
- Kitchen extract systems with no recent grease readings
- Extracts that may be over the 200 micron mean
- Systems that need surveying before cleaning
- Kitchens taken over with no cleaning records
If you run catering at a healthcare site, such as a hospital like Fairfield Hospital about 2.7 miles north-east, the extract may need cleaning more often than a part-time kitchen.
What to look for in a quote
- Proof of accreditation you can verify
- When the next visit should be, and why
- Whether the figure could change on the day
- Whether VAT is included
What the work involves, part by part
Canopy and plenum
Filters can look fine while the plenum behind them is heavily coated. So we measure behind the filters, not just in front.
Schools, hospitals and care homes
School and college kitchens still need their extract checked. Readings show if the interval is right.
Grease, kitchens and Holwell
The FSA’s food hygiene register includes about 4 pubs and bars in Holwell and the streets around it, up to about 1.5 miles out. Wherever they cook, the canopy, duct and fan collect grease just as a restaurant’s do. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service covers Holwell. In most workplaces, including commercial kitchens, it’s the fire and rescue authority that enforces the Fire Safety Order. Kitchens in Holwell get their food hygiene inspections from North Hertfordshire council. They look at how clean the premises and equipment are, and the kitchen extract is part of that. Before-and-after photos from each clean are a simple way to show the extract is in hand.
A hall kitchen that only cooks for events, whether near Church of St Peter (C of E) at Corner with Holwell Road or elsewhere in Holwell, still needs its extract cleaned, just less often. Bursars and site managers at schools such as The Priory School tend to book extract cleaning for when the kitchen is empty.
Holwell is about 3 miles north-west of Hitchin, in Hertfordshire. Whether your site is in the middle of Holwell or further out, we cover TR19 inspection for every kind of premises, from a single unit to a large public building. Holwell is one of 381 places in Hertfordshire where we work for TR19 inspection. You can also see our page for Milton Keynes, roughly 20 miles from Holwell.
Work in SG5 follows the same survey, fixed quote and written report as everywhere else we cover. Whether your site is on Gurney's Lane, Pirton Road and Rand's Meadow or anywhere close by, our technicians can take on the work. Neighbouring places we cover for TR19 inspection include Pirton (2 miles south-west), Shillington (3 miles west), Apsley End (3 miles west), Hanscombe End (3 miles west) and Pegsdon (3 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Stevenage (7 miles south-east), Welwyn Garden City (14 miles south), Harpenden (12 miles south), Hitchin (3 miles south-east), Letchworth (3 miles east) and Letchworth Garden City (3 miles east).
Local landmarks in Holwell
For rail, the closest station is Hitchin station, roughly 2.8 miles south-east. A little further out are Wymondley Castle (4.3 miles south-east) and Fairfield Hospital (2.7 miles north-east). The countryside around Holwell includes Markham's Hill and Oughtonhead Nature Reserve.