Essex · TR19 inspections and grease testing
TR19 inspections and grease testing in Little Common, Essex
TR19 inspections, grease thickness testing, pre-clean surveys and post-clean verification for businesses, landlords and public buildings in Little Common. BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease.
- Missing TR19 certificates or history
- Uncertainty over how often to clean
- Ductwork where grease may be over the TR19 limits
TR19 inspection in Little Common, done properly
Under TR19® Grease, the mean grease thickness should stay at or below 200 microns between cleans, while a reading of 500 microns or more anywhere calls for immediate spot cleaning. Testing is how you know where your system stands. The work covers insurer audits, access surveys and post-clean checks, and common reasons people get in touch are systems cleaned on a calendar with no measurements and pre-clean surveys before a first TR19 clean.
In a small place like Little Common, kitchens are often in older or extended buildings, with long single-storey duct runs, where grease settles in the flat sections. We agree access and timings in advance.
Every visit ends with a written report and photos, so there’s a dated record of the work. Where the work is a TR19® Grease clean, the certificate is issued through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal.
- Where
- Little Common (CM77)
- Region
- Essex
- Reporting
- TR19® certificate and photo report
- Price
- A fixed quote up front
- When we work
- When your site is closed, plus a 24/7 line
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Last updated
- 30 October 2026
How the job changes from site to site
Vertical risers
In buildings with several floors, the riser may pass through other tenants’ space, so we arrange access ahead of time.
Horizontal duct runs
Grease settles on the floor of horizontal ducts as the air cools. Readings are taken along each run through its access panels.
What TR19 inspection looks like in Little Common
There are about 10 restaurants, cafés and works canteens and about 4 sandwich bars and takeaways within 1.5 miles or so of the middle of Little Common, according to the Food Standards Agency’s register. For any of them with a canopy, measuring grease is better than guessing when to clean. Fire safety in Little Common falls to Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. Fire and rescue authorities enforce the Fire Safety Order in most non-domestic premises, and in a kitchen that fire risk includes the grease in the extract. Kitchens in Little Common get their food hygiene inspections from Braintree council. A greasy canopy or dripping filters are the sort of thing an inspection can pick up. A dated certificate in the maintenance file answers the question before it’s asked.
If you look after a school kitchen, at a school such as Rayne Primary and Nursery School or anywhere near Little Common, the holidays are the usual time for a TR19® clean. If you run a church or community hall kitchen, near Church of All Saints or elsewhere in Little Common, its extract still collects grease from every lunch and event.
Little Common is about 3 miles west of Braintree, in Essex. Across the CM77 area, we cover TR19 inspection for commercial sites. Across Essex, we cover 644 places, Little Common among them. We also work in Chelmsford, about 9 miles from Little Common.
We cover every part of CM77 for TR19 inspection and the roads nearby. We also cover Rayne (1 mile north-east), Great Notley (1 mile south-east), Row Green (2 miles south-east), Young's End (2 miles south-east) and Panfield (2 miles north). Larger places within reach include Chelmsford (9 miles south), Braintree (3 miles east), Maldon (12 miles south-east), Witham (7 miles south-east), Saffron Walden (15 miles north-west) and Halstead (8 miles north-east).
What’s near Little Common
Typical jobs here are in premises near Tabor Academy, 47 The Street pub and Cuckoo Wood. Little Common’s nearest station is Braintree station, about 2.4 miles east. Nearby you will also find Tudor House Museum (Braintree) (2.7 miles north-east) and Braintree Community Hospital (1.7 miles north-east). Not far away are Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve.
Do you need TR19 inspection in Little Common?
Grease in a duct is flammable fuel. A flare-up on the range can be drawn into the canopy and duct, and from there a fire can spread through the ductwork. Knowing how much there is lets you act before it becomes a hazard.
If you notice any of these, it’s worth a diagnosis:
- Kitchen extract systems with no recent grease readings
- Post-clean verification after another contractor’s clean
- Systems that need surveying before cleaning
- Parts of the system left out of past cleans
Healthcare kitchens cannot easily close, so their extracts are cleaned overnight or between meal services; the nearest hospital to Little Common is Braintree Community Hospital, about 1.7 miles north-east.
Before you book anyone
- What happens if part of the system can’t be accessed
- Whether a survey comes first
- When the next visit should be, and why
- Whether the work can be done while the site is closed
Keeping the system healthy
Looking after the system between visits is straightforward, and it helps at the next visit:
- Flag changes in how much frying the kitchen does
- Share inspection reports with your insurer or broker when asked
- Keep the route to access panels clear
- Keep canopy edges and gutters wiped down
For an insurer audit, send them the report as it is, including readings, pictures and any inaccessible sections.
Fit access panels where the survey finds sections can’t be reached, so grease isn’t left building in hidden parts.
Towns and villages near Little Common
Other services in Little Common
What happens on the day
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 a couple of hours for a typical kitchen extract system. The timing of a visit to Little Common is set by you, and the travel is our side of the planning.
- Post-clean verification is booked once the clean is done.
- We open the access points used on the clean.
- We repeat the WFTT or DTT readings.
- We photograph each area to record how it was left.
- We report the findings and flag any areas that need more work.
Preparing for the visit
- Tell us about site rules, permits or sign-in
- Clear the space around the work
- Tell us where we can park and unload
Get a fixed quote
For a fixed quote, call us on 0345 646 2711 or use the quote form and tell us the type of site, your opening hours and roughly what the system looks like. A few pictures and your last certificate or report help a lot. You will usually have a quote within one working day.
Read more
In-house cleaning or a specialist?
Your own staff can handle the daily basics: wiping down canopy surfaces, cleaning filters and keeping a simple log. Inside the ducts, risers and fan is specialist work, and that’s where we come in.
If your staff spot something 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 can diagnose it and quote.
Leave it or put it right?
Do not wait for an EHO visit or insurance renewal to find gaps in your extract records. A recent inspection report means you are ready when asked. It’s worth booking a check, because nobody sees inside a duct day to day.
No two sites are the same, so each one gets its own fixed quote. The size of the job, how we reach it, its condition and the working hours all play a part.
Why us?
- Full insurance on every job
- CHAS and SafeContractor accredited, with ISO 9001
- A BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease
- One contact for all your sites in London and the South East
Read what affects the cost or our accreditations.
Little Common: your questions answered
Which fire authority looks after Little Common?
That is Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. If a fire safety officer visits a commercial kitchen, they may ask about the fire risk assessment and how the extract is kept clean.
Do you clean school canteen extracts around Little Common out of term?
Yes, out-of-term visits are normal for schools. Around Little Common, the Food Standards Agency lists about 4 schools and colleges with registered kitchens within a mile and a half or so. Send us your term dates when you call 0345 646 2711, or email photos, and we’ll fit the work in.
Do you survey before quoting?
Yes. Photos often do the job, and larger or hidden systems get a visit.
How much does TR19 inspection cost in Little Common?
There’s no set price, as it depends on the job: the size of the system, its condition, access and when we can work. You get a fixed price before we start.
How much time does an inspection need?
Expect it to take anything from an hour for a small canopy and short duct to a good part of a day for a large site. The visit is timed so cooking is not disrupted.
How do you measure grease in a kitchen extract?
WFTT and DTT are the two methods for measuring grease thickness, in microns. We take readings at set points from canopy to fan.
Do you carry out TR19 audits for insurers?
Yes. Our TR19 audits cover readings, pictures, access and a recommended cleaning interval. It’s set out for your insurer or broker.
Are you accredited?
We are a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease. We also hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and we’re fully insured.
What affects the cost of TR19 inspection
The quote reflects the site in front of us. We consider:
- Access, including roofs, risers and ceiling voids
- Parking and loading at the site
- How big the system is
- What state the system is in
The price reflects the work, not guesswork. That is why we survey first, from photos or on site, and why the quote is fixed before work begins.
What to send for a quote
To help us quote quickly, please include:
- Any access panels or hatches you can see
- Your last certificate, test record or report
- Where the site is and what kind of site it is
- Photos showing the whole system and its surroundings
Every quote begins with a look at the system, either from pictures and details you send or from a site visit. After that, you get a fixed price for the work so you know the cost before we start.