Hertfordshire · TR19 inspections and grease testing
TR19 inspections and grease testing in Sacombe, Hertfordshire
TR19 inspection across Sacombe and nearby, booked around your opening hours and finished with a written report and photos.
- Kitchens whose menu or hours have changed
- Insurers asking for TR19 evidence
- Systems cleaned on a calendar with no measurements
Keeping the system healthy
Good habits slow the build-up between visits. A few tips:
- Don’t box in or cover duct access panels
- Look out for grease drips round the canopy edge
- Book the next test on the date in the report
- Mention new equipment or longer hours at the next test
The audit report is set out to pass straight to your insurer or broker, with readings, pictures and any areas not accessible.
When cooking hours or the menu change, check the interval still fits. Fresh readings show whether it needs to change.
How we handle TR19 inspection in Sacombe
A grease test measures how thick the grease is inside a kitchen extract system. We use the Wet Film Thickness Test (WFTT) or the Deposit Thickness Test (DTT), taking readings at set points. From the numbers, you can see whether cleaning is due. We are often asked to deal with confirming a clean reached the whole system and kitchens whose menu or hours have changed, across access surveys, deposit thickness tests and post-clean checks.
Somewhere as small as Sacombe, commercial kitchens are few: perhaps a pub, a school or care home kitchen, or a hall used for events. Every one of them still needs its extract kept clear of grease.
The report is your system’s health record: a dated account with photos of everything we did. Grease extract cleans are also certificated to TR19® Grease through the BESCA VHE portal, ready for your insurer.
- Location
- Sacombe (SG12)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Paperwork
- Certificate and photo report
- Price
- A fixed quote up front
- Hours
- After hours by arrangement; emergencies any time
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Reviewed
- 30 October 2026
Places near Sacombe
Also in Sacombe
What happens if it’s left?
Without readings, you’re guessing when to clean. If grease reaches 500 microns anywhere, TR19® Grease calls for immediate spot cleaning, and you can only act on that if you’ve measured it. Out of sight is the usual reason a rural system goes too long without attention.
No two sites are the same, so each one gets its own fixed quote. Size, access, the condition of the system and when we can work all make a difference.
Why choose Duct Doctor in Sacombe
- CHAS and SafeContractor accredited, with ISO 9001
- Photo reports with every job
- A single point of contact for sites across the South East and London
- Out-of-hours work and a 24/7 emergency line
See how cleaning jobs are priced and how to check a contractor.
FAQs for Sacombe
Which environmental health team covers Sacombe?
That is East Hertfordshire council, whose environmental health officers carry out food hygiene inspections in Sacombe. An officer may look up into the canopy, so clean filters on the day and a recent certificate on file both help.
Can school kitchens in Sacombe be cleaned in the holidays?
Yes, out-of-term visits are normal for schools. There are about 2 schools, colleges and universities on the FSA’s food hygiene register within about 1.5 miles of Sacombe. Send us your term dates when you ring 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line, and we’ll fit the work in.
What is post-clean verification?
Post-clean verification is a check after a clean, with fresh grease readings and photos. It works whoever carried out the clean.
What happens to the waste?
Waste is contained during the work and removed when we leave, including grease, debris and dirty water. We don’t leave it behind.
Which kinds of sites do you work on?
Commercial premises of every kind: from restaurants, pubs and hotels to schools, hospitals, care homes, offices, shops and food production sites. Work is timed around how each site runs.
What do you need from me for a quote?
Some photos and a quick description of the system, with the address and opening hours. If we need more, we’ll ask.
What is grease thickness testing?
Grease thickness testing measures the layer of grease on the duct surfaces, by WFTT or DTT. The results are given in microns.
Is TR19 cleaning the law?
No. TR19® is a specification, not a statute. In practice, an insurer can refuse or reduce a claim without proof of TR19 cleaning, so following it is the sensible course.
Sacombe kitchens: local notes
Kitchens in Sacombe get their food hygiene inspections from East Hertfordshire council. Extraction counts as kitchen equipment, so its condition can come up on the day. A dated certificate in the maintenance file answers the question before it’s asked. Sacombe sits within the area of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Grease in a kitchen extract is a recognised fire risk, and the fire authority enforces the law on managing it in most commercial premises.
Healthcare kitchens cannot easily close, so their extracts are cleaned overnight or between meal services; the nearest hospital to Sacombe is Hertford County Hospital, about 4.4 miles south. Volunteers running a hall kitchen near Church of St Katherine, or anywhere in Sacombe, may not know when the extract was last cleaned, and a grease test settles it.
Sacombe is about 3 miles north-west of Ware, in Hertfordshire. Whatever kind of site you run in Sacombe, TR19 inspection is something we can help with. We can work out of hours so the site keeps running. Sacombe is one of 381 places in Hertfordshire where we work for TR19 inspection. You can also see our page for London, about 25 miles away.
Work in SG12 is surveyed, quoted and booked the same way as anywhere else. Neighbouring places we cover for TR19 inspection include Sacombe Green (1 mile east), Dane End (1 mile north), Whempstead (1 mile north-west), Tonwell (1 mile south) and Standon Green End (2 miles east). Larger places within reach include Stevenage (6 miles north-west), St Albans (13 miles south-west), Bishop's Stortford (10 miles east), Welwyn Garden City (7 miles south-west), Harpenden (12 miles west) and Hitchin (11 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Sacombe
The closest station to Sacombe is Watton-At-Stone station, roughly 2.3 miles west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Hertford Railway Museum (3.6 miles south) and Benington Castle (3.4 miles north-west). Not far away are Astonbury Wood.
What the work involves, part by part
Vertical risers
Access to risers is often limited. We record what can and cannot be reached.
Schools, hospitals and care homes
School and college kitchens still need their extract checked. Testing shows whether the interval suits.
When something else is needed
We will not sell you work that doesn’t address the problem, so these are the things it won’t cover:
- The grease itself, which needs a full or spot clean
- Parts of the duct nobody can reach yet
- Ductwork that was designed or installed badly
If in doubt, call 0345 646 2711, or send details by email and we’ll say what we think.
Parts of the system we cover
- Deposit thickness tests
- Access surveys
- Post-clean checks
- Wet film thickness tests
- Insurer audits
- Pre-clean surveys
Common problems we fix in Sacombe
TR19® is the benchmark that insurers, fire officers and EHOs refer to. It is not legislation; the legal duty comes from the Fire Safety Order 2005, under which the responsible person must reduce fire risk, and grease in the extract is part of that risk.
Keep an eye out for these warning signs:
- Sites with gaps in their extract records
- Insurers asking for TR19 evidence
- Systems that need surveying before cleaning
- Uncertainty over how often to clean
If your kitchen is in a listed or historic building, like the houses around Sacombe (Aston Bury is about 3.7 miles west), fitting access panels needs care.
What to look for in a quote
- Whether the work can be done while the site is closed
- What’s included in the scope, part by part
- Their accreditations, such as BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite, CHAS or SafeContractor
- How they set the interval to the next visit
The process
We turn up at the time agreed with you, which is often after service, overnight or at a weekend. Equipment that has to be off is switched off and allowed to cool before any work starts, and the area around the work is covered and protected. On site, it takes an hour or two for a single kitchen, longer for a large or complex system. A few photos of the system help us make the most of a visit to a place like Sacombe.
- The visit is arranged for when the kitchen isn’t busy.
- The system is checked from canopy to discharge.
- We take WFTT or DTT readings at set points along the system.
- We photograph the test points and record any sections we cannot reach.
- We send a report setting out the readings, pictures and next steps.
Before we arrive
- Clear loose items from the work area
- Dig out any earlier paperwork for the system
- Let us know about parking and loading
Get a fixed quote
Quotes are quick. Send a few details and pictures, and we normally reply with a fixed quote within one working day. Where a survey is needed, we arrange a time that suits the site.
Related advice
What affects the quote in Sacombe
Sites vary more than people expect. What affects the quote:
- Whether we need access equipment or extra panels
- How big the system is
- Site rules, permits and inductions
- Working hours and out-of-hours timing
Whatever the type of site, the quote works the same way: the size of the job, access, condition and working hours. Call for a fixed quote and we will explain each part.
Helping us quote
When you call or email, it’s useful to have:
- Close-ups of filters, grilles, hatches or access panels
- Your last certificate, test record or report
- Problems your staff have spotted
- Where the plant sits or the system leaves the building, such as a roof or outside wall
We do not publish a price list, because no two systems are the same. Instead, we look at your site first, from pictures or a survey, and then send you a fixed quote. To start, ring 0345 646 2711, or send details by email.