Reading · TR19 inspections and grease testing
TR19 inspections and grease testing in Sonning, Reading
For TR19 inspections and grease testing in Sonning, one call is all it takes, from survey to sign-off. Fully insured, with CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001.
- Parts of the system left out of past cleans
- Checking the result of a recent clean
- Ductwork where grease may be over the TR19 limits
TR19 inspection for kitchens and businesses in Sonning
Insurance policies often require evidence of TR19® cleaning and inspection. Without it, a claim can be refused or reduced. Our TR19 audits give sites in Sonning and across Reading a clear record of the system’s condition. If you are dealing with ductwork where grease may be over the TR19 limits and kitchen extract systems with no recent grease readings, we can put it right.
Work in a small place like Sonning starts with a call to agree access and timings, and the clean itself is the same full TR19® job as in any town: canopy, filters, duct, fan and discharge, with a certificate and photo report at the end.
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’re fully insured.
- Location
- Sonning (RG4)
- Wider area
- Reading
- Reporting
- TR19® certificate and photo report
- Quote
- A fixed price before work begins
- Working hours
- Evenings, overnight and weekends; 24/7 emergencies
- Call
- 0345 646 2711
- Last updated
- 30 October 2026
Questions from Sonning
Which fire and rescue service is responsible for Sonning?
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service for Sonning. Records of extract cleaning are a sensible thing to have ready if a fire safety officer carries out an audit.
Who inspects food businesses in Sonning?
Kitchens in Sonning are inspected by Wokingham council’s environmental health officers. It helps to keep the extract cleaning records with your food safety paperwork, so they’re ready if asked for.
What information do you need?
Some pictures and a quick description of the system plus the address and your hours. We’ll ask for anything else we need.
Can you work evenings and weekends?
Yes. Evenings, nights and weekends are normal working hours for us, so you do not have to close during trading.
How often should grease be tested?
Each report recommends when to test and clean next, taking the readings and the kitchen’s hours into account. A risk assessment based on measured grease should set the interval.
What happens to the waste?
Waste is contained during the work and removed when we leave, from grease and debris to used cleaning water. None of it is left on site.
What is 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.
Do you work in Sonning?
Yes. We work across Greater London, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex, Sonning included.
Towns and villages near Sonning
Other services in Sonning
What TR19 inspection looks like in Sonning
According to Food Standards Agency records, there are about 15 pubs, bars and clubs in Sonning and the streets around it, up to about 1.5 miles out. A pub or hotel kitchen that cooks every day builds up grease in its extract like any other. Sonning 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. Food hygiene inspections in Sonning are the job of Wokingham council’s environmental health team. They look at how clean the premises and equipment are, and the kitchen extract is part of that. A dated certificate in the maintenance file answers the question before it’s asked.
School kitchens, at schools like Sonning Church of England Primary School for example, are usually cleaned in the holidays so no lunches are lost. Kitchens that cook twelve hours or more a day, as some healthcare kitchens do, fall into BESA’s three-monthly minimum; Royal Berkshire Hospital is the nearest hospital to Sonning, about 2.6 miles south-west.
Sonning is about 1 mile north-west of Woodley, in Reading. If you need TR19 inspection in Sonning, please phone us on 0345 646 2711, or email photos for a fixed quote. Our area covers London and the South East, Sonning included. Sonning is one of 34 towns, villages and districts in Reading we cover for commercial clients.
Here we cover the RG4 postcode area for TR19 inspection. TR19 inspection is available to premises on High Street, Parkway Drive and Pound Lane and nearby roads. Main roads around Sonning include the B478 and B4446, which makes travel easy for evening and night visits. We also cover the places around Sonning: Play Hatch (1 mile north-west), Dunsden Green (2 miles north-west), Newtown (2 miles south-west), Caversham Park Village (2 miles north-west) and Littlestead Green (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Caversham (3 miles west), Norcot (5 miles west), West Reading (4 miles west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles west), Shinfield (5 miles south-west) and Arborfield Garrison (6 miles south).
What’s near Sonning
In Sonning, that means kitchens and buildings near Ali's Pond Local Nature Reserve, Bull Inn and Waingels College. Sonning’s nearest station is Twyford station, about 1.9 miles east. A little further out are Berkshire Medical Heritage Centre Museum (2.5 miles south-west) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (2.6 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Sonning Hill and South Lake.
What happens on the day
We start by comparing what we find with the survey or your pictures. Anything unexpected is raised with you before we go further. From there, it takes a morning or less for one kitchen, more where there are several systems. Rural roads and tight entrances are worth telling us about before a visit to Sonning.
- The visit is arranged for when the kitchen isn’t busy.
- We look over the canopy, plenum, ducts, fan and discharge.
- We take WFTT or DTT readings at set points along the system.
- Photos are taken at each point, and access gaps noted.
- We send a report setting out the readings, photos and next steps.
How to prepare
- Clear the space around the work
- Tell us about access, such as roof hatches, plant rooms, ceilings or locked areas
- Have your last certificate or report to hand
Ask for a quote
To get a fixed quote, call 0345 646 2711 or send us an email 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. You’ll normally have a quote within one working day.
Advice
For landlords and multi-site operators
We also work for facilities teams across offices, schools and healthcare in Sonning and across Reading. Work can be phased by floor, building or site around the people who use them.
Keeping records across a portfolio is half the battle. Each visit produces a dated report with photos, so you can show an insurer or inspector what was done at each site.
Signs you need TR19 inspection in Sonning
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. Measuring it is the first step to keeping it under control.
Clients typically contact us when they notice one of these:
- Parts of the system left out of past cleans
- Ductwork where grease may be over the TR19 limits
- Checking the result of a recent clean
- Sites with gaps in their extract records
If you run a church or community hall kitchen, near St Andrew's Church or elsewhere in Sonning, its extract still collects grease from every lunch and event.
Questions to ask before booking
- Whether the whole system is included, or only the parts that are easy to reach
- How VAT is shown on the quote
- Whether a written report and pictures are included
- If the quote is a fixed price or an estimate
Between visits
Aftercare is simple, and it makes the next visit easier:
- Store grease readings where your insurer can see them
- Look out for grease drips round the canopy edge
- Never cook with filters missing
- Diary the next grease test and clean
Any access problems we found are listed with a suggested fix. Fitting them before the next clean means the whole system gets done.
Regular grease readings keep the cleaning interval honest. It shows if build-up is speeding up.
Different parts, different methods
Restaurants, pubs and hotels
Kitchens that cook for long hours build up grease faster. Regular testing shows whether the cleaning interval keeps up.
Schools, hospitals and care homes
In healthcare and care settings, kitchens may run from early until late. Readings show if cleaning is frequent enough.
What affects the quote in Sonning
There’s no set price list, because sites vary so much. The quote depends on:
- The condition of the system
- One-off work versus a regular cycle
- Access, including roofs, risers and ceiling voids
- Site requirements such as sign-in and permits
The cost depends on how big the system is, the condition it’s in and access to every part of it. You get a fixed price before work begins, so there are no surprises.
What we need to know
You do not need the technical terms. Just send:
- How we’d reach plant on a roof or in a plant room
- Any symptoms, from odd noises to smells or leaks
- Wide pictures of the system and the area around it
- The times we could work without disrupting the site
Want a quote for TR19 inspection? Please give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or email us with a few details about the site. We’ll explain what we’d do and send a fixed quote before anything is booked.
What happens if it’s left?
If there’s a fire or a claim, your insurer may ask for TR19 records. Without them, a claim can be reduced or refused. An up-to-date inspection report is a good place to start. Planning a trip to Sonning ahead is easier for everyone than a rushed one.
What you pay reflects the actual work. That’s why we survey first, from pictures or on site, and the price is agreed before any work starts.
Why choose Duct Doctor in Sonning
- A written report with photos after each visit
- Work around your opening hours, with 24/7 emergency cover
- Fully insured
- Every job surveyed first
Take a look at how cleaning jobs are priced and how to check a contractor.