Kent · TR19 inspections and grease testing
TR19 inspections and grease testing in Swattenden, Kent
We cover Swattenden for TR19 inspections, grease thickness testing, pre-clean surveys and post-clean verification. Out-of-hours visits, a fixed quote and a written report with pictures as standard.
- Missing TR19 certificates or history
- Uncertainty over how often to clean
- Confirming a clean reached the whole system
How we handle TR19 inspection in Swattenden
Many insurers ask for proof that kitchen extract systems are cleaned and inspected to TR19®. Without it, a claim can be refused or reduced. A TR19 audit sets out the system’s condition, with readings and photos, for sites in Swattenden and the rest of Kent. If you have cleaning intervals that may not suit the kitchen and pre-clean surveys before a first TR19 clean, we can put it right.
In a small place like Swattenden, 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.
For insurers and inspectors, the record counts. That is why every job is written up in a report with pictures, and grease extract cleans come with a TR19® certificate issued through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal.
- Place
- Swattenden (TN17)
- Region
- Kent
- Paperwork
- Certificate plus before-and-after pictures
- Price
- A fixed quote up front
- Working hours
- Evenings, overnight and weekends; 24/7 emergencies
- Phone
- 0345 646 2711
- Checked
- 30 October 2026
Multi-site and managed buildings
Whether it’s one building or many, the standard is the same: diagnosis, a fixed price, work booked around your hours and a written report with pictures.
Facilities teams in offices, schools and healthcare sites book us too in Swattenden and across Kent. Work can be phased by floor, building or site to keep disruption down.
What your team can do, and what needs us
Away from the kitchen, the in-house job is mainly checking: keeping grilles clear, noting unusual noise or smells and logging filter changes. Cleaning inside ducts and units is specialist work.
Keep a record of what your team does. A simple log of filter washes, wipe-downs and checks shows an inspector that the system is looked after between visits, alongside our reports.
Nearby places to Swattenden
What else we do in Swattenden
What a clean will not put right
Some problems need a different service or another trade:
- Parts of the duct nobody can reach yet
- Fire safety duties beyond the extract system
- Ductwork that was designed or installed badly
Not sure which it is? You can call us on 0345 646 2711 or send us an email and we will tell you honestly before you book.
What the work covers
- Wet film thickness tests
- Insurer audits
- Post-clean checks
- Access surveys
- Deposit thickness tests
- Pre-clean surveys
How the visit works
On the day, we arrive at the time agreed with you, often in the evening, overnight or at the weekend so the site keeps working. Anything that needs to be off for the work is switched off and left to cool before we start, and floors and nearby surfaces are sheeted. On site, it takes a couple of hours for a typical kitchen extract system. Rural roads and tight entrances are worth telling us about before a visit to Swattenden.
- The visit is arranged for when the kitchen is not busy.
- We look over the canopy, plenum, ducts, fan and discharge.
- We take WFTT or DTT readings at set points along the system.
- Each test point and any access problems are photographed.
- You get a report with readings, pictures and recommendations.
How to prepare
- Clear loose items from the work area
- Name a contact who can let us in at the agreed time
- Let us know about permits to work or site inductions
Ask for a quote
Getting a quote does not take long. Send a few details and photos, and we typically reply with a fixed quote within one working day. If we need to see the system first, we book a survey around your hours.
Related advice
Your questions about TR19 inspection in Swattenden
Can you clean school kitchen extracts in Swattenden during the holidays?
Yes, holiday work suits schools best. The FSA’s register shows about 4 schools and colleges with food registrations within roughly a mile and a half of Swattenden. Tell us your holiday dates and we will book the visit for when the site is empty.
Which fire authority looks after Swattenden?
Fire safety enforcement in Swattenden is handled by Kent 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.
Can the work be done while we’re closed?
Yes, and it’s often the best time. We book the visit for when the area is out of use, such as late evening, overnight or a weekend.
Are you accredited?
Duct Doctor is a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease. We also hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and we are fully insured.
What is grease thickness testing?
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 offer maintenance contracts?
Yes. Tell us what you have and how it’s used and we will propose a schedule with a fixed quote.
Will you produce a report for our insurer?
Yes, anywhere in the area we cover. Tell us what your insurer has asked for and we will set the report out to match.
How long does grease testing take?
Testing takes around an hour or two per canopy and duct system. Sites with several canopies take longer, so call us on 0345 646 2711 or email us and we will plan it.
What affects the quote in Swattenden
We quote each job individually. These are the things that affect it:
- Parking and loading at the site
- The size of the system
- The number of sites or systems
- Whether it’s a one-off visit or part of a schedule
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.
Asking for a quote
To speed up the quote, please include:
- The postcode and the type of business
- Your last certificate, test record or report
- Your opening hours and when the area is out of use
- Problems your staff have spotted
For TR19 inspection in Swattenden, give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or use the quote form. Tell us what kind of premises it is and when it’s open, and send photos or your last report if you can. We usually send a fixed quote within one working day.
What TR19 inspection looks like in Swattenden
There are about 10 cafés, restaurants and staff canteens and about 3 takeaways across Swattenden and its immediate surroundings (about a mile and a half), according to the Food Standards Agency’s register. A WFTT or DTT reading tells each of those kitchens whether its grease is staying under the 200-micron mean. Environmental health officers from Tunbridge Wells council inspect food businesses in Swattenden. They look at how clean the premises and equipment are, and the kitchen extract is part of that. Our report lists what was cleaned and when, which is useful to have ready. The fire and rescue service for Swattenden is Kent 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.
School kitchens, at schools like Cranbrook School for example, are usually cleaned in the holidays so no lunches are lost. A hospital like Benenden Hospital, about 3.9 miles east, is the kind of site where a kitchen may cook for patients, staff and visitors all day.
Swattenden is about 12 miles east of Royal Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. Whatever kind of site you run in Swattenden, TR19 inspection is something we can help with. Visits can be booked for evenings, overnight or weekends so trading isn’t interrupted. Our area takes in 922 places across Kent, large and small. We also work in Maidstone, about 13 miles from Swattenden.
Work in TN17 follows the same survey, fixed quote and written report as everywhere else we cover. We also cover the places around Swattenden: Hartley (1 mile west), Cranbrook (1 mile north), Baker's Cross (1 mile north-east), Coursehorn (1 mile north-east) and Gill's Green (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cover Maidstone (13 miles north), Ashford (15 miles east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (12 miles west), Tonbridge (14 miles north-west), Kings Hill (14 miles north) and Foley Park (14 miles north).
Landmarks near Swattenden
We work in commercial kitchens and buildings around Duke Of York Public House Little Tudor and Crane Valley. Nearby you will also find Sissinghurst Castle (3.2 miles north-east) and Benenden Hospital (3.9 miles east).
When to call us in Swattenden
Menus, opening hours and cooking styles change over time, and more frying or longer hours mean more grease. The old cleaning schedule may not match the kitchen any more.
It’s time to book a visit if you see:
- Missing access panels found on survey
- Extracts that may be over the 200 micron mean
- Extracts that have never been grease tested
- Pre-clean surveys before a first TR19 clean
If you run a church or community hall kitchen, near Congregational Church or elsewhere in Swattenden, its extract still collects grease from every lunch and event.
Comparing quotes
- Whether the whole system is included, or only the parts that are easy to reach
- Proof of accreditation you can verify
- How VAT is shown on the quote
- Whether a written report and pictures are included
Looking after it afterwards
So the system stays in good health:
- File every inspection report with your certificates
- Keep to the recommended interval
- Do not box in or cover duct access panels
- Flag changes in how much frying the kitchen does
Each report suggests the next clean and the next test, based on the readings and how the kitchen is used.
When cooking hours or the menu change, check the interval still fits. A quick grease test answers the question.