Essex · TR19 inspections and grease testing
The Common TR19 inspection
Need TR19 inspection in The Common? We survey first, send you a fixed quote and work around your opening hours, finishing with a written report and pictures.
- Ductwork where grease may be over the TR19 limits
- Insurance renewals needing proof of TR19 cleaning
- Extracts that have never been grease tested
What a clean won’t put right
In fairness, there are a few things this work will not fix:
- Ductwork that was designed or installed badly
- Hidden runs that need access panels first
- Fan breakdowns, which need a repair visit
Not sure which it is? You can give us a ring on 0345 646 2711 or drop us a line and we will tell you honestly.
What the work covers
- Access surveys
- Insurer audits
- Pre-clean surveys
- Deposit thickness tests
- Post-clean checks
- Wet film thickness tests
TR19 inspection in The Common, done properly
Grease thickness testing tells you how much grease is sitting in the canopy, ducts and fan. Readings are taken at set points using the Wet Film Thickness Test (WFTT) or the Deposit Thickness Test (DTT). The results show whether the system needs cleaning and how soon. If you’re dealing with missing TR19 certificates or history and insurance renewals needing proof of TR19 cleaning, we can put it right, from post-clean checks, insurer audits and access surveys onwards.
In a small place like The Common, kitchens are often in older or extended buildings, with long single-storey duct runs, and those horizontal sections are where grease settles. We agree access and timings in advance.
A written report with photos follows each visit, so you have a record of what was done and when. Where the work is a TR19® Grease clean, the certificate is issued through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal.
- Location
- The Common (CB10)
- Region
- Essex
- Paperwork
- Certificate plus before-and-after photos
- Quotes
- A fixed quote up front
- Hours
- Out of hours as standard, 24/7 emergency line
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
Nearby places to The Common
Also in The Common
Why deal with it now?
An EHO visit, an insurance renewal or a fire risk assessment is a bad time to find your extract records are thin. An inspection now gives a site in The Common a current picture. In a small place like The Common, a system that fails can take a site out of use.
Every site is different, so each one gets its own fixed quote. The size of the job, how we reach it, its condition and the working hours all make a difference.
What you get with us
- Fixed quotes, usually within one working day
- Member of BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease
- Accredited under CHAS and SafeContractor, with ISO 9001
- Ventilation hygiene specialists since 2009
See our cost guide and our accreditations.
What your team can do, and what needs us
Keep a record of what your team does. A simple log of filter washes, wipe-downs and checks helps show that the system is managed between specialist visits, alongside our reports.
If your staff spot something between visits, such as dripping grease, a noisy fan, a smell or a filter that will not come clean, it’s best reported rather than tackled in-house. We will take a look and give you a fixed quote.
Part by part
Horizontal duct runs
Flat duct runs collect grease along their base. We test at points along the run through access panels.
Vertical risers
In buildings with several floors, the riser may pass through other tenants’ space, so access is planned in advance.
What TR19 inspection looks like in The Common
The Common sits within the area of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. The Fire Safety Order puts the duty on whoever runs a kitchen to control its fire risk, and a greasy duct is fuel. In The Common, food businesses are inspected by environmental health officers from Uttlesford council. Extraction counts as kitchen equipment, so its condition can come up on the day. Keeping each certificate and photo report on file helps show the extract is looked after.
School kitchens, at schools like Radwinter Church of England Voluntary Aided 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; Saffron Walden Community Hospital is the nearest hospital to The Common, about 3.5 miles west. A hall kitchen that only cooks for events, whether near Church of St Mary the Virgin or elsewhere in The Common, still needs its extract cleaned, just less often.
The Common is about 4 miles east of Saffron Walden, in Essex. Sites in The Common get the same service as everywhere we cover: diagnosis first, a fixed price, out-of-hours working where necessary and a written report with pictures. Across Essex, we cover 644 places, and The Common is one of them. You can also see our page for Chelmsford, roughly 21 miles from The Common.
Here we cover the CB10 postcode area for TR19 inspection. We also cover Radwinter (1 mile south), Maple End (1 mile south-west), Wimbish (2 miles south-west), Hempstead (2 miles east) and Church End (3 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Braintree (13 miles south-east), Saffron Walden (4 miles west), Halstead (14 miles south-east), Great Dunmow (10 miles south), Stansted Mountfitchet (10 miles south-west) and Great Notley (14 miles south-east).
Landmarks near The Common
A little further out are Castle Camps (2.8 miles north-east) and Saffron Walden Community Hospital (3.5 miles west). Not far away are Hales and Shadwell Woods.
Multi-site and managed buildings
Where a tenant occupies the premises but the landlord owns the building, the lease normally sets out who maintains what. We can quote either party, and the report can go to both.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must assess and reduce fire risk, and that can be the employer, the owner, a landlord, a facilities manager or a managing agent. Where responsibility is shared, records matter even more.
How the visit works
Before we leave, we walk the area with whoever is on site. We point out anything that couldn’t be reached or needs a follow-up, and the same goes into the written report. All told, the work 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 The Common, lanes, gates and parking are worth mentioning in advance.
- First we look at the system’s cleaning history, if there is one.
- We follow the extract from canopy to discharge.
- Access panels are located and any missing ones noted.
- We measure the grease and photograph each point.
- We report back with readings and a fixed quote.
Before we arrive
- Let us know how we reach the system, including roofs, risers and plant rooms
- Mention any parking or loading restrictions
- Plan for cooking equipment or plant to be off before we arrive
Get a fixed quote
Want a quote for TR19 inspection? Please ring 0345 646 2711, or email photos and tell us about the site. We will talk you through the work and send you a fixed quote before anything is booked.
Read more
The Common questions
Do you work overnight in The Common?
Yes, out-of-hours work is a big part of what we do. Your customers, staff or residents in The Common needn’t be disturbed. Your opening times are the first thing we ask for.
Which fire authority looks after The Common?
The Common is in the area of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service. TR19® is not law, but it’s the benchmark many fire officers and insurers look to when they ask how often the extract is cleaned.
Can you look after several sites?
Yes. Tell us the addresses and what each needs and we will quote them together.
How much time does an inspection need?
Typically, the inspection takes around an hour or two per canopy and duct system. The size of the system and the access make the difference.
How do you measure grease in a kitchen extract?
Readings are taken using the Wet Film Thickness Test or the Deposit Thickness Test, then compare them with the TR19® Grease figures.
How often should grease be tested?
We suggest a next test date in every report, based on the readings and how the kitchen is used. The interval should come from a competent person’s risk assessment backed by grease measurement.
Do you cover The Common?
Yes. We work across Greater London, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex, The Common included.
How far ahead should we book?
It depends on the time you need and how big the job is. Mention your preferred dates with your enquiry, and if it’s an emergency, call us any time.
How we price TR19 inspection
Sites vary more than people expect. What affects the quote:
- The size of the system
- Parking and loading at the site
- Whether it’s a one-off visit or part of a schedule
- Working hours and out-of-hours timing
Kitchens, offices, schools and hospitals are all priced the same way: the size of the job, access, condition and working hours. Ask for a fixed quote and we will explain each part.
What to send for a quote
When you call or email, these details help:
- The roof, plant room or outside wall the system runs to
- Any symptoms, from odd noises to smells or leaks
- Any previous report or certificate
- Detail shots of panels, filters and grilles
Quotes are quick. Call or email with a few details and you will usually have a fixed price within one working day. If we need to see the system first, we book a survey around your hours.