Hertfordshire · TR19 inspections and grease testing
The Folly TR19 inspection
One call covers TR19 inspection in The Folly: survey, fixed quote, work and sign-off. CHAS and SafeContractor accredited, ISO 9001 and fully insured.
- Confirming a clean reached the whole system
- Systems cleaned on a calendar with no measurements
- Extracts that may be over the 200 micron mean
How we handle TR19 inspection in The Folly
A fixed schedule doesn’t always match how a kitchen really cooks. Some kitchens build up grease faster than the minimum intervals assume, which is why measurement matters. Our readings give your risk assessment real numbers to work from. Typical jobs include systems cleaned on a calendar with no measurements and missing access panels found on survey, on post-clean checks, wet film thickness tests and deposit thickness tests.
Work in a small place like The Folly starts with a call to agree access and timings, and the clean covers the whole system, as it would anywhere: canopy, filters, duct, fan and discharge, with a certificate and photo report at the end.
Nothing is signed off by word of mouth: a dated report with pictures of the work, plus a certificate through the BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite portal when the work is a TR19® Grease clean. It shows what was done and what, if anything, couldn’t be reached.
- Where
- The Folly (AL4)
- Region
- Hertfordshire
- Records
- TR19® certificate and photo report
- Quotes
- A fixed price before we start
- Working hours
- Out of hours as standard, 24/7 emergency line
- Telephone
- 0345 646 2711
- Page updated
- 30 October 2026
What we’re called out for in The Folly
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.
Any of these means the system needs a check-up:
- Checking the result of a recent clean
- Kitchens whose menu or hours have changed
- Sections of duct that cannot be reached
- Insurers asking for TR19 evidence
Bursars and site managers at schools such as St Helen's Church of England Primary School tend to book extract cleaning for when the kitchen is empty.
What to look for in a quote
- What records you will receive afterwards
- Whether the quote shows VAT
- If they look at the system before pricing
- Their accreditations, such as BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite, CHAS or SafeContractor
Also near The Folly
More services for The Folly
Staff cleaning versus specialist work
In-house cleaning and specialist cleaning do different jobs. A daily filter wipe and a weekly filter wash keep grease down at the front of the system, but grease that has passed the filters is out of reach. That part needs specialist access and equipment.
A few tasks are always specialist work: opening up ductwork, cleaning fans, drop testing fire dampers and measuring grease call for the right kit, training and safe access. Leave those to us.
FAQs for The Folly
Can school kitchens in The Folly be cleaned in the holidays?
Yes. The holidays are the usual time for school work. There are about 2 schools, colleges and universities on the FSA’s food hygiene register within about 1.5 miles of The Folly. Tell us your holiday dates and we will book the visit for when the site is empty.
Do you cover smaller places like The Folly?
Yes, The Folly is part of our area, however small the site. Let us know about access, parking and anything unusual about getting there when you book.
Do you carry out TR19 audits for insurers?
Yes. Many insurers ask for proof of TR19 cleaning and inspection, and an audit report gives you that, along with any actions needed.
Can we book visits on a schedule?
Yes. Regular plans can run on 3, 6 or 12-monthly cycles, to suit the system and how it’s used.
When should we have our next grease test?
That varies with the kitchen’s daily use. BESA’s minimum cleaning intervals are every 3, 6 or 12 months for heavy, moderate and light use, and testing shows if your kitchen needs more.
Do you work out of hours?
Yes, and that’s how we prefer to work. We book the visit for when the area is out of use, whether that is late evening, overnight or a weekend.
Which accreditations do you hold?
Duct Doctor is a BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease. We also hold CHAS, SafeContractor and ISO 9001, and we carry full insurance.
At what point does grease need cleaning?
Under TR19® Grease, the mean thickness should not exceed 200 microns between cleans. Any reading of 500 microns or more needs immediate spot cleaning.
Multi-site and managed buildings
From a single site to a large estate, you get the same standard: a survey first, a fixed quote, the work timed around the site and a report with pictures.
We regularly work with managing agents. Send the address, what’s needed and how access works and we’ll come back with a fixed quote.
What affects the cost of TR19 inspection
We quote each job individually. This is what makes a difference:
- The condition of the system
- The number of sites or systems
- One-off work versus a regular cycle
- Parking and loading at the site
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’ll explain each part.
Helping us quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote. When you get in touch, it helps to send:
- Your last certificate, test record or report
- Your opening hours and when the area is out of use
- A few general shots of the system
- The site address and the type of premises
We don’t 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, phone us on 0345 646 2711, or email photos.
Kitchen extracts in The Folly
According to Food Standards Agency records, there are about 4 bars, pubs and nightclubs in The Folly and the streets around it, up to about 1.5 miles out. Wherever they cook, the canopy, duct and fan collect grease just as a restaurant’s do. In The Folly, food businesses are inspected by environmental health officers from St Albans City council. The cleanliness of the kitchen and its equipment, extraction included, is part of what they check. A dated certificate in the maintenance file answers the question before it’s asked. Fire safety in The Folly falls to Hertfordshire 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.
If your kitchen is in a listed or historic building, like the houses around The Folly (Shaw's Corner is about 2 miles north-east), fitting access panels needs care. If you run catering at a healthcare site, such as a hospital like St Albans City Hospital about 4.2 miles south, the extract may need cleaning more often than a part-time kitchen.
The Folly is about 2 miles east of Harpenden, in Hertfordshire. From the centre of The Folly to the outskirts, we cover TR19 inspection for every kind of premises, from small sites to large estates. The Folly is one of 381 places in Hertfordshire where we work for TR19 inspection. You can also see our page for London, roughly 24 miles from The Folly.
We work across the AL4 postcode area for TR19 inspection and the roads nearby. Whether your site is on Folly Fields and Lower Luton Road or anywhere close by, we can help. If your site is just outside The Folly, we cover Lea Valley (1 mile west), Amwell (1 mile south), Mackerye End (1 mile north-west), Blackmore End (1 mile north) and Batford (1 mile west). We also work in nearby towns such as Watford (11 miles south), Hemel Hempstead (8 miles south-west), Stevenage (8 miles north-east), St Albans (5 miles south), Welwyn Garden City (5 miles east) and Hitchin (9 miles north).
Around The Folly
Around The Folly, our work takes us to kitchens and buildings near Sir John Lawes School and The Cherry Trees pub, among other places. For rail, the closest station is Harpenden station, roughly 2 miles west. A little further out are St Albans City Hospital (4.2 miles south) and Harpenden Museum (2.2 miles west). For a walk, there’s Wheathampstead Local Nature Reserve.
What the work involves, part by part
Schools, hospitals and care homes
Education kitchens need TR19 inspections like any other. Testing shows whether the interval suits.
Canopy and plenum
We look over the canopy, inside and out, with readings where grease collects.
The process
The visit has three parts: getting the area ready, doing the work and signing it off. Getting ready means protecting surfaces and switching off what needs to be off, and the sign-off is a written report with photos. The middle part takes longest, which takes an hour or two for a single kitchen, longer for a large or complex system. If you can send photos, we can arrive in The Folly knowing what to expect.
- First we look at the system’s cleaning history, if there is one.
- The layout is traced from the canopy to the discharge.
- We note where access panels are and where more are needed.
- We measure the grease and photograph each point.
- We report back with readings and a fixed quote.
How to prepare
- Tell us where we can park and unload
- Make sure equipment near the work can be switched off and left to cool
- Find the previous report, if there is one
How to get a quote
Want a quote for TR19 inspection? Please phone us on 0345 646 2711 or email us with a few details about the site. We will talk you through the work and send you a fixed quote before you commit to anything.
Related advice
Why it’s worth doing now in The Folly
Surveying first means the clean goes to plan. Access problems are spotted in advance rather than on the night, and the quote reflects the real job. Systems in rural buildings are often out of sight and out of mind.
What you pay depends on the size of the system, what state it’s in and access to every part of it. You get a fixed price before we start, so you know where you stand.
Why choose Duct Doctor in The Folly
- A BESCA Vent Hygiene Elite member, cleaning to BESA TR19® Grease
- Full insurance on every job
- In business since 2009
- A single point of contact for sites across the South East and London