Running a commercial kitchen in a busy Nottingham restaurant, pub, or hotel is hard work. Chefs and kitchen porters wipe counters and mop floors every night, but cooking day in and day out causes hot fat, oil, and grease to build up inside canopies, filters, and extract ducts.
Trapped grease inside ductwork creates a severe fire hazard that standard daily kitchen cleaning cannot touch. Understanding insurance rules and TR19 grease extraction standards keeps your business safe, compliant, and protected against costly closure notices.
What Is TR19 Compliance and Why Does It Matter?
TR19 is the UK standard for internal cleanliness of ventilation systems, published by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA). It defines the maximum allowable grease deposit inside kitchen extract ducts.
Most commercial insurance policies in the UK include a strict grease extract clause. If a fire starts on a cooking range and spreads through greasy ductwork, loss adjusters immediately check your TR19 certificate. If you cannot prove your extraction system was professionally cleaned and certified within the required timeframe, insurers can refuse your entire fire claim.
How Often Must Your Extraction System Be Cleaned?
Cleaning frequency depends directly on daily cooking hours and the type of food prepared on your premises:
- Light Use (2 to 6 hours daily): Clean and certify extraction ductwork every 12 months.
- Moderate Use (6 to 12 hours daily): Clean and certify ductwork every 6 months.
- Heavy Use (12 to 16 hours daily): Heavy frying, chargrilling, and wok cooking requires full duct cleaning every 3 months.
What Happens During a Professional Kitchen Deep Clean?
A full commercial kitchen deep clean tackles areas staff cannot easily reach during evening shutdowns:
1. Extract Canopy and Baffle Filters
Technicians remove all stainless steel grease filters and soak them in heated decarbonising tanks. The inside of the extract canopy is scraped down to bare metal to remove thick grease deposits.
2. Ductwork and Extraction Fan
Access panels are opened along the entire duct run. Rotary brush equipment and food-safe degreasing foam scrape away sticky grease layers right up to the roof-level discharge cowl and impeller fan.
3. Cooking Equipment and Ranges
Deep fryers, griddles, ovens, and solid-top ranges are pulled out from the wall. Burnt carbon deposits are stripped from sides and back panels, and floor gullies behind cooking equipment are steam disinfected.
4. Walls, Ceilings and Safety Flooring
Altro safety flooring, tiled splashbacks, and hygienic wall cladding are rotary scrubbed and steam-cleaned to eliminate slippery oil films and meet Food Standards Agency hygiene rules.
Maintaining 5-Star Food Hygiene Ratings
Environmental Health Officers (EHO) in Nottingham inspect commercial catering spaces regularly. Grease buildup behind cookers or mould in walk-in cold rooms will quickly drop your food hygiene score from 5 stars down to 2 or 3 stars.
Displaying an up-to-date commercial kitchen deep clean certificate proves to visiting inspectors that your management team takes food safety and fire prevention seriously.
Book Your Commercial Kitchen Deep Clean in Nottingham
Regular professional deep cleaning protects your staff, secures your insurance policy, and prolongs the working life of expensive commercial kitchen equipment.
Need certified kitchen deep cleaning or TR19 duct maintenance?
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