In a high-volume fast food or quick service restaurant (QSR) kitchen, the extract system is the single most important fire safety and hygiene asset you own. Clean Ducts delivers BESA TR19 Grease-compliant kitchen extract cleaning that keeps that system fire-safe, hygienic and insurable, working with national franchises, regional chains and independent takeaways to run their maintenance schedules with zero disruption to trading.
The critical role of TR19 Grease compliance in fast food
Fast food operations run long hours and rely heavily on frying and grilling, so they are typically classified as high-use kitchens. Grease accumulates rapidly inside the extract ductwork, turning a critical ventilation system into a severe fire risk and a hygiene problem.
Our service goes beyond a basic clean. It is a structured, certified compliance process that protects your staff, customers, property and bottom line. We manage schedules across busy metropolitan areas such as London and high-street sites across the Home Counties, including Slough, Milton Keynes and Southampton.
Our core services for fast food and QSRs
Our services are built for the intensive demands and strict compliance requirements of the food service sector:
- Kitchen extract systems — commercial kitchen duct cleaning to BESA TR19 Grease standards, removing accumulated fat, oil and grease (FOG) throughout the system: canopy, filters, ductwork and fan.
- Canopy and fan cleaning — deep cleaning of accessible canopy surfaces, baffles and extract fans, restoring extraction efficiency, reducing heat stress on staff and controlling odours and smoke in the dining area.
- Ductwork maintenance — installation of access panels where required, so the entire duct path can be reached for a full TR19 deep clean.
- Ventilation and HVAC — ventilation surveys and inspections, plus repair and maintenance of mechanical air ventilation, so the replacement air system stays balanced and negative pressure is avoided.
- Fire safety and compliance — post-clean compliance certification and photographic reporting, giving auditable evidence for insurers, Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) and fire risk assessments.
Professional credentials and reliability
Your business needs a fast, reliable and compliant service. Our credentials back that up:
- BESA TR19 Grease specification — technicians trained to the current BESA TR19 Grease standard, the recognised UK benchmark for the internal cleanliness of kitchen extract systems. We work to the required post-clean residual grease deposit thickness, typically under 200 microns.
- BESCA Vent Hygiene Associate — Clean Ducts is a BESCA Vent Hygiene Associate member.
- Certified documentation — photographic certificates of cleanliness and detailed reports, accepted by UK insurers and fire authorities. Without this evidence, a fire insurance claim can be invalidated.
- Minimal disruption — out-of-hours cleaning, typically overnight or early morning, so your kitchen keeps its trading hours and revenue intact.
- National capability, local focus — planned preventative maintenance (PPM) schedules for large, multi-site operators nationwide, with teams focused on high-density areas such as Greater London, the Thames Valley and the wider South East.
Cleaning and maintaining a fast food kitchen’s extract system is not just best practice; it is a legal and insurance requirement in the UK, underpinned by several pieces of legislation:
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) — places a duty on the Responsible Person, such as the owner or manager, to take reasonable steps to reduce fire risk. Grease build-up in extract ductwork is a major fire risk, which makes regular, certified cleaning necessary under this law.
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 — require employers to provide a safe working environment with adequate and suitable ventilation. Dirty, inefficient systems lead to poor air quality, heat stress and hygiene issues.
- Insurance requirements — the most immediate obligation is the requirement, held by virtually all UK commercial building and contents insurers, for proof of compliance with BESA TR19 Grease. If you cannot produce a valid certificate following a fire, the claim is almost certain to be rejected, regardless of the cause.
Recommended cleaning frequencies
Fast food businesses usually fall into the high-use category because of their long operating hours. BESA TR19 Grease sets cleaning frequency by daily usage:
| Usage level | Operating hours per day | Recommended cleaning frequency |
|---|
| High use (typical fast food / QSR) | 12–16+ hours | Every 3 months (quarterly) |
| Moderate use | 6–12 hours | Every 6 months (bi-annually) |
| Low use | 2–6 hours | Every 12 months (annually) |
Is TR19 Grease cleaning a legal requirement?
BESA TR19 Grease is an industry standard rather than a statutory law, but following it is the only verifiable way to demonstrate due diligence under the Fire Safety Order (RRFSO), and it is a requirement of nearly all commercial insurance policies. For a high-risk environment like a fast food kitchen, quarterly (three-monthly) deep cleaning is often the minimum requirement.
To confirm the grease levels in your extract system, or to set up a compliant cleaning schedule for your fast food or QSR site, request a survey and we will take it from there.