Schools and Universities — Kitchen Extract Cleaning in Hertfordshire

Education kitchens run to the calendar. A primary school kitchen may cook for a couple of hours a day in term time, while a university food outlet or hall of residence can cook from breakfast until late. We arrange TR19 extract cleaning quotes for schools, colleges and universities across Hertfordshire, North London, Luton, Bedford and Harlow. An independent specialist provider carries out the clean and issues the certificate.

Schools and universities have one advantage. Holidays leave the kitchen empty, so the whole system can be cleaned without affecting a single meal.

Which TR19 frequency band applies

TR19 Grease sets minimum intervals by daily cooking hours: every twelve months for 2 to 6 hours a day, every six months for 6 to 12 hours and every three months for 12 to 16 hours. A school kitchen serving lunch usually falls in the light band and needs at least an annual clean. Schools running breakfast clubs, after-school provision or community lettings may be moderate use and six-monthly. University outlets and halls with long opening hours can reach the quarterly band. The provider's grease readings confirm the right interval for each kitchen, and the TR19 compliance guide explains the bands.

Responsibility, fire risk assessment and insurance

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person to assess and reduce fire risk, and the kitchen extract should be in the fire risk assessment. In many schools a caterer runs the kitchen while the building belongs to the school, trust or council. Across Hertfordshire, many schools are served by Hertfordshire Catering Ltd, the company the county council set up to provide school meals, which supplies more than 14 million meals a year to around 450 schools and commercial sites. Whoever runs the kitchen, confirm who books the clean and who holds the certificate. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service points out that Article 22 of the Order requires responsible persons who share duties to cooperate and coordinate. Insurers may refuse a claim if a fire is traced to a poorly maintained duct.

What a full clean covers

The provider cleans the canopy and filters, the full ductwork run to the discharge and the extract fan, fitting access panels where needed. Grease-depth readings are taken before and after, and you receive a certificate with before-and-after photographs for your estates file. In older buildings the duct route may never have been drawn, so an inspection report can map it first.

Booking into holidays and quiet weeks

Half-terms and the summer holiday are the obvious windows for schools. For universities, vacations work better than term time. At the University of Hertfordshire the academic year usually runs from late September to mid-May, so a summer date keeps the work clear of teaching. Book summer dates early.

Trusts, councils and campus estates

If you manage several schools in a multi-academy trust, or several catering outlets across a campus, we can arrange one quote covering every kitchen. Each kitchen gets its own interval and certificate, scheduled across the holidays. The cost guide explains what drives the price.

Schools, colleges and universities we arrange quotes for

The patch takes in the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield, with around 34,000 students and halls of residence on its College Lane and de Havilland campuses. It also takes in the University of Bedfordshire's main campuses in Luton and Bedford, and Middlesex University, which has taught all its London-based courses at its Hendon campus in the London Borough of Barnet since 2013. Schools and colleges are covered from Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Hertford, St Albans, London Colney, Watford and Hemel Hempstead to Enfield and Harlow. Whatever the size of the kitchen, we arrange the quote and the provider issues the certificate.

Where we see these kitchens most

Services: TR19 extract cleaning · canopy cleaning · ductwork · filters · what it costs

Frequently Asked Questions