Duct cleaning evidence loss adjusters ask to see

Certificates, reports, before-and-after photographs, and a cleaning history at appropriate intervals - the evidence that the extraction was cleaned and maintained to standard. Specifically: cleaning certificates (certifying each clean was to the recognised standard, TR19 Grease); cleaning reports (documenting what was inspected and cleaned, the areas covered - the whole system including the ductwork - and the condition found); before-and-after photographs (visual proof the ductwork internals were genuinely cleaned, since the ductwork is hidden); and a cleaning history/logbook (showing the cleaning was done regularly, at appropriate intervals for the cooking, over time). They may also want the cleaner's competence/accreditation. Together, this evidence demonstrates that the extraction was properly cleaned and maintained to the standard the policy expected, throughout the relevant period. A loss adjuster asks for it because the investigation relies on evidence - they cannot take undocumented cleaning on trust. So the evidence asked for is certificates, reports, photographs and a cleaning history. This is general commentary, not insurance advice.

Because grease build-up in the extraction is a major fire risk, and insurers commonly expect the extraction cleaned and maintained to standard - so whether it was is a key question for a kitchen fire claim. When a kitchen fire claim is made, the insurer's loss adjuster investigates whether the policyholder met the policy's terms and managed the risk as expected - and for a kitchen fire (especially a grease-related extraction fire), a central question is the extraction cleaning, because grease build-up in the extraction is a recognised major fire risk. Many catering policies expect (and some require as a condition) the extraction cleaned to a recognised standard (TR19 Grease) at appropriate intervals - so the loss adjuster checks whether that was done. If it was (evidenced), the policyholder managed the risk as required, supporting the claim; if not (or unevidenced), the insurer may have grounds to challenge the claim. So the loss adjuster cares about the extraction cleaning because it is central to whether the fire risk was managed as the policy required - which bears directly on the claim. So they care because the extraction cleaning is key to whether the risk was managed. This is general commentary, not insurance advice.

The claim is exposed - the insurer may treat the extraction as not properly cleaned/maintained (or unable to be shown to have been), giving grounds to reduce or refuse the claim on that basis. If you cannot produce the certificates, reports, photographs and cleaning history (because the cleaning was not properly documented, was superficial, or was not done to standard), then the extraction cleaning cannot be shown to have met the standard the policy expected. The loss adjuster, relying on evidence, may then treat the extraction as not properly cleaned/maintained - and the insurer may use that as grounds to reduce or refuse the claim. Crucially, this can happen even if some cleaning was actually done: the inability to prove it to standard (a documentation gap) leaves the claim exposed, because the investigation goes on evidence, not on your say-so. So lacking the evidence exposes the claim, potentially costing a large fire claim (the compliance gap that voided a claim). This is why keeping the evidence matters as much as doing the cleaning. So if you cannot produce the evidence, the claim is exposed. So without evidence, the claim is at risk. This is general commentary, not insurance advice.

Because the ductwork is hidden, so photographs are the visual proof that the hidden ductwork was genuinely reached and cleaned - the most convincing evidence. The main fire risk is the grease in the ductwork, and the ductwork is enclosed and hidden - so its cleaning is otherwise unverifiable (a cleaned duct looks, from outside, like an uncleaned one). Before-and-after photographs of the ductwork internals (grease-laden before, clean after) provide the visual proof that the hidden ductwork was genuinely reached and cleaned (the grease removed), not just the visible canopy. A loss adjuster investigating whether the extraction was properly cleaned finds this very convincing - the photographs show the actual condition and the clean, evidencing that the whole system (including the ductwork where the fire risk is) was done. Certificates and reports say it was cleaned; the photographs show it. So before-and-after photographs are especially important because they prove, visually, that the hidden ductwork was cleaned - the part that matters most and is otherwise unverifiable. So they are the strongest evidence of a genuine, whole-system clean. This is general commentary.

No - the evidence is the record of cleaning that should have been done and documented before the fire, so it cannot be created afterwards. The certificates, reports, before-and-after photographs and cleaning history evidence cleaning that was carried out and documented over time, before the fire - so after a fire, it is too late to create them (you cannot retrospectively produce genuine records of cleaning that was not done or documented, and the extraction may now be fire-damaged). So the evidence has to be built in advance: each extraction clean done to standard and properly documented (certificate, report, photographs), kept as a cleaning history over time. This is why the key is to have the evidence ready before you ever need it - keeping the extraction cleaned to standard, documented, at the right intervals, all along, so that if a fire ever happens the evidence is already there. After a fire is far too late. So no - you cannot create the evidence after a fire; you have to build it beforehand through documented cleaning. So build it in advance, not after. This is general commentary, not insurance advice.

By keeping the extraction cleaned to standard and documented, at the right intervals, all along - building and keeping the cleaning history over time. To have the evidence a loss adjuster asks for, do the cleaning properly and document it, consistently: have the whole extraction system cleaned to the TR19 Grease standard, at the right intervals for your cooking, by a competent cleaner; and for each clean, keep the documentation - the certificate, the report, and the before-and-after photographs of the ductwork. Keep these as a cleaning history/logbook (recording the cleans over time at their proper intervals), stored somewhere findable (your records, or a compliance dashboard). This builds, over time, the full evidence file - certificates, reports, photographs and history - that supports a claim. So each documented clean is a deposit in your evidence file, ready if a fire ever happens. Keeping it readily producible (organised, not lost) is the final step. So make sure you have the evidence ready by keeping the extraction cleaned to standard and documented, at the right intervals, and retaining the records over time. So build and keep the documented cleaning history. This is general commentary, not insurance advice.