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Extraction cleaning - certificates
A certificate that just says compliant is nearly useless. A proper TR19 Grease record proves what was cleaned, measures the result, and is honest about anything it could not reach. Here is what a good one contains.
The short answer
A TR19 Grease certificate should be a post-clean verification record: it states which parts of the system were cleaned, gives before-and-after grease-deposit readings, includes photographs, and records honestly any sections that could not be reached. The standard treats a system as clean when deposit is measured at or below 0.05 mm (50 microns). A certificate that only says the work passed, with none of this, is not doing its job.
Item one
The certificate should list the parts of the system that were cleaned - the canopy and filters, the horizontal duct runs, the vertical risers, the plenum and the extract fan - rather than referring vaguely to the extract system. A schedule of the components, ideally with system drawings, is what lets anyone reading it understand the extent of the work.
This matters because extent is everything in extract cleaning. A record that names each section makes clear the whole system was addressed; one that stays vague can be hiding the fact that only the accessible parts were done.
Item two
The heart of a verification report is measurement. It should give grease-deposit thickness readings taken at set points before and after cleaning, so the result is proven rather than asserted. The standard sets the level a system must reach to be considered clean at a deposit of 0.05 mm - fifty microns - and the after readings are what show it got there.
Readings turn a clean into evidence. They are the figures your insurer and fire risk assessor can rely on, and they are what distinguishes a measured, standard-compliant clean from a visual once-over that simply looks tidy.
Item three
A good record includes before-and-after photographs of the sections cleaned. Photographs do what a tick cannot: they show the state the system was in and the state it was left in, section by section, so the clean can be seen rather than taken on trust.
For concealed ductwork especially, this is the only way most people will ever see inside their own system. The photographs are part of what makes the certificate a genuine piece of evidence for a logbook, an insurer or an incoming operator.
Item four
The most important line on many certificates is the one about what could not be reached. A proper record distinguishes a full clean from a partial one, and where sections were inaccessible, it says so plainly rather than implying the whole system was done. That honesty is what makes the certificate trustworthy - and what tells you whether access panels need fitting to close the gap.
A certificate that records large inaccessible sections is not a failure of the paperwork; it is the paperwork doing its job. The real problem is a certificate that reads as complete while quietly covering only the easy parts. The access notes are where you find out which you have.
Items five and six
The certificate should carry the date of the clean and a recommended interval for the next one, based on the system's use and how quickly grease returned - so your cycle is set by evidence rather than guesswork. It should also identify the standard worked to and, where applicable, be backed by recognised certification such as a BESCA record, which registers the compliant or partial clean.
Together these turn a single clean into a maintained cycle with a paper trail. A dated certificate, a next-due date and a clear reference to the standard are what let you show, at any point, that the system is being managed continuously and not just cleaned once.
Using the certificate
A certificate does its job only when it reaches the people who need it. Kept in a fire logbook, it is evidence for a fire risk assessor; sent to your insurer, it satisfies a policy condition; handed to an incoming operator or landlord, it proves the system's history. A verification record filed and forgotten protects you far less than one that is actively kept current and shared where it counts.
Held across successive cleans, the certificates also build a picture. A run of dated records with grease readings and next-due dates shows a system being managed continuously, which is exactly what an assessor or insurer wants to see - far more convincing than a single certificate produced in isolation. The document is the start of a paper trail, not the end of one.
Questions
A schedule of the parts cleaned, before-and-after grease-deposit readings, photographs, an honest note on any inaccessible sections, the date, a recommended next-clean interval, and the standard worked to - not just the word compliant.
The standard treats a system as clean when deposit thickness is measured at or below 0.05 mm - fifty microns. The post-clean readings on the certificate should show this.
They prove the result rather than asserting it. They are the measured figures your insurer and fire risk assessor rely on, and they distinguish a standard-compliant clean from a visual once-over.
A proper certificate records inaccessible sections honestly and distinguishes a partial clean from a full one. That tells you whether access panels need fitting to close the gap.
Yes. It should carry the date and a recommended interval based on the system's use and how quickly grease returned, so your cycle is set by evidence rather than guesswork.
No. A certificate with no schedule, readings, photographs or access notes is not a verification record and offers little as evidence for compliance or insurance.
We clean to TR19 Grease and give you the full record - readings, photographs, access notes and next-due date.
