Commercial Services
Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning in the Bay Area
NFPA 96 compliant service for restaurants and commercial kitchens across all 9 Bay Area counties, scheduled after hours.
What Is Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning?
The hood over your cook line is the first thing grease-laden vapor hits. Every service, a film of grease settles on the canopy walls, the filter rack and the plenum behind the filters. Left alone, that film hardens into a layer that drips, smells and burns.
Kitchen exhaust hood cleaning removes that buildup from the canopy, plenum and filter housing and returns the surfaces to bare metal wherever the surface allows. It is the core of every exhaust system cleaning we do, and it is usually paired with duct and fan cleaning so the whole system is cleaned at once.
Why It Matters for Fire Safety and NFPA 96
Grease is fuel. A flare-up on the line can reach a greasy hood in seconds, and from there fire can travel into the ductwork where it is hard to reach and hard to put out. NFPA 96, the fire code standard for commercial cooking operations, calls for the exhaust system to be inspected and cleaned on a schedule based on how much and what kind of cooking you do.
Fire inspectors and insurance carriers look for proof that the work was done. A clean hood with a current, dated sticker and a report on file is what they expect to see.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Protect the kitchen
We arrive after close, shut down and lock out the cooking equipment, and cover the line, walls and floor with plastic to contain runoff.
- 2
Remove filters
Baffle filters come out and go to soak so they can be degreased while we work on the hood.
- 3
Scrape and degrease
We hand-scrape heavy deposits, then apply a commercial degreaser to the canopy, filter rack and plenum.
- 4
Pressure rinse
Hot water pressure washing lifts the softened grease, and the runoff is captured and routed for proper disposal.
- 5
Reassemble and wipe down
Filters go back in, the canopy is polished, plastic comes down and the area is wiped so your morning crew walks into a ready kitchen.
Signs You Need Exhaust Hood Cleaning
- Visible grease on the canopy walls or dripping from the hood edges
- Grease smell or smoke lingering in the kitchen during service
- The dated sticker on your hood is past due for your cooking volume
- A fire inspector or insurance carrier has asked for a recent cleaning record
Documentation You Receive
After every job you get a before-and-after photo report showing the work, a certificate of performance listing what was cleaned and when, and a dated sticker on your hood. Keep them on file for your local fire inspector, your insurance carrier and your landlord.
Exhaust Hood Cleaning FAQs
How long does a hood cleaning take?
Most single-hood kitchens take a few hours. Larger systems with long duct runs or several hoods take longer. We give you a time estimate with your quote and schedule around your hours.
Do I need to close my restaurant?
No. We work after close, overnight or on your closed day, so the cleaning happens while your line is already down.
Is hood cleaning the same as cleaning the filters?
No. Filter cleaning is one part of it. A full hood cleaning also covers the canopy, filter rack and plenum, and is usually done together with the ductwork and exhaust fan.
How often should my hood be cleaned?
NFPA 96 bases it on cooking volume: monthly for solid fuel, quarterly for high-volume, semi-annually for moderate and annually for low-volume kitchens. Your fire authority or insurer may require more.
More Services and Service Areas
See every service on our commercial services overview.