Kitchen hood and exhaust guides
A kitchen exhaust system is three things that are inspected separately: the hood and filters, the ductwork and fan, and the fire suppression system over the cooking line. Fire codes set a schedule for each.
Guides
- Hoods · NFPA 96How often should restaurant hoods be cleaned?The NFPA 96 schedule by type of cooking, why it is an inspection schedule rather than a cleaning schedule, how local fire codes change it, and what the sticker on your hood should say.
- Hoods · Fire suppressionAnsul system inspectionHow often a kitchen fire suppression system must be inspected, what the 6-monthly service covers, the monthly checks the owner is responsible for, fusible links, the 12-year test, and what to do after a discharge.
- Hoods · CostsWhat does hood cleaning cost?Real kitchen exhaust hood cleaning prices from public bid results — Chatham County, Cobb County Schools, Garland ISD and Council Rock — why identical jobs drew quotes three times apart, what drives the price, and how to compare quotes.
The three systems, and who looks after each
| System | Who | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Hood filters and accessible surfaces | Kitchen staff | As often as grease builds up. Never run with filters missing or gapped |
| Hood, ductwork and exhaust fan | A certified hood cleaner | Inspected monthly to annually by type of cooking under NFPA 96; cleaned when grease is found |
| Fire suppression system (often Ansul) | A certified fire protection company | At least every 6 months |
The detail is in how often should restaurant hoods be cleaned and Ansul system inspection.
Where the rules come from
NFPA 96 is the national fire standard for commercial cooking ventilation, but it is enforced through state and local fire codes, which adopt a particular edition and sometimes change it. Portland, for example, requires wok kitchens to clean monthly where NFPA 96's table says quarterly. Massachusetts licenses hood cleaners through the State Fire Marshal. Your local fire marshal's office has the final word on what applies to your kitchen.
What it costs
Public bid results give real prices: $138–$350 per single hood system in Cobb County Schools, and $270–$1,171 for the same small kitchen in Chatham County, Georgia. Details and how to compare quotes are in what does hood cleaning cost.
What an inspector looks for
- A current cleaning label on the hood, with the date, the company and any areas not cleaned.
- A current service tag on the fire suppression system.
- Filters in place, with no gaps.
- Cleaning and inspection records — Massachusetts requires three years of them.