Hood cleaning, explained plainly
Short, practical guides for restaurant owners and kitchen managers: how often your exhaust system needs attention, what the fire code asks of you, what drives the price, and how to know the job was done right.
How often should a restaurant hood be cleaned?
Monthly, quarterly, twice a year or once a year: how the fire code sets the schedule, and why the answer depends on what you cook.
What is NFPA 96?
The fire safety standard behind hood cleaning, explained in plain English: what it covers, who enforces it, and what it asks of restaurant owners.
How much does restaurant hood cleaning cost?
What drives the price, what a fair quote should include, and why the cheapest quote can cost more later.
What does a professional hood cleaning include?
What the crew does from the hood to the roof, how long it takes, and how to check the work after they leave.
The basics in one minute
Grease is the fuel. Cooking sends grease vapor up into the hood, where it cools and sticks to the hood, the ducts, and the fan on the roof. A flare-up on the cook line can pull fire into that grease, so the whole exhaust system has to be kept clean, not just the part you can see.
Your cooking sets the schedule. The California Fire Code sets how often the exhaust system must be inspected: monthly for wood or charcoal cooking, every three months for high-volume kitchens, every six months for most restaurants, and once a year for low-volume kitchens. When an inspection finds grease buildup, cleaning is required.
NFPA 96 is the standard behind the rules. It covers how kitchen exhaust systems are built, inspected, cleaned, and protected. In California it is enforced through the fire code by your local fire authority, which has the final say for your kitchen.
Price follows the work. The number of hoods and fans, the length of the ductwork, roof access, and how much grease has built up all change the price. A fair quote says exactly which parts will be cleaned.
Records protect you. Keep the service record from every cleaning where your team can find it. When a fire inspector asks when the exhaust system was last cleaned and what was done, a dated record with photos answers the question in seconds.
Ask for proof. Before-and-after photos of the ducts and fan, a dated service label, and a written record that lists anything that could not be reached are the easiest ways to know the job was done right.
Looking for service? See what AFS cleans, what the service record includes, or the areas AFS serves.
Need your hood cleaned?
AFS cleans commercial kitchen exhaust systems across the Sacramento area, with Bay Area service by schedule. Call or request a quote.