What a Commercial Hood Cleaning Visit Includes (and How to Prepare Your Kitchen)

If you have never had a commercial kitchen exhaust cleaned, or you are switching providers, it helps to know what a visit normally looks like. The details vary by company and by system, but a thorough visit generally follows a similar pattern. This guide describes that pattern and gives you a list of things to do before the crew arrives.

The parts of the system

A kitchen exhaust system is more than the hood you see over the line. It typically includes the hood canopy, grease filters, a plenum behind the filters, ductwork that carries the air up and out of the building, and an exhaust fan, usually on the roof. Grease can collect in any of these places.

What a thorough visit typically includes

• A walk-through and inspection: the crew looks at the system, notes how much grease is present, finds access panels and checks the fan.
• Protection of the kitchen: equipment, floors and surfaces near the hood are covered so grease and wash water stay where they should.
• Hood and filter cleaning: the interior and exterior of the hood, the plenum and the filters are scraped and washed.
• Duct cleaning: accessible duct sections are cleaned from the hood up toward the fan. Duct without access panels may need panels added before it can be fully cleaned.
• Rooftop fan cleaning: the fan, its housing and the area around it are cleaned, with attention to grease containment so the roof is not left stained.
• Cleanup and reporting: debris and wash water are removed, the kitchen is left ready to use, and you receive a record of what was done and any areas that could not be reached.

Not every provider does every step the same way. Ask for a description of their process, and ask how they handle sections they cannot reach.

How to prepare your kitchen

• Choose a time when the kitchen is not cooking, often overnight or early morning, and tell all staff the cooking stops.
• Turn off and let cooking equipment cool completely before the crew arrives.
• Clear the area under and around the hood: move food, small equipment and anything that cannot get wet.
• Remove or cover stored items near the line, and make sure staff know not to restart equipment.
• Confirm roof access: who holds the key, whether a ladder or hatch is involved, and any landlord rules.
• Tell the crew about any known problems, such as drips, leaks or odors, and where the access panels are, if you know.

Things to expect and things to ask about

Cleaning a hood involves hot water, cleaning agents and grease, so it is noisy and messy work that normally takes place when the kitchen is closed. Ask how the crew contains wash water, how they protect equipment and how long the visit is expected to take. Ask whether you will receive photos or a written report, since those can be useful for inspections and insurers.

After the visit

Check that filters are back in place, hood surfaces are clean and the kitchen floor is clear. Keep the service report and note the date. If the crew flagged damaged filters, missing access panels or other concerns, address them before your next cleaning.

What a cleaning does not cover

A cleaning visit does not replace a fire suppression system inspection, which is a separate service performed by licensed suppression companies. A cleaning also cannot guarantee an inspection outcome, because inspectors look at the whole system and your records.

Denver Hood Cleaning Co coordinates scheduling around your service hours. Call (714) 333-0178 to plan a visit.