Denver Fire Inspections and Insurance Expectations for Kitchen Exhaust

Owners of Denver restaurants often hear about fire inspections and insurance in the same breath, and for good reason: both look closely at your kitchen exhaust system. This guide gives a general picture of what to expect. It is not legal advice, and requirements change, so confirm the details for your address with the agencies and companies involved.

Who looks at your kitchen

Fire prevention for commercial kitchens in the City and County of Denver falls under the Denver Fire Department's Fire Prevention work, which enforces the fire code the City has adopted. Because the adopted edition and local amendments change over time, check the Denver Fire Department's current information rather than relying on an old summary. Properties in neighboring jurisdictions may fall under different fire departments.

NFPA 96 as the common reference

NFPA 96 is the standard most often referenced for ventilation control and fire protection of commercial cooking operations, and fire codes commonly point to it. It covers how exhaust systems are built, inspected, cleaned and maintained, and includes the cleaning frequencies by cooking type that many people cite: monthly for solid-fuel cooking, quarterly for high-volume cooking, semi-annual for moderate volume and annual for low volume. Confirm the interval that applies to your kitchen with your fire inspector.

What inspectors commonly look at

• Visible grease buildup in the hood, filters and accessible duct.
• Whether a dated cleaning record or sticker is present and current.
• The condition of filters and whether they are installed correctly.
• Access panels and whether they are blocked or missing.
• The fire suppression system and its separate inspection tags.
• The rooftop fan and the area around it, where grease may collect.

What a particular inspector checks can differ from visit to visit, so use this as a general guide only.

What insurers commonly ask for

Insurers vary. Some ask for proof that your exhaust system is cleaned on a regular schedule; some state a frequency in the policy; some ask about suppression system inspections as well. After a claim, an insurer may ask for maintenance records. The best way to know your obligations is to read your policy and ask your agent directly, in writing if possible.

Fire suppression is separate

Wet-chemical fire suppression systems over cooking lines are inspected on their own schedule, commonly cited as semi-annual, by companies licensed for that work. Hood cleaning and suppression inspection are different services. A cleaning company may coordinate timing with your suppression provider, but they are not the same thing.

Keep your records in one place

• Dated service reports from every exhaust cleaning.
• Suppression system inspection tags and reports.
• Notes about any areas of the system that could not be reached.
• Your insurance policy language on kitchen maintenance.
• Contact details for your fire inspector and cleaning provider.

Avoid the pre-inspection scramble

Many operators only think about the exhaust when an inspection or policy renewal is near. A recurring cleaning schedule matched to your cooking type, with records kept up to date, is usually easier to manage than a rushed visit. No cleaning company can guarantee an inspection outcome, and be cautious of any that does.

Denver Hood Cleaning Co can set up a recurring schedule and provide a record of each visit. Call (714) 333-0178 to talk through your kitchen.