What Is Included in Commercial Hood Cleaning?

The short answer

A proper commercial hood cleaning removes grease from every accessible surface between the cooking equipment and the point where air leaves the building, and documents the result. In practice that is five components, in this order.

1. Hood canopy and capture area

The visible part: the underside of the canopy, the interior walls, the capture edge, the filter track and the grease cups or drain trays. This is the section kitchen staff already wipe down, and it is the least important of the five for fire risk — which is exactly why a clean-looking hood proves nothing about the system behind it.

2. Baffle filters

Filters are removed, degreased properly rather than rinsed, inspected for warping, damaged baffles and gaps, and refitted in the correct orientation. Filters that no longer seal are flagged for replacement — a gapped filter bank sends grease straight into the plenum. See hood filter cleaning.

3. Plenum

The chamber behind the filters, where grease concentrates out of sight. Nobody sees it from the cook line, so it is the first thing a rushed visit skips. Ask to see a photograph of it.

4. Accessible duct run

Horizontal and vertical duct sections are cleaned through access panels, along the length of the run rather than just at the openings. Where a run has no adequate access, panels should be fitted where the duct allows, and any section that still cannot be reached should be recorded in writing. Detail on exhaust duct cleaning.

5. Exhaust fan and containment

The fan housing, blades, base and hinge hardware are cleaned — blades evenly, to protect balance — and rooftop grease containment is checked and serviced. Belt, motor and wiring get a visual check and anything of concern is reported. See exhaust fan cleaning.

Also included in a competent visit

• Protection of cooking equipment, food-contact surfaces and floor routes before work
• Clean-up and return of the kitchen to service condition afterwards
• Dated before-and-after photographs of hood, duct interior and fan
• Written notes on inaccessible sections and on any hardware problem found
• A recommended next-service interval based on the grease load actually observed

What is usually NOT included

• Fire-suppression system inspection or service. That belongs to a licensed suppression contractor and is a separate visit.
• Fan motor, belt or bearing repair. Condition is reported; mechanical repair is separate work.
• New access panel fabrication is often quoted separately, and it is worth paying for once — every later visit is cheaper and more complete.
• Roof membrane repair from historic grease damage.
• Full kitchen deep cleaning beyond the exhaust system and the area protected during work.
• Non-grease canopies such as dishwasher or steam hoods, unless listed in the quote.

How to compare two quotes

Price differences between hood cleaning quotes are almost always scope differences. Before comparing numbers, get each quote to state, in writing:

• Which hoods and which systems are covered
• Whether the plenum, duct run and fan are included or only the hood and filters
• Whether access panels will be added where the run needs them, and at what cost
• Whether before-and-after photographs are provided
• What happens to sections that cannot be reached

The service checklist turns that into something you can hold a crew to on the night, and the cost page explains why two kitchens of the same size can price very differently.