Guide for kitchen exhaust hood cleaning companies · checked 30 October 2026
Kitchen exhaust hood cleaning, run to NFPA 96 and the fire marshal
Hood cleaning is night work with paperwork that a fire inspector, an insurer and a chain's facilities team will all read. This guide covers the NFPA 96 intervals by cooking volume, the grease comb thresholds, what the sticker and certificate must say, access panels, fan hinges, wastewater, and how to run a multi-site book of recurring cleans.
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Short answer
Kitchen exhaust hood cleaning companies use field service software that schedules each site on its NFPA 96 interval (monthly for solid fuel, quarterly for high volume, semi-annual for moderate, annual for low volume), records before and after photos and grease depth readings per section, and produces the certificate and areas-not-cleaned report the fire marshal and insurer ask for. Common choices are ServiceTrade and Smart Service (both sell to kitchen exhaust cleaners), ServiceTitan service agreements for larger commercial shops, and Jobber for small crews. Many fire departments also require reports to be filed through The Compliance Engine. Fieldproxy is a configurable option built around the company's own certificate, sticker and chain reporting rules.
Monthly
NFPA 96 inspection interval for systems serving solid fuel cooking (quarterly for 24-hour, charbroil or wok kitchens)
0.078 in
Grease depth (2000 µm) on a comb gauge that means the surface must be cleaned; 0.125 in (3175 µm) in a fan housing
source: NFPA 96 A2026 First Draft report (First Revisions 10-13, 27, 44, 52)
5.5 × 4.25 in
Boston's required hood sticker size, color coded white, yellow, blue or green by cleaning interval
source: Boston Fire Department, Commercial Cooking Hood and Ventilation System Sticker Instructions
200 µm
UK TR19 Grease: maximum mean grease deposit between cleans; 500 µm triggers an immediate spot clean
How a job runs
One kitchen exhaust cleaning job, from first call to paid
The order the work really happens in, and what has to be written down at each step so nothing is argued about later.
- 1
Survey and quote the system
Walk the kitchen and the roof in daylight. Count hoods, filters and fans, trace the duct route, note every access panel and where one is missing, check the upblast fan for a hinge kit, and photograph the suppression system tag. Price by hood length, duct run, floors, fans and access work, and state the NFPA 96 interval you are quoting against.
- 2
Set the interval per site, not per customer
Classify each kitchen: solid fuel monthly, high volume (24-hour, charbroil, wok) quarterly, moderate semi-annual, low volume (churches, day camps, seasonal businesses, senior centers) annual. A chain can have all four in one contract. Check the local fire code too: Portland, for example, puts wok cooking on a monthly clean.
- 3
Book the night and confirm access
Cleaning happens after the last cover and before the breakfast crew. Confirm the closing time, who lets the crew in, alarm codes, roof access (ladder, hatch or lift), and whether the grease interceptor pump-out is booked for the same night. Text the manager the day before.
- 4
Prepare the kitchen
Lock out and tag out the fan and the appliance circuits, make sure no pilot or solid fuel is burning, move food and small equipment out, cover what cannot be moved, and tarp the line. Seal any floor drain or sink that does not run to the grease interceptor. Do not disable the suppression system; keep chemicals off fusible links and detectors.
- 5
Measure and photograph before cleaning
Take a numbered before photo at each hood plenum, each access panel, each duct section and the fan. Place the grease comb on representative surfaces and log the depth. Note anything you cannot reach and why.
- 6
Clean to bare metal
Scrape heavy deposits, apply degreaser, then pressure wash or steam the hood, plenum, filters, duct and fan wheel and housing. Tilt the upblast fan on its hinge and hold-open cable to reach the bowl and the duct riser. Capture all wash water and solids for approved disposal; none goes to a storm drain or parking lot.
- 7
Restore the system
Refit every access panel and cover plate with its gasket, reinstall filters in the right orientation, replace a missing or broken grease cup, lower and secure the fan, return switches and breakers to operating, and check the fan runs. Re-photograph each spot from the same angle.
- 8
Label and certify
Put the sticker on the hood with the date, company, technician and certification number, the next due date and areas not cleaned, and a label near any access panel you opened. Leave the certificate and a written report of uncleaned or inaccessible areas with the owner. Where the city uses The Compliance Engine, file the report there.
- 9
Report deficiencies and quote the fix
Missing access panels, a fan without a hinge kit, a leaking grease containment, damaged filters or a suppression tag out of date each get a photo, a note and a quote. Suppression issues go to the customer's fire suppression vendor, not to the hood crew.
- 10
Invoice, send the pack, schedule the next clean
Invoice against the chain's PO, send the certificate, photo report and deficiency list to the site and head office, and generate the next visit from the site's interval.
What to record
The fields every kitchen exhaust cleaning job should capture
Site and system profile
- Cooking type and NFPA 96 interval class (solid fuel, high, moderate, low volume) and any stricter local interval
- Hood count, lengths and makes; filter count, sizes and type
- Duct route: horizontal and vertical runs, floors crossed, every access panel location and size
- Fan type (upblast, utility, inline), hinge kit present yes/no, hold-open cable, grease containment type
- Suppression system make, last service date and vendor (from the tag), fire department reporting system if any
- Closing time, access instructions, alarm and roof access notes, grease interceptor location
Each cleaning visit
- Arrival and departure time, crew names and IKECA or local certificate numbers
- Before and after photo per hood, plenum, access panel, duct section and fan, taken from the same position
- Grease comb depth per section before cleaning (in or µm), fan housing reading separately
- Areas not cleaned and the reason (no access panel, locked roof, kitchen still cooking, unsafe ladder)
- Chemicals used, wash water volume captured and where it was disposed
- Lockout applied and removed, fan tested after restore, filters and grease cups replaced
Paperwork that leaves the site
- Certificate: company name, technician name, date (NFPA 96 2017 §11.6.13), plus anything the city adds
- Sticker: interval color where required (Boston), next due date, deficiencies yes/no, areas not cleaned
- Access panel labels with company name and date for every panel opened
- Written report of inaccessible or uncleaned areas for the owner, and for the fire department where required
- Deficiency quote with photos; customer PO and billing location for chain accounts
Rules and standards
The rules that shape the work, with their sources
| Rule | What it means on the job |
|---|---|
| NFPA 96 inspection schedule by cooking volume | Solid fuel monthly; high volume (24-hour cooking, charbroiling, wok) quarterly; moderate volume semi-annually; low volume (churches, day camps, seasonal businesses, senior centers) annually. Table 11.4 in the 2017 edition; section 12.4 Inspection for Grease Buildup in the 2024 edition. source: Village of New Paltz Fire Inspector, Kitchen Hood Cleaning Requirements (summary of NFPA 96-2017) |
| Where the rules sit in NFPA 96:2024 | Chapter 12 holds the maintenance rules: 12.2 suppression systems, 12.3 fire dampers, 12.4 inspection for grease buildup, 12.5 listed hoods with mechanical, water spray or UV devices, 12.6 cleaning of exhaust systems. source: NFPA 96:2024 contents listing (NSAI standards shop) |
| Grease depth comb thresholds | A grease depth gauge comb is placed on the surface. 0.078 in (2000 µm) on any surface other than a fan housing, or 0.125 in (3175 µm) in a fan housing, means that surface must be cleaned. In the A2026 revision these rules move from 12.6.1.1.2-12.6.1.1.4 to 12.4.1-12.4.3, the inspection section. source: NFPA 96 A2026 First Draft report (First Revisions 10-13, 27, 44, 52) |
| Who may clean, and cleaning before heavy contamination | Contaminated portions must be cleaned by a properly trained, qualified and certified company or person acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction (2017 §11.6.1), before surfaces become heavily contaminated with grease or oily sludge (2017 §11.6.2). source: Village of New Paltz Fire Inspector, Kitchen Hood Cleaning Requirements (summary of NFPA 96-2017) |
| Certificate kept on premises | After inspection or cleaning, a certificate showing the servicing company, the person who did the work and the date is kept on site (2017 §11.6.13). New Paltz adds a sticker on the hood with the next due date that must not be removed. source: Village of New Paltz Fire Inspector, Kitchen Hood Cleaning Requirements (summary of NFPA 96-2017) |
| Panels restored, labels near opened panels, switches back on | Access panels and cover plates are restored after inspection or cleaning (12.6.9); a preprinted company label with the date goes near any access panel removed and reinstalled (12.6.10); switches and components are returned to operable (12.6.12). The revision also requires missing, broken or leaking grease drip containers to be replaced (new 12.6.17.1). source: NFPA 96 A2026 First Draft report (First Revisions 10-13, 27, 44, 52) |
| Do not take the suppression system out of service | Suppression components must not be made inoperable during cleaning except by properly trained and qualified persons (12.6.4 / 12.6.5). Nashville's fire code adds: no flammable solvents, and no cleaning chemicals on fusible links or other detection devices. source: NFPA 96 A2026 First Draft report (First Revisions 10-13, 27, 44, 52) |
| Hinged upblast fans and grease collection | Upblast fans with motors in the airstream must be hinged, have a flexible weatherproof electrical cable and a hold-open retainer for servicing and cleaning, and be listed for the use. The system needs a closed, rainproof, noncombustible container to collect grease draining from the fan or duct. source: Aerovent FE-3400, NFPA 96 engineering summary (fans, access panels, grease collection) |
| Duct access panels | Openings at changes of direction; panels within 3 ft of each side of a fan with duct on both sides; horizontal ducts get panels every 12 ft, 20 in × 20 in for personnel entry, grease-tight with a gasket rated for 1500 °F, signed 'ACCESS PANEL - DO NOT OBSTRUCT'. source: Aerovent FE-3400, NFPA 96 engineering summary (fans, access panels, grease collection) |
| Boston sticker format | Sticker 5.5 × 4.25 in, color by interval (monthly white, quarterly yellow, semi-annual blue, annual green), preprinted with company name, address and 24-hour phone, with the technician's BFD registration number, deficiencies yes/no and areas not cleaned. If service could not be performed, the cleaner sends the BFD deficiency report within five days. source: Boston Fire Department, Commercial Cooking Hood and Ventilation System Sticker Instructions |
| Portland: certificate of fitness and label contents | Anyone cleaning, including a restaurant cleaning its own system, needs a Fire Marshal's Office Certificate of Fitness. The label shows date, company, company number and the individual's certification number, and must list areas not cleaned. Inspection at least every 6 months by a certified person. source: Portland Fire & Rescue, FIR-8.08 commercial cooking exhaust cleaning |
| New York City: approved companies, COF holders and secure decals | Only FDNY-approved companies may clean; the principal needs five years of field experience and a W-64 or P-64 Certificate of Fitness, and company approval lasts one year. Since 15 Feb 2019 FDNY only recognizes the new decals with QR code, metallic UV layer and serial barcode, stamped with the COF holder's name and number. source: FDNY Bureau of Fire Prevention, Rangehood decals are changing (updated 31 Oct 2018) |
| Wastewater: interceptor, pH and storm drains | Nashville requires sealing internal plumbing that does not drain to the grease interceptor before cleaning, bans any hood cleaning waste from the storm system (including parking lots and ditches), limits sewer discharge pH to 5.0-10.0, and recommends a full interceptor pump-out before the store reopens. source: Metro Water Services Nashville, Vent Hood Cleaning Procedures & Regulations |
| Fire department reporting portals | Many fire departments collect contractor reports through The Compliance Engine. Gastonia NC wants a hood exhaust cleaning report every time a cleaning happens; San Diego requires suppression reports within 14 days and charges the service provider a filing fee; Charleston SC closed its old portal on 1 Sep 2021. source: City of Gastonia NC, The Compliance Engine |
| UL 300 wet chemical suppression, NFPA 17A | Hood, duct and appliance suppression systems must meet UL 300. NFPA 17A calls for a full inspection at least semi-annually and after any discharge, with monthly owner checks. This is the suppression vendor's work; the hood cleaner records the tag date and flags problems. source: Koorsen Fire & Security, UL 300 requirements in NFPA 17A |
| IKECA certifications | CECT (technician, works under a CECS) and CECS (specialist) for cleaners, CESI (systems inspector). Exams are 100 questions in 2 hours; CECT passes at 70%, CESI at 74%. All IKECA certifications expire on 1 June; CECT renews every 2 years with 1 CEU. IKECA standards referenced by NFPA 96 annex: ANSI/IKECA C10 (cleaning) and M10 (maintenance); CESI also draws on I10 (inspection). source: IKECA, CECT Candidate Handbook (rev. 6.26) |
| UK: BESA TR19 Grease | TR19 Grease (2019) sets minimum intervals by daily use: heavy 12-16 h/day every 3 months, moderate 6-12 h every 6 months, light 2-6 h every 12 months. Mean deposit must not exceed 200 µm between cleans; 500 µm or more needs an immediate spot clean. Proof is before and after photos from matching positions and wet film or deposit thickness tests. source: BESA, Kitchen extract system cleaning (TR19 Grease) |
| UK insurers expect TR19 evidence | AXA's guidance says insurers expect TR19 Grease compliance and post-clean reports with before and after photos of every asset, before and after grease measurements, methods and chemicals, from a contractor on the BESCA Vent Hygiene Register. source: AXA Connect (UK), Kitchen extract fire safety management |
Rules vary by state, council and contract. Checked 30 October 2026; confirm against the source for your area before relying on it.
Numbers
Intervals and grease thresholds hood cleaners work to
US rows are NFPA 96 unless noted; local codes can be stricter. UK rows are BESA TR19 Grease. Use these to set each site's recurring schedule and the readings your techs log.
| Situation | Interval or threshold | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Solid fuel cooking (wood, charcoal) | Monthly | NFPA 96 Table 11.4 (2017) / 12.4 (2024) |
| High volume: 24-hour, charbroil, wok | Quarterly | NFPA 96 Table 11.4 / 12.4 |
| Moderate volume | Semi-annually | NFPA 96 Table 11.4 / 12.4 |
| Low volume: churches, day camps, seasonal, senior centers | Annually | NFPA 96 Table 11.4 / 12.4 |
| Listed hoods with dampers, water wash or other mechanical parts | Every 6 months or per manufacturer | NFPA 96 2017 §11.5 |
| Wok cooking in Portland, OR | Monthly | Portland FIR-8.08 |
| Grease on duct, hood or plenum surface | Clean at 0.078 in (2000 µm) | NFPA 96 grease comb rule |
| Grease in a fan housing | Clean at 0.125 in (3175 µm) | NFPA 96 grease comb rule |
| Grease filters in NYC | Cleaned monthly at minimum | FDNY brochure |
| Wet chemical suppression service | Every 6 months and after discharge | NFPA 17A |
| UK heavy use 12-16 h/day | Every 3 months | TR19 Grease |
| UK moderate 6-12 h / light 2-6 h | Every 6 / 12 months | TR19 Grease |
| UK mean deposit between cleans | 200 µm max; 500 µm = spot clean now | TR19 Grease |
source: Village of New Paltz Fire Inspector, Kitchen Hood Cleaning Requirements (summary of NFPA 96-2017)source: NFPA 96 A2026 First Draft report (First Revisions 10-13, 27, 44, 52)source: Portland Fire & Rescue, FIR-8.08 commercial cooking exhaust cleaningsource: FDNY, Fire Safety in Commercial Cooking Locations (brochure)source: Koorsen Fire & Security, UL 300 requirements in NFPA 17Asource: BESA, Kitchen extract system cleaning (TR19 Grease)source: QBE Europe, Preventing commercial kitchen extractor fires
Where it breaks
Where spreadsheets and generic software fall over
The interval is set per customer, so a chain's charbroil store and its salad-only store are cleaned on the same cycle. One is overdue under NFPA 96, the other is overserved.
Store the cooking class and interval on each site, generate visits from it, and let the comb readings move a site up or down a class with a note why.
Photos sit on technicians' phones. When a fire inspector or insurer asks for proof of the March clean at store 14, nobody can find the before and after of the duct riser.
Photos are taken inside the job, tagged to the hood, panel or duct section, and printed into the report the customer receives the same morning.
Areas not cleaned are written on the sticker and nowhere else. Six months later the same missing access panel is still missing, and the liability sits with the cleaner who knew.
Every area not cleaned becomes a deficiency with a photo and a quote, and stays open on the site until an access panel is fitted or the customer declines in writing.
Each city wants a different sticker, certificate number and filing route: BFD registration numbers in Boston, FDNY decals and COF stamps in New York, The Compliance Engine elsewhere. A single generic certificate fails half of them.
Keep a certificate template per jurisdiction, pull the right technician certificate number automatically, and track which reports still need to be filed with the fire department.
Night jobs get cancelled at 11 pm because the kitchen is still cooking, the roof hatch is locked or nobody has the alarm code, and the crew drives home unpaid.
Access notes, closing time and a day-before confirmation text live on the site record, and a failed visit is logged with the reason so it can be billed or rebooked.
Chain head offices want one view of every store: last clean, next due, open deficiencies. The cleaner emails 200 PDFs and the facilities manager builds a spreadsheet.
Give the chain a portal that lists every site with its certificate, photos and open deficiencies, and a monthly summary by region.
Checklist
The kitchen exhaust cleaning operations checklist
Print it, or hand it to whoever runs the office side.
- Each site classed by cooking volume, with the NFPA 96 interval and any stricter local rule
- Local requirements logged per city: certificate of fitness, sticker format, decal, reporting portal
- Every technician's IKECA and local certificate numbers on file, with expiry dates (IKECA: 1 June)
- Closing time, key or alarm code, roof access and interceptor location on the site record
- Day-before confirmation sent to the store manager
- Lockout and tag-out applied; suppression left in service; no chemicals on fusible links
- Plumbing that bypasses the grease interceptor sealed; wash water captured, never to storm drains
- Before and after photos per hood, panel, duct section and fan, from the same position
- Grease comb readings logged per section, fan housing separately
- Access panels refit with gaskets, filters reinstalled, broken grease cups replaced, fan tested
- Sticker, access panel labels and certificate left on site; areas not cleaned written down
- Deficiencies photographed and quoted; suppression issues passed to the suppression vendor
- Report filed with the fire department where required (for example within San Diego's 14 days)
- Next visit generated from the site's interval before the invoice goes out
Software options
What software kitchen exhaust hood cleaning companies actually use
Judge each one on whether it fits the way your jobs run, not on the feature list. Bring a real job to every demo.
ServiceTrade
Commercial service contractors, with a kitchen exhaust cleaning product
Service frequencies that remind you when a cleaning is due, before and after photos, deficiencies with severity, photos and video, online quotes the customer approves, and a customer portal with service history. Integrates with QuickBooks, Sage Intacct and several ERPs. Office users are free; priced per technician.
Smart Service
Small and mid-size shops that run their books in QuickBooks
A QuickBooks add-on (Desktop and Online) with a hood cleaning page that describes NFPA 96 frequency scheduling, next clean generated on close, before and after photos per stop, certificates stored per location and multi-location service agreements. Native app on iPhone and iPad; Android via browser.
ServiceTitan (service agreements)
Larger commercial contractors with office staff
Commercial service agreements can be tied to selected locations, carry many equipment records, generate visits for the year, and bill at time of service. Built mainly for HVAC, plumbing and electrical; hood cleaning certificates and stickers would need configuring.
Jobber
Owner-operators and small crews
Recurring visits from a set cadence, checklists and photos on the mobile app, a client hub for quotes and payments, and QuickBooks Online sync. Its commercial cleaning page does not mention kitchen exhaust, so NFPA intervals, grease readings and certificates are on you to set up.
The Compliance Engine (Brycer)
Not job software: the reporting portal many fire departments require
If your cities use it, every option above still needs a way to get each hood cleaning or suppression report into it on time. Gastonia wants one per cleaning; San Diego sets 14 days and a filing fee paid by the contractor.
Questions to ask any vendor
- Can each site, not each customer, carry its own NFPA 96 interval, and will the next visit generate when the job closes?
- Can my techs log a grease comb reading per hood, duct section and fan housing, and see last visit's readings?
- Can you produce a different certificate and sticker per city (Boston, NYC, Portland) with the technician's certificate number filled in?
- How are areas not cleaned tracked after the visit: as open deficiencies with photos and quotes, or just text on a PDF?
- Can a 60-store chain log in and see every site's certificate, photos and open deficiencies without emailing us?
- Does the mobile app work with no signal on a roof or in a basement kitchen, and keep photos in order by section?
Bring one real kitchen exhaust cleaning job. We show it running in Fieldproxy.
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Kitchen exhaust cleaning on Fieldproxy: built around how you already work
A Fieldproxy setup for a hood cleaning company is built around the kitchen exhaust system, not the customer: every site carries its hoods, duct runs, access panels and fan, its NFPA 96 cooking class and interval, and the city's own sticker and reporting rules. Night crews work from an offline app that walks them section by section through pre-photos, comb readings, fan and containment checks and post-photos, and the morning after, the certificate, photo report and deficiency quotes are already with the store and the chain's head office.
Module 1
Site and exhaust system survey
You cannot price, schedule or certify a system you have not mapped, and the same access panel question comes up every visit until it is written down.
- Record: Site, linked to Customer (brand or franchisee) and Chain; fields: cooking class (solid fuel / high / moderate / low volume), cooking types (charbroil, wok, fryer, wood oven), opening and closing times, 24-hour yes/no
- Child records: Hood (number, length in ft, make, filter count, filter size and type, listed water-wash or UV yes/no), Duct section (horizontal or vertical, length, floors crossed, sequence number), Access panel (location, size, gasket, 'DO NOT OBSTRUCT' sign present), Fan (upblast, utility or inline; hinge kit yes/no; hold-open cable yes/no; grease containment type and condition)
- Roof access field: interior hatch, exterior ladder, lift required, height; plus key holder, alarm code holder and grease interceptor location
- Survey form with a photo per hood, panel, duct section and fan; sections numbered so every later photo and reading maps to the same item
- Survey status: Requested, Booked, Surveyed, Quoted, Won, Lost
Module 2
Quote from the survey
Hood cleaning is priced by system, not by hour, and access work (panels, hinge kits) is where the margin and the liability sit.
- Estimate lines generated from the survey: per hood by linear foot, per duct section by length and floor, per fan, per extra filter set, roof lift surcharge, after-midnight surcharge
- Separate optional lines for each missing access panel and each fan without a hinge kit, with the survey photo attached
- Quote states the NFPA 96 interval it is priced against and the visits per year (12, 4, 2 or 1)
- Quote status: Draft, Sent, Viewed, Approved, Declined; approval converts to a service agreement with the PO number
Module 3
Chain contracts and NFPA 96 recurring schedule
One restaurant group can have a wood-fired store on monthly cleans and a cafe on annual ones under the same contract.
- Record: Service agreement per customer with contracted rate card, billing contact, PO rules (one PO per store, per month or per region) and term dates
- Each Site on the agreement carries its own interval (1, 3, 6 or 12 months) and a stricter local override (for example Portland: wok = monthly)
- Next due date generated from the last completed cleaning, not the last scheduled one, so a missed visit does not silently reset the clock
- Interval change log: when comb readings show 0.078 in (2000 µm) build-up well before the due date, the site is moved up a class with the reading as the reason
- Visit status: Due, Booked, Confirmed, In progress, Partial (areas not cleaned), Completed, Failed access, Cancelled by store
Module 4
Overnight scheduling and access
The job only exists between the last cover and the breakfast crew, and most lost nights are access problems, not cleaning problems.
- Earliest start = site closing time + cool-down buffer; latest finish = opening prep time; the board will not put a 4-hour system into a 3-hour window
- Crew routes built for one night: two or three nearby stores per crew, roof lift jobs grouped to the crew with the lift trailer
- Day-before confirmation to the store manager asking for key, alarm code and confirmation the line will be shut down; reply stored on the visit
- Same-night interceptor pump-out flagged where the site's wastewater rule recommends it before reopening
- Failed access reason picklist (kitchen still cooking, no key, roof locked, alarm, unsafe ladder) with time on site, so the trip charge can be billed
Module 5
Crew app: the cleaning visit
Proof is the product. The fire inspector and the insurer only see what the crew photographed and measured.
- Opens on the site's numbered system list; works offline in basements and on roofs and syncs on the drive back
- Pre-work checklist: fan locked out and tagged, appliance circuits off, no pilot or solid fuel burning, food removed, line covered, non-interceptor drains sealed, suppression left in service
- Per section: before photo, comb reading in inches or µm (fan housing entered separately and checked against 0.125 in / 3175 µm), after photo from the same position, cleaned / not cleaned with reason
- Fan checks: hinge kit present, hold-open cable present, grease containment intact and emptied, fan wheel cleaned, fan runs after restore
- Restore checklist: every opened access panel refit with gasket and labelled, filters reinstalled in the right orientation, broken grease cups replaced, switches returned to operating
- Suppression tag photo with last service date; manager or night staff signature on completion
Module 6
Deficiencies and repair quotes
Areas not cleaned and missing panels are both a sales pipeline and a liability record; they must outlive the sticker.
- Record: Deficiency, linked to Site and the exact hood, duct section or fan; types: no access panel, panel too small, fan without hinge kit, leaking or missing grease containment, damaged filters, suppression tag past 6 months, duct not grease-tight
- Each deficiency has photos, severity (blocks cleaning / cleaning partial / advisory), and who owns it (us, customer, suppression vendor)
- Suppression items are not quoted by the hood crew; they are sent to the customer's suppression contractor with the tag photo
- Deficiency status: Open, Quoted, Approved, Scheduled, Fixed, Declined in writing; declined items stay on every future report
Module 7
Certificates, stickers and fire department filing
Every city wants something slightly different, and a missing certificate number makes the whole clean look undone.
- Certificate PDF from your own template: company, technician name and certificate number (IKECA CECT/CECS or local), date, systems cleaned, areas not cleaned and why, next due date
- Jurisdiction table on each site picks the variant: Boston sticker fields and interval color, FDNY decal serial and COF stamp numbers, Portland company and individual certificate numbers
- Access panel label log: which panels were opened and labelled on this visit
- Filing task where the city uses The Compliance Engine, with the city's deadline and a status of Not required, To file, Filed, Rejected, Accepted
- Technician certificate register with expiry dates (IKECA certifications expire on 1 June) so an expired tech is not put on a site that needs the number
Module 8
Wastewater and FOG disposal log
Utilities hold the restaurant liable for hood cleaning waste, and the restaurant will ask the cleaner to prove where it went.
- Per visit: gallons of wash water captured, solids bagged, disposal method (site sanitary drain to interceptor, hauled to approved facility), disposal location and receipt photo
- Site flag for local rules (for example Nashville: seal plumbing that bypasses the interceptor, no discharge to storm drains or parking lots, pH 5.0-10.0)
- Chemicals used per visit with product name, so a utility or the customer can see what went into their interceptor
Module 9
Invoicing and chain billing
Chains pay late when the invoice and the proof arrive separately, or the PO is wrong.
- Invoice raised on visit completion with the store's PO, rate card prices, any trip charge for failed access, and the certificate and photo report attached
- Consolidated monthly invoice per region where the contract asks for it
- Sync to QuickBooks or Xero; payment status flows back to the visit
Module 10
Chain portal and insurer / fire marshal reports
The facilities manager, the insurer and the fire marshal each ask the same question: show me this store's last clean.
- Customer portal per brand: every site with last clean date, next due, certificate PDF, before and after photos by section, open deficiencies and quotes to approve
- Store managers see only their site; regional managers see their stores; head office sees all
- One-click compliance pack per site for an insurer or fire inspector: last 12 months of certificates, comb readings, areas not cleaned and deficiency history
- Dashboards: sites overdue against NFPA 96 interval, partial cleans by reason, deficiency quote win rate, failed access nights by store
The AI agents, set up for kitchen exhaust hood cleaning companies
| Agent | When | What it does | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watcher agent | A site's next due date passes with no visit in Completed status, or a fan housing reading is logged at or above 0.125 in (3175 µm) | Checks the site's NFPA 96 interval, the last completed visit and any open failed-access visit, and separates overdue sites from sites whose readings say the interval is too long | An overdue list for the office and an alert on the site record recommending the interval move up a class, with the reading attached |
| Vision agent | A crew uploads the after photos for a visit, before the visit can be marked Completed | Compares each after photo with its before photo for the same section, looks for remaining grease, a section with no after photo, a fan photographed without a hinge, and reads the date on the suppression tag photo | A per-section pass / recheck list on the phone, and a draft deficiency (for example 'suppression tag older than 6 months') filled with the photo |
| Text agent | The day-before confirmation goes to the store manager and they reply, or a manager texts asking when the hood is next due | Reads the visit and site record, records the key, alarm and shutdown confirmation, and answers due-date questions from the real schedule | Visit moved to Confirmed with the access notes saved, or a reschedule request routed to the office |
| Autopilot | A deficiency quote (access panel, hinge kit, containment) sits in Sent for 7 days, or an invoice passes its terms | Drafts the follow-up with the deficiency photo and the NFPA 96 reason the panel or hinge matters, or the payment chase with the certificate attached | A draft email or text that a person approves before it is sent |
| Scheduler agent | First Monday of each month | Pulls every site per chain: cleanings completed, sites overdue, partial cleans and why, open deficiencies and quotes awaiting approval | A monthly compliance summary emailed to each chain's facilities contact and to your operations manager |
| Document intelligence agent | A chain or facilities company emails a PO or work order PDF for a store | Reads the store number, address, PO number, not-to-exceed amount and requested date and matches them to the right Site | A visit created on that site with the PO attached, ready for the overnight board |
Straight answers
Kitchen exhaust cleaning: FAQ
What software do kitchen exhaust hood cleaning companies use?
Most use field service software that schedules each site on its NFPA 96 interval and produces photo reports and certificates. ServiceTrade and Smart Service both market products to kitchen exhaust cleaners; ServiceTitan service agreements suit larger commercial contractors; Jobber is used by small crews. Many also file reports through The Compliance Engine because their fire departments require it. Fieldproxy is configured around a company's own certificates, sticker rules and chain reporting.
How often does a commercial kitchen hood need to be cleaned under NFPA 96?
NFPA 96 sets inspection intervals by cooking volume: monthly for solid fuel, quarterly for high-volume operations such as 24-hour cooking, charbroiling or wok cooking, semi-annually for moderate volume, and annually for low-volume kitchens such as churches, day camps, seasonal businesses and senior centers. If the inspection finds grease deposits, the contaminated parts must be cleaned. Local fire codes can be stricter.
What grease depth means the exhaust system must be cleaned?
Using a grease depth gauge comb, 0.078 in (2000 µm) on a hood, plenum or duct surface, or 0.125 in (3175 µm) in a fan housing, means the surface must be cleaned. In NFPA 96 these are in 12.6.1.1.x of the 2024 edition and move to 12.4.2 and 12.4.3 in the 2026 revision.
What must the hood cleaning certificate or sticker say?
NFPA 96 requires a certificate on the premises with the servicing company's name, the name of the person who did the work and the date. Many cities add more: Portland wants the company and individual certification numbers and areas not cleaned on the label; Boston specifies a 5.5 × 4.25 in color-coded sticker with the BFD registration number and a deficiencies box; New York requires FDNY decals with a QR code and serial barcode.
What does 'cleaned to bare metal' mean?
It means grease is removed down to the metal surface of the hood, duct and fan, not just wiped. Portland's fire code uses those words, and FDNY tells owners to make sure the duct is cleaned down to the bare metal. In the UK, TR19 Grease verifies it with wet film or deposit thickness tests after the clean.
Do upblast exhaust fans need a hinge kit?
Under NFPA 96, upblast fans with the motor in the airstream must be hinged, with a flexible weatherproof electrical cable and a hold-open retainer, so they can be tilted for cleaning. A fan without one is a common deficiency to photograph and quote.
What are the IKECA certifications?
IKECA offers CECT (Certified Exhaust Cleaning Technician, working under a CECS), CECS (Certified Exhaust Cleaning Specialist) and CESI (Certified Exhaust System Inspector). Each exam is 100 multiple-choice questions in two hours. All IKECA certifications expire on 1 June and renew with continuing education.
Can hood cleaning wash water go down the storm drain?
No. Cities such as Nashville ban any hood cleaning waste from the storm system, including parking lots and ditches, and require plumbing that does not drain to the grease interceptor to be sealed before cleaning. Wash water is captured and disposed of to an approved sanitary drain.
Does the hood cleaner service the fire suppression system?
Usually not. The UL 300 wet chemical system is serviced at least every six months under NFPA 17A by a fire suppression contractor. NFPA 96 says the hood cleaner must not make the suppression system inoperable during cleaning, and Nashville's code adds that cleaning chemicals must be kept off fusible links and detectors.
What is TR19 Grease in the UK?
TR19 Grease is BESA's 2019 specification for managing fire risk from grease in kitchen extract systems. It sets minimum intervals by daily use (3, 6 or 12 months), a 200 µm mean deposit limit between cleans, and requires before and after photos and thickness measurements as proof. UK insurers such as AXA say they expect it.
How do multi-location restaurant chains manage hood cleaning records?
They need one view of every store: last clean, next due, certificate, photos and open deficiencies. Software with a customer portal gives the facilities team that view, instead of a folder of emailed PDFs.
Related guides
All sources on this page (29)
- source: Village of New Paltz Fire Inspector, Kitchen Hood Cleaning Requirements (summary of NFPA 96-2017)
- source: NFPA 96 A2026 First Draft report (First Revisions 10-13, 27, 44, 52)
- source: Boston Fire Department, Commercial Cooking Hood and Ventilation System Sticker Instructions
- source: BESA, Kitchen extract system cleaning (TR19 Grease)
- source: NFPA 96:2024 contents listing (NSAI standards shop)
- source: Aerovent FE-3400, NFPA 96 engineering summary (fans, access panels, grease collection)
- source: Portland Fire & Rescue, FIR-8.08 commercial cooking exhaust cleaning
- source: FDNY Bureau of Fire Prevention, Rangehood decals are changing (updated 31 Oct 2018)
- source: Metro Water Services Nashville, Vent Hood Cleaning Procedures & Regulations
- source: City of Gastonia NC, The Compliance Engine
- source: Koorsen Fire & Security, UL 300 requirements in NFPA 17A
- source: IKECA, CECT Candidate Handbook (rev. 6.26)
- source: AXA Connect (UK), Kitchen extract fire safety management
- source: FDNY, Fire Safety in Commercial Cooking Locations (brochure)
- source: QBE Europe, Preventing commercial kitchen extractor fires
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