Commercial Exhaust Hood Cleaning Services
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At Hood Cleaning Masters, we provide NFPA 96 certified commercial exhaust hood cleaning for restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and commercial kitchens. Our technicians strip grease from the hood canopy, baffle filters, ductwork, and rooftop fan down to bare metal — the standard required under NFPA 96 and enforced in Ontario through the Ontario Fire Code, O. Reg. 213/07.
Proudly serving businesses across Ontario.
Why Commercial Exhaust Hood Cleaning Matters
Every hour a commercial kitchen operates, grease-laden vapour passes through the hood, filters, ductwork, and exhaust fan. That grease doesn’t disappear — it coats every surface it touches. Left long enough, it becomes fuel: grease buildup inside kitchen exhaust systems is one of the most common contributors to commercial cooking fires, which is why cleaning isn’t optional maintenance — it’s a legal requirement.
Under the Ontario Fire Code, commercial cooking exhaust and fire protection systems “shall be inspected, tested, and maintained in conformance with NFPA 96” (O. Reg. 213/07, Division B, Article 2.6.1.13). NFPA 96 is the North American standard that governs how often systems must be cleaned, what “clean” means (bare metal, no visible grease residue), and what documentation you need to keep on file. Fire inspectors across Ontario check exhaust systems against this exact standard — so does your insurer, if you ever need to file a claim.
Beyond fire risk, a clean system also runs more efficiently: proper airflow reduces smoke and odour buildup in the kitchen, lowers strain on your exhaust fan motor, and can reduce energy costs tied to poor ventilation.
NFPA 96 Requirements for Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning
Three frameworks work together to define your obligations as a kitchen operator:
NFPA 96 — the technical standard published by the National Fire Protection Association that sets cleaning frequency, “bare metal” cleanliness requirements, and documentation standards for commercial cooking exhaust systems.
Ontario Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07) — the provincial regulation that makes NFPA 96 legally enforceable in Ontario. Article 2.6.1.12 requires any cooking operation producing smoke or grease-laden vapour to have an exhaust and fire protection system built to NFPA 96, and Article 2.6.1.13 requires that system to be maintained to the same standard on an ongoing basis.
Ontario Building Code — governs how exhaust systems must be designed and installed in new construction or renovations, also referencing NFPA 96.
In practice, this means your local fire inspector, your insurance provider, and your hood cleaning contractor should all be working from the same checklist. If a provider can’t tell you which NFPA 96 cleaning frequency your kitchen falls under, or can’t produce documentation after a job, that’s a compliance gap you’ll be the one accountable for — the Fire Code places responsibility on the owner, not the contractor.
Our Commercial Hood Cleaning Process
1. Initial Inspection & Assessment
We evaluate your hood, filters, ductwork, and exhaust fan to identify grease accumulation, blocked airflow, and any access issues that could affect compliance.
2. Preparation & Protection
We seal off and protect cooking equipment, counters, and floors before any chemicals are applied, to prevent contamination or damage to your kitchen.
3. Professional Degreasing & Cleaning
Using commercial-grade alkaline degreasers and pressure washing, we strip grease from the hood canopy, baffle filters, plenum, accessible ductwork, and rooftop fan — cleaned to the bare-metal standard NFPA 96 requires, not just a surface wipe-down.
4. Reassembly, Polishing & Final Check
Filters and access panels are reassembled, hardware is checked, and the system is rechecked for proper function before we leave.
5. Documentation & Compliance
You receive before-and-after photos and a signed service record — the documentation fire inspectors and insurers ask for during an audit or after a loss.
What’s Included in a Full Commercial Exhaust Hood Cleaning
A proper commercial exhaust hood cleaning covers every component grease can reach, not just what’s visible from the kitchen floor:
Component | What We Do |
|---|---|
Hood canopy | Degreased to bare metal, inside and out |
Baffle filters | Removed, soaked, degreased, reinstalled |
Plenum | Interior surfaces cleaned and inspected |
Grease ductwork | Cleaned as far as accessible per NFPA 96 requirements |
Rooftop / inline exhaust fan | Fan housing, blades, and grease containment cleaned |
Access panels & hinges | Checked, and flagged if missing or damaged for code compliance |
If your kitchen runs a ventless hood system instead of a traditional exhaust setup, the cleaning scope and filter-replacement schedule differ — see our ventless hood cleaning page for specifics.
Signs Your Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Needs Cleaning
- Visible grease on the hood, filters, or plenum
- Noticeably weaker airflow or smoke lingering longer than usual during service
- Persistent odours that don’t clear after closing
- A burning or smoky smell with no obvious source — treat this as urgent
- Your hood sticker shows the last service date has passed your required interval
How Often Does NFPA 96 Require Hood Cleaning?
Cleaning frequency depends on cooking volume and grease load, not a flat schedule:
Cooking Type / Volume | Typical NFPA 96 Interval |
|---|---|
Solid fuel cooking (charcoal, wood) | Monthly |
High-volume, heavy grease (deep frying, wok, char-broiling) | Every 3 months |
Moderate-volume cooking | Every 6 months |
Low-volume cooking (churches, seasonal kitchens) | Annually |
Your local fire inspector or insurance provider may require a shorter interval than the NFPA baseline — always confirm your specific requirement rather than assuming the general schedule applies.
Commercial Exhaust Hood Cleaning Cost
Pricing depends on hood size, duct run length, number of exhaust fans, and how much grease has built up since your last service. Most single-hood restaurant kitchens range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars per visit, with larger multi-hood or high-volume facilities priced higher. A recurring cleaning contract (every 3, 4, or 6 months, based on your cooking volume) typically costs less per visit than one-off emergency cleanings. Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote based on your kitchen.
Tailored Commercial Hood Cleaning for Every Kitchen Type
Whether you run a busy restaurant, hotel kitchen, cafeteria, food truck operation, or institutional foodservice area, we tailor a cleaning schedule to your volume and usage. We also offer commercial kitchen equipment cleaning and residential range hood cleaning for operators who need both.
Why Choose Hood Cleaning Masters
When you’re vetting a commercial hood cleaning company, the questions that matter are: are the technicians trained on NFPA 96, do they clean the full system (not just visible filters), and will you get documentation you can actually hand to a fire inspector or insurer?
At Hood Cleaning Masters, every job includes:
- NFPA 96 compliant cleaning to the bare-metal standard
- Full before-and-after photo documentation
- A signed service record for your compliance file
- Recurring service plans matched to your cooking volume
We serve commercial kitchens across Ontario. Find the service page for your city →
Ready to Get Your Kitchen Compliant?
Don’t let grease buildup compromise your kitchen’s safety or your fire code compliance. Contact Hood Cleaning Masters for a free estimate, or set up a recurring cleaning plan tailored to your business. Call +1-647-333-5455 or fill out our online form.
Frequently Asked Questions
The frequency of cleaning depends on the volume and type of cooking. Deep fat frying and high-volume cooking spaces such as restaurants, hotels, and food manufacturers should clean hoods and vents every 3–4 months. Moderate-volume cooking spaces need cleaning every 6 months, and low-volume spaces once a year.
Your hood sticker from the previous service shows the next due date. Beyond that, watch for: visible grease and dust buildup on the hood or filters, reduced ventilation, unpleasant odours lingering in the space, or a smoke smell indicating a potential fire hazard from buildup.
Depending on the size of your exhaust system and the build up, it can take 3 to 6 hours to get your hood system cleaned spotless!
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You can call our company number mentioned on this website to directly be assisted with whichever service you require and set up a cleaning session accordingly. You can also fill and submit the enquiry form on our website to get a call from our salesperson. We offer contract based cleaning services in case you require frequent cleaning, you can set this up over call as well.
NFPA 96 requires exhaust systems to be cleaned to bare metal — meaning no visible grease residue on any surface inside the hood, ductwork, or fan. A surface wipe-down or filter-only cleaning does not meet this standard, even if the hood looks clean from the kitchen floor.
Yes. Fire inspectors and insurance providers both require documented proof of NFPA 96 compliant cleaning — typically before-and-after photos and a signed service record. Without this documentation, a claim can be denied or an inspection can fail, even if the cleaning itself was done properly.