Restaurant Hood Cleaning Concord | NFPA-96 Certified

Restaurant hood cleaning is the professional removal of grease, carbon buildup, and residue from your kitchen’s exhaust hood, filters, ductwork, fans, and rooftop equipment. It’s a fire-code requirement for every commercial kitchen in Ontario — not an optional extra. At Hood Cleaning Masters, we’ve been cleaning restaurant exhaust systems across the Greater Toronto Area for over 11 years, and we’re trusted by brands including McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, and Radisson Hotels.

If you searched “restaurant hood cleaning,” you’re probably trying to answer one of these questions: how often it needs to be done, what it costs, whether you’re currently up to code, or who to call. This page answers all of them.

Why Restaurant Hood Cleaning Matters

Grease vapour from cooking rises into your hood system and settles inside the hood, filters, ductwork, and fan. Left alone, this grease is combustible and becomes the leading cause of commercial kitchen fires. That’s why restaurant hood cleaning isn’t just about appearances — it directly affects three things every restaurant owner cares about:

• Fire safety – A clean exhaust system dramatically lowers the risk of a grease fire spreading through your ductwork.
• Insurance and fire code compliance – Most commercial insurance policies require proof of regular hood cleaning under NFPA 96. Without documentation, a claim after a kitchen fire can be denied.
• Health inspections – Local health authorities and fire marshals check for grease buildup during routine inspections. A dirty hood is an easy way to fail one.

Signs Your Restaurant Hood Needs Cleaning

You don’t need to wait for your next scheduled service to know something is wrong. Watch for:

• Visible grease dripping from the hood, filters, or duct seams
• A burning or smoky smell when the exhaust fan runs
• Weak airflow or a kitchen that feels hotter and smokier than usual
• Smoke alarms triggering more often during cooking
• The compliance sticker on your hood shows a service date that’s overdue
• Your last health or fire inspection flagged the exhaust system

If any of these apply to your kitchen, treat it as urgent — grease-fire risk increases the longer a hood goes uncleaned.

How Often Should a Restaurant Clean Its Hood System?

Cleaning frequency depends on how much cooking volume passes through your kitchen and what you’re cooking. NFPA 96 sets the baseline standard followed across Ontario:

• High-volume kitchens (24-hour restaurants, solid-fuel cooking, wok stations, char-broiling) – every 3 to 4 months
• Moderate-volume kitchens (standard full-service restaurants, hotel kitchens) – every 6 months
• Low-volume kitchens (cafés, churches, seasonal kitchens, limited cooking) – once every 12 months

If you’re unsure which category your restaurant falls into, we’ll assess your cooking volume and equipment during your first visit and recommend a realistic schedule — not just the one that generates the most business for us.

Our Restaurant Hood Cleaning Process

Every job follows the same documented, NFPA 96-aligned process, regardless of kitchen size:

1. Inspection – We assess the hood, filters, ductwork, and fan to identify grease buildup and any safety concerns.
2. Protection of the work area – Cooking equipment and floors are covered before any degreasing begins.
3. Hand-scraping and degreasing – We remove grease from the hood interior, filters, and accessible duct sections using industrial-grade degreasers, not just a rinse.
4. Rooftop fan cleaning – The exhaust fan is cleaned, hinged, and checked for proper operation.
5. Duct cleaning – Grease is cleared from ductwork to the access points required by code.
6. Reassembly – All components are reinstalled and tightened correctly.
7. Performance and safety check – We confirm airflow and fan operation are back to standard.
8. Compliance verification – The system is checked against NFPA 96 requirements before we sign off.

What You Receive After Every Restaurant Hood Cleaning

Documentation matters as much as the cleaning itself, because it’s what protects you during an inspection or insurance review. Every service includes:

• A detailed service report covering the full cleaning process
• An NFPA 96 compliance sticker, dated and visible for fire marshal inspections
• A health and safety certificate confirming the work meets code
• Before-and-after photos of your hood, filters, and ductwork
• An inspection checklist covering every component serviced
• A recommended maintenance schedule for your next cleaning

How Much Does Restaurant Hood Cleaning Cost?

Restaurant hood cleaning cost depends on a few specific factors, so there’s no single fixed number that applies to every kitchen:

• Size of your hood and duct system – A single-line hood costs less to service than a multi-line system with long duct runs.
• Cooking volume and grease level – Heavy grease buildup takes longer to remove than light residue.
• Access and rooftop conditions – Difficult roof access or multiple exhaust fans add time.
• Cleaning frequency – Restaurants on a regular 3–6 month schedule typically pay less per visit than kitchens catching up after a long gap.

Most restaurant hood cleaning jobs take between 3 and 6 hours on-site. Rather than guess at a price that won’t match your kitchen, we provide a free, no-obligation quote based on your hood size, layout, and cooking volume. Contact us for an exact number.

Why Restaurant Owners Across the GTA Choose Us

• 11+ years of experience servicing commercial kitchens across Ontario
• Trusted by national brands including McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, and Radisson Hotels
• NFPA 96 certified process with full compliance documentation on every job
• Fully insured technicians who understand commercial kitchen equipment
• Flexible scheduling, including after-hours and overnight service so we don’t interrupt your service hours
• Recurring service plans so you never have to track your own compliance dates

Areas We Serve

We provide restaurant hood cleaning services throughout the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding Ontario communities, including Concord, Toronto, Vaughan, Mississauga, Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa, Newmarket, Barrie, Bradford, Innisfil, Hamilton, Peterborough, Cobourg, King City, and Orangeville.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is restaurant hood cleaning?
Restaurant hood cleaning is the professional removal of grease and carbon buildup from a commercial kitchen’s exhaust hood, filters, ductwork, and rooftop fan to reduce fire risk and meet fire code requirements.

Is restaurant hood cleaning required by law in Ontario?
Yes. Commercial kitchens are required to follow NFPA 96 standards, which include scheduled hood and duct cleaning. Fire marshals and insurance providers typically require documented proof of service.

How often should a restaurant get its hood cleaned?
Most restaurants need cleaning every 3 to 6 months depending on cooking volume. High-volume or 24-hour kitchens should clean every 3 to 4 months; standard restaurants every 6 months.

Can I clean my restaurant hood myself?
Filters can be wiped down daily as basic maintenance, but full hood, duct, and fan cleaning requires professional-grade degreasers, roof access, and NFPA 96 documentation that most restaurants can’t produce in-house. Skipping professional cleaning also risks a failed inspection or denied insurance claim.

How long does a restaurant hood cleaning service take?
Most jobs take 3 to 6 hours, depending on the size of your hood and duct system and how much grease buildup has accumulated.

What’s the difference between hood cleaning and duct cleaning?
Hood cleaning covers the hood canopy and grease filters. Duct cleaning covers the ductwork that carries exhaust air to the rooftop fan. A complete NFPA 96-compliant service includes both, along with the exhaust fan itself.

Do you provide documentation for fire marshal or insurance inspections?
Yes. Every service includes an NFPA 96 compliance sticker, a service report, before-and-after photos, and a health and safety certificate.

Book Your Restaurant Hood Cleaning Today

Whether you need a one-time cleaning to pass an upcoming inspection or want to set up a recurring maintenance plan, Hood Cleaning Masters is ready to help. Call +1-647-333-5455 or request a free quote online to schedule your restaurant hood cleaning