Regular maintenance of your exhaust hood system will keep your system running smooth and operating efficiently. This maintenance includes replacing hood filters, cleaning out ductwork, checking the electrical components, and more. Doing regular maintenance also has safety benefits, keeping your kitchen clean and also safe from grease buildups that could lead to potential fire risks. A proper exhaust hood cleaning should be done at least twice a year, and what better way to kick the new year than with a full exhaust hood cleaning.

Get started by researching and finding a certified local hood cleaning service. These cleaning services will handle all aspects of the hood cleaning process, and if they are certified and reputable they’ll help revive your kitchen to a safe and clean environment. The hood cleaning process takes generally between 3 to 6 hours start to finish. Here are what’s involved in the cleaning:

• Prep the kitchen for cleaning, including shutting off and covering all pilot lights and gas valves.
• Wrap the exhaust hood in poly plastic and filter the runoff into a container to catch all grease and water run off.
• Clean the grease filters by soaking them for a few hours and then pressure washing. If the filters are too far damaged or used they will be replaced.
• Remove hardened grease and other debris buildups from the ductwork, and then spraying cleaning compound and let it sit for up to an hour to properly remove all grease remains.
• Disassemble the exhaust fan and clean all of the inner components. At this point the techs may also replace worn or damaged internal parts such as the fan belt.
• The exhaust hood will be manually scraped to remove and loosen the grease and debris buildups, and then sprayed down with a chemical to prep for removal.
• Once the chemical has sat for enough time the grease and debris will be loose enough for removal using a hot water pressure washer.
• After everything is properly cleaned and dried off the components are put back together, the filers are reinstalled, and the system is given a full inspection to ensure it’s properly running.
• When the system is fully cleaned and operational the technicians will apply a certification system on your exhaust hood system to show the fire inspector, health department, or insurance agents the cleaning date.

It may seem obnoxious and inconvenient to schedule and go through a hood cleaning but it’s worth it. Not only is it necessary for cleanliness, proper operation, and longevity of the hood equipment, but some local codes require a minimum of 2 cleanings per year. Start this new year off right with a proper hood cleaning and you’ll be in for a great year! HoodMart provides our customers with a wide range of exhaust hood systems - from Compensating (Short Cycle) to Perforated Supply Plenum PSP - as well as all exhaust hood accessories such as no weld Grease Duct, hood filters, canopy hood lights, and curbs. If you still have questions regarding the purchase of your hood system, please feel free to contact one of our experts today by calling us at 1.800.715.1014 or by contacting us through our live chat system.