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COMMERCIAL KITCHEN EMISSION & PCU SPECIALISTS • TRI-COUNTY DISPATCH

Pollution Control Unit (PCU) Cleaning in South Florida

At Five Star Hood and Detail, we specialize in comprehensive pollution control unit (PCU) cleaning. Our service keeps your unit running at full capacity, keeps you compliant with environmental and fire regulations, and protects your workers and the surrounding community.

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Engineered Exhaust Treatment

What Is a Pollution Control Unit?

A PCU filters grease, smoke and odor out of kitchen exhaust before it’s released outside. They’re used where exhaust can’t simply vent through the roof: high-rise and mixed-use buildings, malls, airports, hospitals and restaurants with neighbors close by.Most PCUs clean the air in stages — a washable pre-filter, high-efficiency media filters, and often a HEPA module, a carbon odor-control module or an electrostatic precipitator (ESP). Every one of those stages loads up with grease and needs regular service.

Washable Steel Pre-Filter

Captures large particulate & airborne grease droplets before they saturate sensitive internal downstream filters.

ESP Ionizer Cells

Electrostatic Precipitator ionizes and collects microscopic sub-micron smoke particles on charged aluminum collection plates.

Media / HEPA Module

High-efficiency bag, cartridge, or true 99.97% HEPA modules delivering critical final sub-micron particulate filtration.

Activated Carbon Module

Bed of virgin carbon pellets neutralizing cooking odors, cooking VOCs, and aromatic fumes before horizontal discharge.

Risk Mitigation & Code Compliance

The Importance of Proper PCU Cleaning

A poorly maintained PCU builds up grease and contaminants that choke airflow and hurt performance. Saturated filters strain your exhaust fan, let smoke and odor escape and create a fire hazard inside the unit and ductwork.

Smoke & Odor Complaints

When carbon media saturates or ESP cells arc out, pungent cooking odors drift into nearby offices, luxury residences, or neighboring mall tenants.

Reduced Airflow & Hotter Kitchen

Clogged pre-filters and fouled ESP cells cause dramatic static pressure drops, leaving grease haze hovering over cooking lines and elevating cook line heat.

Added Strain on Exhaust Fan Motor

Exhaust blowers working against extreme filter resistance pull excess amps, snap belts, overheat bearings, and lead to premature multi-thousand dollar motor failure.

Grease Buildup Fire Risk

Unwashed PCU internal sumps, transition transitions, and ductwork act as pressurized fuel banks capable of feeding catastrophic structural fires.

Municipal Violations & Stop-Work Fines

Municipal fire marshals, Florida health inspectors, and local environmental departments can issue instant stop-work orders or code violation fines if horizontal discharge exhausts discharge visible grease or exceed allowable particulate levels.

Standard Operating Scope

What Our PCU Cleaning Service Covers

Our skilled technicians handle all major types of pollution control units, including scrubbers, filter-based units and air purification systems.

Washing & Degreasing of Steel Pre-Filters

Full extraction, alkaline degreaser chemical soaking, hot-water pressure wash, and dry-down of all heavy metal impingement and baffle pre-filters.

Media, HEPA & Activated Carbon Replacement

Replacement of disposable intermediate bag filters, 99.97% HEPA final stages, and bulk refill or tray replenishment of activated carbon odor blocks.

ESP Cell Chemical Wash & Soak Tanks

Delicate handling of electrostatic cells, soaking in specialized aluminum-safe detergent dip tanks to strip hardened grease without snapping ionizing wires.

Housing, Drains & Access Doors Degreasing

Scraping and degreasing of interior cabinet walls, grease drain troughs, perimeter door gaskets, and sump collection pans to bare metal NFPA standards.

Inlet & Outlet Transition Ductwork Cleaning

Hand-scraping and power washing through certified access panels on both the greasy dirty air inlet duct and the clean discharge exhaust ductwork.

Magnehelic Differential Pressure Testing & Documentation

Verification of magnehelic pressure gauges across all stages to measure exact static pressure resistance, with documented calibration and next-service dates.

Standardized Execution

Our Approach to PCU Cleaning

We take a meticulous approach to PCU cleaning, using advanced techniques and professional-grade equipment.

Assess

We inspect the unit, record initial pressure readings, note its configuration and check every filter stage.

Isolate & Protect

We shut the unit down safely via lockout/tagout and shield the surrounding roof or mechanical room from wash water.

Clean

We clean or replace each filter stage, wash the ESP cells and thoroughly degrease the housing and ductwork.

Restart & Verify

We bring the unit back online and confirm it’s running properly with optimal static pressure and zero electrical arcing.

Document

You receive an audit-ready service report with before-and-after photos and an engineered recommended service schedule.

Facilities & Sectors

Who Needs PCU Cleaning?

Pollution Control Units are mandatory whenever high-volume commercial kitchens cannot exhaust grease and smoke straight into an open vertical rooftop space.

Residential luxury towers & offices situated directly above busy ground-floor culinary operations.

Multi-level beachfront hospitality properties requiring pristine guest air quality and odor mitigation.

Strict sterile indoor air quality requirements where kitchen exhaust fumes cannot penetrate medical wings.

Campus dining halls & high-capacity central commissary kitchens serving students and staff daily.

Horizontal shared duct runs with adjacent retail neighbors demanding total grease vapor capture.

Concourse culinary operations governed by stringent FAA, port authority, and municipal fire rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

PCU Cleaning FAQs

Clear answers regarding commercial kitchen pollution control compliance, cleaning frequency, and equipment longevity.

It depends on your cooking volume and the unit's design. Most manufacturers recommend checking filters frequently and servicing them as they load up. High-volume solid fuel or wok operations may require monthly cell washing, while moderate cooking venues operate on quarterly intervals. We'll set a custom schedule based on your specific unit and cooking volume.
Yes, and we recommend it. Cleaning the hood, ducts, PCU and fan together means the whole system is clean at once, with one visit and one unified compliance report. This minimizes kitchen downtime and guarantees consistent static pressure across the entire ventilation envelope.
We service all major industry brands including CaptiveAire, Trion, Gaylord, Smog-Hog, Halton, and commercial modular units. Our technicians carry specialized cleaning formulas tailored specifically for both aluminum electrostatic collector plates and heavy galvanized frames.
Filters clog, airflow drops and grease collects inside the unit. That leads to severe smoke and odor problems for nearby occupants, excessive fan motor strain that can burn out expensive motors, and an acute fire risk that leaves your property vulnerable to municipal citations.

Fast 2-Hour Response

Schedule Your PCU Cleaning

Request a free quote for PCU cleaning in Palm Beach, Broward or Miami-Dade. Tell us your unit type and we’ll plan the service.