Everything You Need to Know About Our Kitchen Exhaust Services
Ensuring Safety, Compliance, and Cleanliness for Your Kitchen
Frequently Asked Questions
Find clear answers to common questions about our kitchen exhaust cleaning services, scheduling, safety standards, and more. Our FAQ section helps you understand what to expect and how we keep your kitchen running smoothly and safely.
Why can’t my employees clean the hoods?
NFPA 96 states, “The entire exhaust system shall be cleaned by a properly trained, qualified, and certified company or persons.” Work of this nature takes special tools, equipment, and expertise to properly and thoroughly clean.
What should I look for when hiring a company?
You should look at training, certification, reputation, and years in business. The Certified National Hood Cleaning Association certifies us as a Certified Exhaust Cleaning Specialist (CECS). We are versed in NFPA 96 and the Code of Federal Regulations. We are regulated by each of these organizations to ensure we provide you with the best and safest service available.
What do you clean?
We take care of what you see in the kitchen, but most importantly what you do not see from the roof down. We clean the entire system, starting from the exhaust housing and motor, including fan maintenance, greasing bearings, and adjusting or replacing belts to make sure the motor is operating properly. Then we go down the flue into the plenum area, cleaning the system to bare metal per NFPA 96 standards. Finally, we clean the linkage for the fire suppression system, clean the filters and grease gutters, and clean and polish the hood inside and out.
Why is cleaning the entire system important?
Hoods and fire protection systems have the most legal requirements of any equipment in the kitchen. Typically, the health department is concerned about sanitation, the fire and building departments are worried about fire hazards, and an environmental agency is often worried about the smoke emissions pouring from the ducts. Most cooking facility fires originate in the cooking area, which can quickly spread into the exhaust system and onto the roof. Keeping a grease-free and fire-safe system can protect you from this hazard.
How often does my system need to be cleaned?
The frequency of cleaning depends on many variables: the type of cooking you do and how often the systems are used. We schedule your cleaning based on the needs of each location—monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually.
What areas do you service?
FiveStar Hood & Detail Inc. serves commercial establishments in the tri-county area of Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach.