Kitchen Exhaust & Hood Cleaning in Corpus Christi, TX
Subtropical Gulf Coast climate.
For kitchen exhaust & hood cleaning, the service area covers roughly 40 miles from central Corpus Christi.
Common reasons to call
- Grease has built up thick inside the hood, filters, and ductwork and needs a deep clean
- A fire marshal or insurance inspection is coming up and the kitchen exhaust needs to be cleaned and tagged
- The hood is dripping grease onto the cooking line or floor
- Airflow feels weak and the kitchen fills with smoke or heat during a busy service
- A restaurant is opening or changing owners and wants the whole exhaust system cleaned to a bare-metal standard
- The rooftop exhaust fan is caked with grease or is not turning freely
Typical work
- Cleaning the hood, baffle filters, and grease cup at the cooking line
- Scraping and washing the horizontal and vertical ductwork from the hood up to the rooftop fan
- Cleaning and re-seating the rooftop exhaust fan, then checking the belt and hinge
- Removing and washing baffle filters and swapping worn or missing ones
- Placing a dated service sticker on the hood and giving the owner a report for their records
- Cleaning a residential range hood and duct run in a home kitchen
Typical turnaround
Most commercial hood cleanings are done in one overnight or off-hours visit of a few hours so the kitchen is ready for the next service; large or multi-hood systems may take longer.
Materials and equipment
- Degreasing chemicals rated for kitchen exhaust
- Baffle grease filters
- Hot-water or steam pressure washing gear
- Plastic sheeting and containment to protect the cooking line
- Scrapers, brushes, and hand tools for ductwork
- Dated service stickers and a written cleaning report
Job sizes
Minor
A single residential range hood or a small under-fired hood with just filters and the hood interior to clean.
Standard
A typical restaurant hood with baffle filters, the plenum, and the duct run up to the rooftop fan cleaned to bare metal.
Major
A large kitchen or multiple hoods with long or rooftop ductwork, hard grease buildup, and a rooftop fan that needs pulling and cleaning.
Replacement
Adding new baffle filters, a fresh grease containment setup, hinge kits, or access panels cut into a duct that has no cleanout doors.
Final pricing comes from the on-call provider after on-site assessment, with a written estimate before any work starts.
What to expect
- ✓A good cleaner works to the NFPA 96 fire code and cleans the hood, filters, ductwork, and rooftop fan, not just the parts you can see.
- ✓They protect your cooking line with plastic sheeting and containment so grease and water do not spread across the kitchen.
- ✓They leave a dated sticker on the hood and give you a written report you can show a fire marshal or insurer.
- ✓They carry general liability insurance and can show proof before they start.
- ✓They will look at your kitchen and cooking volume to set a cleaning schedule instead of guessing.
- ✓They tell you honestly if your ducts have no access doors and need panels cut in to be cleaned right.
- ✓They often work overnight or during off hours so your kitchen is ready for the next service.
- ✓They send any electrical or gas work on the fan or make-up air unit to a licensed tradesperson.
Look for a pro who carries general liability insurance, follows NFPA 96, and holds a voluntary certification such as IKECA or a manufacturer training card; ask that they place a dated sticker and give you a written report after each cleaning.
Common questions
How often should a commercial hood be cleaned?
It depends on how much and what you cook. High-volume or heavy grease cooking like a wok line or char broiler needs it more often, while a light-use kitchen needs it less. The NFPA 96 fire code sets cleaning frequency by cooking volume, and your local fire marshal and your insurance company will tell you what they expect. Ask a pro to look at your kitchen and set a schedule.
What is NFPA 96 and why does it matter?
NFPA 96 is the national fire code for commercial cooking exhaust. It covers how the hood, ducts, and fan should be built and how often they get cleaned. Grease in a duct is fuel for a fire, so fire marshals and insurers use this standard. A good cleaner works to it and leaves you proof of the cleaning.
What does bare metal or clean-to-metal mean?
It means the grease is removed down to the metal surface of the hood and duct instead of just wiping the parts you can see. Grease hiding inside the ductwork is the real fire risk, so a thorough job reaches the whole run, not only the filters.
Why do I need a sticker and a report after the cleaning?
The dated sticker on the hood and the written report show the fire marshal and your insurer when the system was last cleaned and how far the cleaning reached. Keep these records, because you may be asked for them during an inspection or after a claim.
Can I just clean the filters myself?
You can and should wash the baffle filters often, and many owners run them through the dish machine. That helps, but it does not clean the grease inside the ducts and the rooftop fan, which is where the fire danger sits. Those parts need the right tools and access, so they are usually left to a pro.
Do you clean home range hoods too?
Many pros will clean a residential range hood and its duct run, though home hoods are simpler than a full restaurant system. If your home hood vents outside and has years of grease buildup, a cleaning can improve airflow and cut down on smoke. Ask when you book whether the pro takes home jobs.
What happens if my ductwork has no access doors?
Some older or long duct runs have no cleanout openings, so the inside cannot be reached or cleaned well. A pro may need to cut in access panels so the whole duct can be cleaned now and in the future. Ask about this if smoke or airflow problems keep coming back.