What Your Hood System Includes — and Why Every Section Matters

← Back to Blog

Most kitchen leaders know they need hood cleaning. Fewer know what the system actually includes — or why every section matters.

Here is a plain-language map of what the system includes and why each part counts.

The Hood

The canopy that hangs over your cooking equipment. It captures heat, smoke, grease-laden vapor, and combustion gases before they spread into the kitchen.

Grease Removal Devices

The baffles or filters mounted inside the hood. They pull grease out of the airstream before it enters the ductwork. The more grease they catch, the less that travels downstream.

The Plenum

The chamber directly behind the grease removal devices. Grease that makes it past the baffles collects here. It is one of the heaviest buildup zones in the system and one of the most overlooked.

Horizontal Duct

The run of duct that carries exhaust from the hood toward the riser. Horizontal sections accumulate grease faster than vertical ones because grease that condenses settles and pools along the bottom of the run instead of draining. Buildup here is a significant fire concern.

The Riser

The vertical duct section that carries exhaust up through the building toward the fan. Less accumulation than horizontal runs, but it still needs to be inspected and cleaned.

The Fan

The rooftop exhaust fan that pulls air through the entire system. Grease collects on the blades, the housing, and the curb. A grease-loaded fan works harder, wears faster, and poses its own fire risk.

At Cleaning Pros Plus, every service covers the hood, ducts, and fan — cleaned to NFPA 96 Standards. When the work is done, you receive a written report and a certificate.

We perform 350+ hood cleaning services a year. Our founder holds IKECA CECS #200452. Our crew are PECT Designated Technicians. Cleaning Pros Plus is an IKECA member (ID 76716495).