Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning & NFPA 96 Compliance in Philadelphia
From Center City to South Philly, MidAtlantic Hood & Duct has cleaned Philadelphia’s commercial kitchens for over 20 years — hood to rooftop, documented, and ready for the Fire Marshal.
Understanding Philadelphia’s Kitchen Compliance Landscape
Philadelphia restaurants operate under two separate regulatory tracks: fire code (NFPA 96), enforced by the Philadelphia Fire Marshal, and the Philadelphia Water Department’s FOG program, which governs grease trap compliance. They’re audited independently — passing one doesn’t cover the other.
Philadelphia’s building stock adds its own wrinkle: a lot of Center City and South Philly restaurants operate in older rowhouse buildings with non-standard duct runs, shared exhaust systems between tenants, and limited roof access. It takes real experience to service these systems properly, not just a standard suburban strip-mall setup.
MidAtlantic Hood & Duct has served Philadelphia kitchens for over 20 years — restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and multi-location operators across every neighborhood in the city. Every job includes a signed service report you can hand directly to an inspector.
🏚️ Philadelphia Building Challenges
Older rowhouse buildings with non-standard duct runs and limited roof access are common throughout Center City and South Philly. We’re equipped and trained for it.
💧 Philadelphia Water Department — FOG
The Philadelphia Water Department enforces the FOG (fats, oils, grease) pretreatment program. Grease trap compliance is required and audited separately from fire code.
📋 What Inspectors Want to See
A signed, dated service report with access panel locations documented — provided after every visit, not as an add-on.
Philadelphia’s Most Thorough Kitchen Exhaust System Cleaning
Every technician cleans the complete system — hood interior, baffle filters, plenum, and the full duct run to the rooftop fan. Every accessible inch, every time. A hood-only clean leaves the duct and plenum full of grease, which is both a fire hazard and a common reason systems fail inspection.
After every service, you receive a signed service report documenting what was cleaned, access panel locations, and system condition — your compliance record for the Philadelphia Fire Marshal, your insurance carrier, and your health inspector.
- Hood interior and exterior degreased to bare metal
- Plenum (grease intercept chamber) cleaned out
- Full duct run brushed and cleaned, not just wiped at access points
- Exhaust fan disassembled, degreased, cleaned, and reset
- Baffle filters deep-soaked or replaced
Documentation Every Visit
Signed, dated report documenting every cleaned area and access panel location — your compliance record.
Schedule Tracking
We track your service frequency and remind you before your next cleaning is due.
Hood to Rooftop — 4 Steps, Fully Documented
Pre-Service Protection
Heavy plastic sheeting covers equipment and surfaces before cleaning begins.
Dry Scraping & Prep
Heavy grease buildup scraped away before the deep clean.
Full-System Deep Clean
Hood, duct, plenum, and filters cleaned to bare metal per NFPA 96.
Documentation Provided
A signed service report handed to you on-site — your compliance record.
NFPA 96 Cleaning Schedule — Philadelphia Kitchen Types
Philadelphia Fire Marshals enforce this schedule. Your frequency is determined by what and how much you cook.
| Kitchen / Cooking Type | Philadelphia Examples | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Solid Fuel Cooking | Wood-fired pizza, charcoal steakhouses, BBQ | Monthly |
| High-Volume / 24-Hour | Fast food, hotel kitchens, 24-hr diners | Every 3 Months |
| Heavy Charbroiling | Burger spots, sports bars, steakhouses | Every 3 Months |
| Moderate-Volume | Full-service restaurants, mid-volume bars | Every 6 Months |
| Wok Cooking | Chinese restaurants, Asian fusion | Every 3 Months |
| Low-Volume | Cafés, delis, sandwich shops | Annually |
| Low-Volume Institutional | Church kitchens, senior centers, day camps | Annually |
⚠️ These are NFPA 96 minimums. If your grease load runs heavier than typical for your category, we tell you in writing before it becomes a violation.
Additional Exhaust Services
Beyond the full-system clean, we handle everything else your exhaust system needs: access panel installation, exhaust fan repair and maintenance, hood globes, filter exchange, fan hinge kits, and grease containment systems. Our Filter Exchange Program puts clean filters in your hood on a schedule — we bring the clean set, pull the dirty ones, and clean them off-site. Zero downtime, no dirty hands.
A Complete Kitchen Reset — Beyond the Exhaust System
Full interior kitchen deep clean — cooking equipment, floors, walls, and prep areas. Ideal before a health inspection or after a violation, or just for a kitchen that needs a genuine reset.
Learn More →
Philadelphia Water Department FOG Compliance — Grease Trap Pumping
Every Philadelphia restaurant is required to maintain a functioning grease trap, and the Philadelphia Water Department enforces FOG compliance through its pretreatment program. We provide scheduled grease trap pumping, cleaning, and service reporting matched to your kitchen’s output — indoor under-sink traps, outdoor in-ground interceptors, and flow-through systems.
Learn More →
Every Philadelphia Neighborhood We Serve
From dense Center City dining corridors to South Philly rowhouse restaurants and the Fishtown food scene — every neighborhood, every kitchen type.
What Philadelphia Restaurant Owners Say
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Real Credentials, Not Decorations
🔐 Licensed & Insured
Licensed to operate in PA, NJ, DE & MD. Certificates of insurance available on request.
📅 Over 20 Years in Business
Serving Mid-Atlantic commercial kitchens for over 20 years.
🌙 After-Hours Scheduling
We work when your kitchen is closed — scheduled around your operation.
Everything Philadelphia Restaurant Owners Ask
Still have questions?
Our team knows Philadelphia’s inspection environment inside and out. Call or text — we answer questions at no charge.
📞 Call 1-866-804-9157 Request a Free Quote →Serving Philadelphia & All Surrounding Communities
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