Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
Honest answers about hood cleaning, ductwork and rooftop fans — what the work involves, how it gets quoted, and what to expect on site. Don’t see your question? Reach out and we’ll help.
01Hood cleaning
The clean itself
What does a hood clean actually cover?
The canopy you can see, the baffle filters behind it, and the plenum above the cookline — degreased back to bare metal rather than wiped down. A deep clean carries on up the accessible duct and out to the fan on the roof. Which one you need depends on what you cook and how long it has been.
Will you make a mess of my kitchen?
The cookline gets masked off in sheeting before anything is touched, and the sheeting funnels the washwater into a bin rather than onto your equipment. Filters come out and are washed separately. It is the first thing we do on every visit and it is why the job takes as long as it does.
How often does a system need cleaning?
It depends on what is under the hood, not on the calendar. A solid-fuel grill or a high-volume fryer loads a system far faster than a couple of burners at lunch, and NFPA 96 sets its intervals accordingly. Tell us what you cook and we will tell you what your line warrants.
Do you clean the ductwork and the fan too?
On a deep clean, yes — the accessible run of duct and the exhaust fan, which comes up off its curb so the housing and blades can be washed properly. Where a system has no access panels we will say so in the report rather than skip it quietly; an inspector will find it either way.
What do you need from us to get started?
A cold line, somewhere to run a hose, and roof access if the fan is part of the job. Most kitchens book us after service or overnight so nothing has to close — tell us your hours and we will work around them.
02Compliance
Inspections, records and the sticker
What is NFPA 96?
The fire code covering ventilation and grease removal over commercial cooking. It is the standard your kitchen is measured against at inspection, and it is the standard the work is done to. We are not certified BY the NFPA and do not claim to be — complying with a published standard and being endorsed by its publisher are different things.
What do we get to show an inspector?
A dated certificate left on the hood, photographs of what was cleaned — including the inside of the ducts, not only the parts visible from the floor — and, on a deep clean, a written report of anything found along the way.
What about the system over the cookline?
No. We aren’t a fire suppression contractor, so we don’t service ansul or test the system over your line — that is a separate licence and a separate visit. We will tell you plainly if yours looks like it needs attention.
Do you work in homes as well as restaurants?
No — we don't do residential. Commercial kitchens only. If you are a restaurant, a bar kitchen, a school or a care home, that is our work. A domestic extractor is not.
03Quotes & scheduling
Prices, timing and getting hold of us
How much does a hood clean cost?
It depends on the system — how many hoods, how much duct, whether the fan is included, and how long since the last clean. A line cleaned quarterly and one nobody has opened in three years are two different jobs. That is why we look before we price rather than quoting off a phone call.
Can you come out of hours?
That is usually how it works. Most of this happens in the evening or overnight so your doors stay open, and the phone is answered around the clock for the jobs that cannot wait for the next slot.
How do I get a quote?
Use the contact page and tell us where the kitchen is and what is over the line. Asking costs nothing and there is no pressure once you have a price.
Do you cover Brevard County, Florida?
We cover Brevard County, Florida, working out of Melbourne, FL. If you’re not sure whether your kitchen is inside it, ask — we would rather tell you straight than have you wonder.
How do I contact you?
Use the contact page or email us at squeakyhoods321@gmail.com. We aim to be back in touch within about two days.
We’re here to help
Still have a question?
Tell us where the kitchen is and what is over the line, and we’ll get you a quote for the work in front of us. No pressure, no obligation.