inspection · 7 min read · Updated 2026-04-05
How Restaurant Inspections Evaluate Kitchen Exhaust Systems
What local fire marshals and health inspectors look for when evaluating a restaurant's kitchen exhaust system, plus how to avoid the most common citations.
What inspectors look at
- Cleanliness of the hood interior, plenum, and visible duct.
- Presence and condition of baffle filters.
- Access panels along the duct (can the full system actually be cleaned?).
- Rooftop or wall-cap fan condition.
- Documentation of recent cleanings.
Documentation inspectors want
Most fire marshals ask for the most recent cleaning certificate, a maintenance log, and sometimes photos. Keep these in a binder at the host stand or in a shared drive that managers can pull up from a phone.
Common citations
- Insufficient or missing documentation of cleaning history.
- Duct sections not cleaned to bare metal.
- Rooftop fan not hinged or not cleaned.
- Missing or damaged baffle filters.
- Cooking volume inconsistent with cleaning frequency.
How to prepare
Before an expected inspection, verify the current certificate is on-site, walk the roof to confirm the fan area looks clean, and make sure access panels are in place. If anything is uncertain, schedule a cleaning before the inspection, not after.
Frequently asked questions
- Can an inspector shut us down over a hood system?
- Yes, if the condition is severe enough to pose an imminent fire risk, or if prior citations have not been corrected. Most first-time citations are a written notice with a re-inspection window.