How to Choose a Hood Cleaning Company

The Complete Checklist

Before signing a service agreement with any hood cleaning company, work through this ten-point verification list. Legitimate, professional companies will satisfy every item without hesitation.

1. Confirm IKECA certification. Ask for the specific certification type (CECT or CECS) and the certification number. Verify it on the IKECA member directory before the service date.
2. Request proof of general liability insurance. Obtain a certificate of insurance (COI) naming your business as an additional insured. Minimum coverage should be $1 million per occurrence.
3. Verify workers' compensation coverage. If a technician is injured on your property and the company lacks workers' comp, you may be liable. Confirm active coverage before any work begins.
4. Ask for a sample NFPA 96 service report. After every cleaning, you are entitled to a written report documenting what was cleaned, the grease levels found, areas that could not be accessed, and the technician's signature.
5. Confirm the cleaning scope in writing. The quote should specify which components will be cleaned: hood, plenum, filters, ductwork, and rooftop fan. Verbal scope agreements lead to disputes.
6. Check the cleaning frequency recommendation. A knowledgeable company will recommend a frequency based on your cooking type and volume, consistent with NFPA 96 Table 11.4 intervals.
7. Ask whether they photograph before and after. Before-and-after photos of grease levels and cleaned surfaces provide proof of service quality and protect you during insurance claims or fire inspections.
8. Verify state or local licensing requirements. Some states require hood cleaning contractors to hold a specific license. Confirm whether your state has such requirements and that the company complies.
9. Check online reviews and references. Look for reviews that mention professionalism, thoroughness, and documentation. Ask the company for two or three references from commercial clients with similar kitchen operations.
10. Get at least three written quotes. Price variation in this industry is significant. Comparing multiple quotes helps you identify fair market pricing and spot outliers that may cut corners or add hidden fees.

Certifications to Look For

Certification is the clearest signal that a hood cleaning technician has verified knowledge of industry standards and proper cleaning techniques. The most important certifications to look for are:

Insurance Requirements

Insurance verification is non-negotiable. If a hood cleaning technician damages your equipment, starts a fire, or is injured on your property while working for an uninsured company, the financial exposure can fall on your business. Always obtain and review certificates of insurance before work begins.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance covers property damage and bodily injury caused by the contractor's work. For hood cleaning, this includes damage to your kitchen equipment, ductwork, or facility. Minimum acceptable coverage is $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. Request a certificate of insurance that names your business as an additional insured on the policy.

Workers' Compensation Insurance

Workers' compensation covers the contractor's employees if they are injured while working on your property. Without it, an injured technician could file a claim against your business's liability policy. Most states require contractors to carry workers' comp, but verification is your responsibility. Ask for proof of active coverage, not just a verbal confirmation.

Commercial Auto Insurance

If the contractor's vehicle is involved in an accident while traveling to your location on a service call, commercial auto coverage ensures the liability does not extend to your business. While not always a strict requirement, it is a sign of a professionally operated company.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring

Asking the right questions during the quoting process reveals how professional and knowledgeable a company truly is. Here are eight questions to ask every candidate, along with what a good answer looks like.

Red Flags to Watch For

The hood cleaning industry has a higher-than-average share of operators who cut corners, misrepresent credentials, or perform superficial work. Knowing the warning signs protects you from inadequate service and potential liability.

• Prices significantly below market rate. A quote that is 40 to 50 percent cheaper than competitors usually means the scope of work has been reduced. Common shortcuts include cleaning only visible surfaces, skipping ductwork, or not cleaning the rooftop fan.
• Reluctance or refusal to provide documentation. If a company resists sharing insurance certificates, certification numbers, or sample service reports before you commit, do not hire them. Legitimate companies produce these documents without hesitation.
• No before-and-after photos. Photography is standard practice for professional hood cleaners. It protects both parties and provides objective evidence of cleaning quality. A company that does not take photos cannot demonstrate the work was done properly.
• Verbal-only quotes or vague scope descriptions. "We clean the whole system" means nothing if it is not backed by a written, itemized scope of work. Verbal agreements about scope are essentially unenforceable.
• High-pressure sales tactics or urgency manufacturing. Statements like "your system is a fire hazard right now and we can start immediately" are designed to bypass your due diligence. Even genuinely urgent situations allow time to verify credentials and insurance.
• No fixed business address or online presence. A company with no website, no reviews, and no verifiable business address is a transient operator. These companies frequently disappear when problems arise or when insurance claims need to be filed.

Comparing Quotes

Price is the most visible variable in a quote, but it is rarely the most important one. Two quotes at identical prices can represent very different values depending on scope, credentials, and service quality. When comparing quotes, evaluate these factors together.

Our comparison tool lets you evaluate shortlisted companies side by side so these differences are immediately visible. A few minutes of structured comparison can save you from a poor hiring decision.

Using Our Directory

Our hood cleaner directory lists verified commercial hood cleaning companies across the United States. Every listing includes certification status, service area, insurance verification, and customer reviews, so you can apply the criteria in this guide without starting from scratch.

To find qualified cleaners in your area, go to the directory and enter your city or state. Use the filter options to narrow results to IKECA certified companies only. From your filtered results, add two or three companies to your comparison list. The system pulls the key data points automatically so you can assess them side by side.

Once you have identified your top candidates, use the built-in quote request feature to contact each company directly from their listing. Having your kitchen details ready (cooking type, equipment volume, duct length if known, and current cleaning frequency) helps you receive accurate, comparable quotes. Our comparison tool then lets you evaluate those quotes against the structured criteria above.

The directory is designed to eliminate the guesswork from this process. Rather than searching general review sites or relying on word of mouth, you start with a filtered pool of companies that have already been verified against the baseline criteria most restaurant owners miss. Browse by service type or filter directly in the full directory.