Exhaust Cleaning/Grease Removal
Remove Grease Buildup From Your Exhaust System
Exhaust Cleaning and Grease Removal in Sacramento for Commercial Kitchens With Fire Code Violations
Matson Mechanical Inc provides exhaust cleaning and grease removal services in Sacramento for restaurant owners, food service managers, and commercial kitchen operators who need their ventilation systems cleaned to meet fire safety codes. When grease accumulates inside your ductwork, exhaust fans, and plenum spaces, it becomes a fire hazard that inspectors flag during health and safety reviews. Heavy grease buildup also reduces airflow, making your kitchen hotter and smokier during peak cooking hours.
This service removes grease deposits from exhaust hoods, vertical ducts, horizontal duct runs, exhaust fans, and rooftop grease containment systems. Technicians use pressure washers, degreasers, and hand scrapers to clean interior surfaces down to bare metal, following NFPA 96 standards for frequency and thoroughness. Cleaning schedules depend on your cooking volume and type, with high-volume kitchens requiring monthly service and lower-volume operations needing quarterly or semiannual cleaning.
Schedule exhaust cleaning and grease removal with Matson Mechanical Inc to keep your Sacramento kitchen compliant with fire codes.
What Happens During a Professional Exhaust System Cleaning
Technicians begin by covering cooking equipment and floors with protective plastic sheeting, then remove filters and access panels to reach the interior of the exhaust system. They scrape heavy grease deposits from duct walls and spray hot water mixed with degreasing agents through the entire duct length, collecting runoff in buckets placed beneath cleanout ports. Rooftop exhaust fans are disassembled so blades, housings, and motor mounts can be cleaned individually.
After the cleaning is complete, your exhaust system pulls smoke and heat out of the kitchen efficiently again, odors no longer linger in dining areas, and your fire inspector finds no grease thickness violations during the next visit. Your insurance provider continues coverage without penalties, and your staff works in a cooler, safer environment.
Cleaning includes all accessible ductwork from the hood to the rooftop termination point, but it does not cover structural repairs to damaged ducts or fan motor replacements. Technicians leave a certificate of cleaning with the date, areas serviced, and the name of the person who performed the work, which you keep on file for inspectors.
Answers to Questions About Exhaust System Maintenance
Kitchen managers often ask how often cleaning is required and what happens if they fall behind on the schedule.
- How often does a commercial kitchen need exhaust cleaning?
- Frequency depends on cooking type—high-volume char-broiling or frying requires quarterly cleaning, while moderate cooking may allow six-month intervals as determined by fire code.
- What tools remove hardened grease from ductwork?
- Heated pressure washers dissolve grease more effectively than cold water, and hand scrapers remove stubborn deposits that resist chemical degreasers alone.
- Why does grease drip from hood filters even after washing them?
- The grease originates upstream in the ductwork and migrates down when heat softens it, indicating that the ducts themselves need cleaning, not just the filters.
- When does Sacramento fire code consider an exhaust system out of compliance?
- Any visible grease buildup exceeding one-eighth inch or accumulation that restricts airflow triggers a violation during inspection.
- What should a restaurant do if grease catches fire in the exhaust system?
- Activate the fire suppression system immediately, evacuate the kitchen, and call emergency services—never attempt to extinguish a duct fire manually.
To keep your kitchen compliant and reduce fire risk, contact Matson Mechanical Inc for exhaust cleaning and grease removal service in Sacramento and ensure your system is documented and safe for inspection.