Does hood cleaning count as a fire suppression inspection?

No. Hood cleaning removes grease from ducts, fans, and plenums. Fire suppression inspection certifies the wet-chemical system — agent, fusible links, nozzles, detection, and shutoffs — and applies a dated tag. A cleaning certificate is not a substitute for that tag.

How often is each service required?

Hood and duct cleaning frequency varies with cooking volume and grease production (often monthly to annually under NFPA 96 guidance). Wet-chemical fire-extinguishing equipment protecting cooking operations must be inspected and serviced in accordance with NFPA 17A, but not less than semiannually — about every six months. Your local fire marshal (AHJ) enforces what applies in your city.

Who licenses hood cleaners vs suppression inspectors?

Rules differ by state and city. Suppression inspectors typically need a fire-equipment or fire-protection contractor license (for example Texas Type K / ECR, California C-16, Florida FPC, or work under a New York MFSPC framework). Hood-cleaning companies often operate under different trade credentials or local grease-duct rules. Always confirm the credential that matters for the job you are hiring.

Can one company do both hood cleaning and suppression inspection?

Sometimes. A few firms offer both trades under the right licenses and factory authorizations. They are still separate visits with separate paperwork. Ask which license covers the suppression tag and which brand authorizations (Ansul, Kidde, and others) apply to your system.

What if only one service is current?

Fire marshals often check both grease-duct cleanliness and the suppression tag. A fresh cleaning sticker with an expired six-month tag (or the reverse) can still draw a citation, reinspection, insurance friction, or a shutdown order. Keep both current on their own schedules.

Do food trucks need both?

Many mobile kitchens with a hood and wet-chemical system need the same suppression inspection cycle as brick-and-mortar kitchens — about every six months under NFPA 17A/96 as adopted locally. Hood/duct cleaning still depends on grease load and the AHJ. Confirm with your permitting fire department; this is not legal advice.

Where can I find a licensed kitchen suppression inspector?

Use HoodInspect city pages to find verified wet-chemical inspectors (not hood cleaners). Search by city, confirm the published state license, and verify factory authorization for your system brand before you schedule.

Hood Cleaning vs Fire Suppression Inspection

Short answer

Hood cleaning and fire suppression inspection are different services. Both are often required for commercial kitchens. A hood-cleaning certificate does not replace the six-month wet-chemical inspection tag under NFPA 17A and NFPA 96. Hire the right trade for each job.

Side-by-side: who does what

Topic	Hood cleaning	Fire suppression inspection
What they do	Degrease hoods, ducts, fans, and plenums	Certify the wet-chemical system (agent, links, nozzles, detection, shutoffs) and date-tag it
Typical frequency	Varies by cooking volume / grease load (monthly to annually is common)	About every 6 months (semiannual under NFPA 17A / NFPA 96)
Who usually does it	Grease-duct / hood-cleaning companies	Licensed fire-equipment / kitchen suppression technicians
Docs fire marshals check	Cleaning certificate / sticker and grease-duct records	Dated six-month suppression tag with technician license info
Code touchpoint	NFPA 96 grease-removal intervals (as adopted locally)	NFPA 96 §11.2.2 points to NFPA 17A, not less than semiannually

HoodInspect lists the suppression side only — licensed wet-chemical inspectors. If you clean hoods and need somewhere to send kitchens for the tag, see For hood cleaners.

Why the mix-up happens

Both jobs happen under the same hood line. Both mention NFPA 96. Both leave a sticker or certificate on the wall. Operators reasonably assume one visit covers everything. It does not.

Cleaning reduces fuel load in the exhaust path. Suppression inspection confirms the chemical system will actually discharge and shut fuel/power if a fire starts on the appliances. Fire marshals look for both records. For how the tag works on the floor, read the six-month tag guide. For what each NFPA standard covers, see NFPA 17A vs NFPA 96.

What NFPA says (carefully)

NFPA 17A covers wet-chemical extinguishing systems. NFPA 96 covers ventilation control and fire protection of commercial cooking. Existing HoodInspect guidance quotes NFPA 96 section 11.2.2 in substance: fire-extinguishing equipment protecting cooking operations shall be inspected and serviced in accordance with NFPA 17A, but not less than semiannually.

Hood/duct cleaning intervals are a separate NFPA 96 topic tied to grease production. Local adoption and the AHJ control what is enforceable. This page is educational, not legal advice — confirm with your fire marshal and a licensed inspector.

FAQs: cleaning vs suppression

Does hood cleaning count as a fire suppression inspection?: No. Hood cleaning removes grease from ducts, fans, and plenums. Fire suppression inspection certifies the wet-chemical system — agent, fusible links, nozzles, detection, and shutoffs — and applies a dated tag. A cleaning certificate is not a substitute for that tag.
How often is each service required?: Hood and duct cleaning frequency varies with cooking volume and grease production (often monthly to annually under NFPA 96 guidance). Wet-chemical fire-extinguishing equipment protecting cooking operations must be inspected and serviced in accordance with NFPA 17A, but not less than semiannually — about every six months. Your local fire marshal (AHJ) enforces what applies in your city.
Who licenses hood cleaners vs suppression inspectors?: Rules differ by state and city. Suppression inspectors typically need a fire-equipment or fire-protection contractor license (for example Texas Type K / ECR, California C-16, Florida FPC, or work under a New York MFSPC framework). Hood-cleaning companies often operate under different trade credentials or local grease-duct rules. Always confirm the credential that matters for the job you are hiring.
Can one company do both hood cleaning and suppression inspection?: Sometimes. A few firms offer both trades under the right licenses and factory authorizations. They are still separate visits with separate paperwork. Ask which license covers the suppression tag and which brand authorizations (Ansul, Kidde, and others) apply to your system.
What if only one service is current?: Fire marshals often check both grease-duct cleanliness and the suppression tag. A fresh cleaning sticker with an expired six-month tag (or the reverse) can still draw a citation, reinspection, insurance friction, or a shutdown order. Keep both current on their own schedules.
Do food trucks need both?: Many mobile kitchens with a hood and wet-chemical system need the same suppression inspection cycle as brick-and-mortar kitchens — about every six months under NFPA 17A/96 as adopted locally. Hood/duct cleaning still depends on grease load and the AHJ. Confirm with your permitting fire department; this is not legal advice.
Where can I find a licensed kitchen suppression inspector?: Use HoodInspect city pages to find verified wet-chemical inspectors (not hood cleaners). Search by city, confirm the published state license, and verify factory authorization for your system brand before you schedule.

Related guides

The six-month tag — what the suppression inspection tag is and why marshals check it.
NFPA 17A vs NFPA 96 — what each standard covers (not legal advice).
Identify Ansul vs Kidde — read the cylinder nameplate before you hire.
For hood cleaners — how cleaning companies can refer kitchens to a licensed inspector.

Find a licensed inspector

Browse verified wet-chemical inspectors in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Denver.

Need the suppression tag — not a cleaning quote?

Search HoodInspect for factory-authorized kitchen fire suppression inspectors in your city.

Search by City