Even if your kitchen looks spotless, your ductwork may be hiding a thick layer of grease and flour dust. It only takes one spark — from an oven, a fryer, or faulty wiring — to ignite it.

• Fires spread quickly through ducts, often reaching the roof.
• Suppression systems can’t do their job if ducts aren’t maintained.
• One fire can shut down your business for months — or for good.

The FDNY and local fire inspectors are strict on hood and duct maintenance. Here’s what they expect:

• Professional cleaning every 3 months (or more frequently for heavy-use kitchens).
• Inspection logs available on site for inspectors.
• Documented contracts with licensed cleaning vendors.

👉 Translation: “We thought we cleaned it ourselves” isn’t going to cut it.

I hear it all the time: “My guys can clean it better than anyone I hire.” Here’s the problem:

• Staff cleaning: They can wipe down filters, hoods, and visible grease.
• Professional cleaning: Licensed contractors use high-powered equipment and degreasers to clean inside ducts and exhaust systems — the hidden areas where fires actually start.

Inspectors (and your insurance company) don’t accept “we did it ourselves.” They want to see proof from a licensed vendor.

One Brooklyn pizzeria thought they were covered. The staff wiped down the hoods every night, and everything looked clean. But grease inside the ducts ignited, spreading fire to the roof.

Their insurance company denied the claim — no professional contract, no cleaning logs. The owner was left with over $300,000 in damages and a business closed for nearly a year.

Most pizzerias can set up a professional hood & duct cleaning contract for around $1,000–$2,000 a year depending on size and frequency.

That’s less than one month’s rent in most of New York… and a fraction of the cost of one fire claim, one fine, or one forced closure.

1. Proof of compliance: Shows inspectors and insurers you’re doing it right.
2. No forgetting: Automatic scheduling keeps you compliant year-round.
3. Claim protection: If a fire does happen, you can prove you met your obligations.
4. Insurance renewals: Many carriers look for contracts when deciding whether to renew food-service policies.

Bundle your hood and duct cleaning with fire suppression system maintenance. They work together, and often the same vendor can service both. Always keep logs handy — they’re worth their weight in mozzarella when inspectors or adjusters come calling.

You focus on perfecting your pies — let the professionals handle your ducts. The cost of a contract is small. The cost of skipping it? Potentially your entire business.

Protect your ovens, your shop, and your people: get a hood and duct maintenance contract and keep your insurance strong.