NFPA 96 checklist generator

Build an inspection-ready hood cleaning checklist before the crew rolls.

Generate a practical field checklist for commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning: pre-job tasks, cleaning documentation, required photos, inaccessible-area notes, and customer/AHJ handoff steps.

Use the free tool See the report software
Routine cleaning checklist
Pre-job photos
Hood, plenum, duct, fan
Inaccessible-area notes
Customer signoff
Report-ready
Free field tool

Build your hood cleaning checklist

Select the job context and system components. The checklist updates immediately with field documentation steps, photos, inaccessible-area notes, and handoff tasks.

Systems present
Generated checklist

Restaurant routine cleaning checklist

7 system areas23 photo promptsSignoff included

Pre-job checklist

  • Confirm customer, site address, service date, and onsite contact.
  • Review prior report, open deficiencies, inaccessible areas, and customer notes.
  • Confirm technician credentials, PPE, roof access, and lockout/tagout plan.
  • Photograph the system condition before work starts, including labels and access points.
  • Set checklist context: Restaurant, routine cleaning, 7 system areas selected.
  • Add extra grease-depth checks around filters, plenum, duct access, and fan housing.
  • Document before, during, and after condition for each cleaned component.
  • Record cleaning method and bare-metal confirmation where applicable.

Cleaning and documentation checklist

  • Inspect and document hood canopy interior, exterior edges, seams, and grease troughs.
  • Remove filters/baffles, inspect condition, clean both sides, and photograph reinstalled filters.
  • Inspect the plenum behind filters and document before/after condition.
  • Document duct access points, visible duct condition, and inaccessible duct runs.
  • Verify access panels are present, sealed after service, and noted by location.
  • Inspect fan blades, housing, hinge kit, wiring clearance, and fan bowl condition.
  • Record visible fire suppression status, nozzles/caps condition, and last service tag date.

Required photo shot list

  • Hood exterior label
  • Hood interior before
  • Hood interior after
  • Grease trough after
  • Filters before removal
  • Filters after cleaning
  • Filters reinstalled
  • Plenum before
  • Plenum after
  • Filter track condition
  • Duct access before
  • Duct visible interior after
  • Unreachable duct section
  • Access panel location
  • Panel open condition
  • Panel sealed after service
  • Fan exterior
  • Fan bowl before
  • Fan blades after
  • Fan hinge/wiring clearance
  • Suppression tag
  • Nozzle/cap condition
  • Visible obstruction or concern

Inaccessible-area notes to capture

  • Record the exact component, location, reason access was limited, and who was notified.
  • Photograph blocked, missing, unsafe, or sealed access conditions before leaving the site.
  • Add a recommended corrective action and whether a return visit is required.

Customer / AHJ handoff checklist

  • Attach before/after photos and deficiency photos to the service record.
  • List unresolved deficiencies, inaccessible areas, and next recommended cleaning interval.
  • Deliver the report to the customer contact and retain a copy for future AHJ requests.
  • Capture customer representative name, title, signature, and timestamp.

Turn this into an inspection-ready hood cleaning report.

HoodCleaningReport adds photos, deficiencies, customer signoff, PDF delivery, and a retained service record for future customer or AHJ requests.

Turn this into a signed PDF
Field workflow

How to use this checklist on a hood cleaning job

Use the generated checklist as the crew's documentation plan. Start with the pre-job checks, capture before photos before disassembly, then move component by component so the final report has a defensible sequence of evidence.

  • Match before and after photos by component whenever possible.
  • Write inaccessible-area notes while the crew is still onsite.
  • Keep unresolved deficiencies visible in the customer handoff.
  • Store the finished record where the customer can retrieve it later.
Standards note

What this does not replace

This free checklist is a documentation aid. It is not the NFPA 96 standard, does not certify a cleaning job, and does not guarantee acceptance by an AHJ, insurer, customer, or fire marshal.

Verify the current standard, your local authority's rules, customer contract requirements, and any technician credential requirements before relying on a service record.

Next steps

Turn field notes into a report the customer can keep.

Hub All free hood cleaning tools

Use the report, frequency, certificate, and photo tools around this checklist.

 Tool Hood cleaning report template generator

Turn the completed checklist into report sections, photo prompts, and signoff fields.

 Guide Hood cleaning inspection report

Learn how inspection-ready documentation supports customer and AHJ requests.

 Sample Review a sample report PDF

See the before-and-after structure before turning field notes into a customer record.

 Software Hood cleaning report software

Use the checklist as the input for branded PDFs, Vault links, and retained history.

 Product Turn this into a signed PDF

Add CompanyCam photos, deficiencies, signoff, and delivery in HoodCleaningReport.