Kitchen Hood Cleaning Houston
NFPA 96 compliant. Fire marshal inspection-ready. Same-day response. Woman-owned.
★★★★★
5-STAR RATED ON GOOGLE
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Licensed | Insured | NFPA 96 Compliant
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Why Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning Matters
Grease buildup inside kitchen exhaust systems is the leading cause of restaurant fires. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 64% of restaurant fires originate from cooking equipment, and the NFPA reports that 22% are caused by failure to clean. Houston has over 12,000 restaurants, and the Houston Fire Marshal uses NFPA 96 as the benchmark for kitchen exhaust inspections.
Fire Code Violations
Failed fire marshal inspections lead to fines of $500-$2,500+ in Houston. Repeated violations can result in forced closure until the hazard is corrected.
Preventable
With proper hood cleaning and documentation
Insurance Claim Denials
If a fire occurs and your cleaning documentation is missing or outdated, your insurance carrier may deny the claim entirely. No certificate means no coverage.
Avoidable
With proper hood cleaning and documentation
Business Closure Risk
According to FEMA, 40% of businesses never reopen after a disaster. Regular, documented hood cleaning is fire prevention, regulatory compliance, and business continuity in one service.
Manageable
With proper hood cleaning and documentation
Compliance Subscription
Predictable compliance, completely hands-off. We handle scheduling, cleaning, documentation, and reminders.
Subscription Tiers:
- Quarterly Compliance: Most common, ideal for standard restaurant operations
- Monthly High-Volume: For high-grease kitchens (24-hour operations, charbroiling, high-volume frying)
- Custom Multi-Location: For restaurant groups managing multiple locations
Starting at $250 per month
Final pricing depends on hood size, frequency, buildup, and kitchen setup.
What Our Hood Cleaning Service Includes
Every kitchen hood cleaning from Albedo’s Return covers the full exhaust system. Our comprehensive service includes:
- ✓ Hood and canopy cleaning — Interior and exterior surfaces degreased and restored to bare metal
- ✓ Baffle filter cleaning — Removed, cleaned, inspected, and reinstalled
- ✓ Duct system cleaning — Full ductwork from hood to exhaust fan, where grease hides
- ✓ Exhaust fan cleaning — Blades, housing, and hinges cleaned and checked for wear
- ✓ Rooftop components — Fan housing, grease containment, and access panels serviced
- ✓ Before-and-after photos — Timestamped visual proof of work completed
- ✓ NFPA 96 compliance certificate — Inspector-ready documentation you can hand to any inspector
- ✓ Next service recommendation — Scheduled based on your cooking volume and type
NFPA 96 Cleaning Frequency
NFPA 96 Chapter 11 specifies cleaning frequency based on your cooking type and volume. The Houston Fire Marshal references this schedule during inspections.
| Cooking Type | Frequency | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| High-volume | Monthly | 24-hour cooking, charbroiling, wok cooking, 16+ hr/day operations |
| Moderate-volume | Quarterly | Most sit-down restaurants, fast casual |
| Low-volume | Semi-annually | Churches, day camps, seasonal kitchens |
| Very low-volume | Annually | Steam-only, warming ovens |
Most Houston restaurants fall into the quarterly category. We assess your kitchen during an on-site inspection and recommend the right schedule. For hands-off compliance, ask about our Compliance Subscription.
Why Houston Restaurants Choose Albedo's Return
There are plenty of hood cleaning companies in Houston. Here is why restaurant operators trust us with their kitchens.
Built on Trust
Ann Tran founded Albedo’s Return with one principle: the work should speak for itself. As a woman-owned company with a background in accounting, we bring documentation rigor that most cleaning vendors cannot match. Every job is personally overseen. Every certificate is audit-ready.
Cleaned to Code
Every cleaning follows NFPA 96 — the same standard Houston fire marshals enforce during inspections. We clean from hood to rooftop fan, photograph everything before and after, and deliver an inspector-ready compliance certificate. No shortcuts. No skipped sections.
Built Around Your Schedule
Same-day response when you call. After-hours, overnight, and weekend scheduling so your kitchen keeps running. Recurring compliance plans that handle scheduling and reminders automatically. We work around your operation, not the other way around.
What Our Clients Say
★★★★★
“They did a great job! Always detailed and great communication. We love the annual service contract they offer. They make sure we are set, safe and clean!”
— City Cellars HTX (Kitchen Hood Cleaning Client)
★★★★★
“Ann and her team are extremely professional and great with communication. Always punctual and always willing to work with us to problem solve. The results are spotless every time!”
— Nick Wong
★★★★★
“Her team is professional, thorough, and she is a buttoned up operator! It’s always good to work with small businesses that operate with the rigor of a bigger company. Highly recommend.”
— Lisa Lee
Frequently Asked Questions
NFPA 96 sets cleaning frequency based on your cooking volume and equipment type. Monthly for high-volume operations (charbroiling, wok cooking, 24-hour or 16+ hour kitchens). Quarterly for most full-service restaurants. Semi-annually for low-volume kitchens like churches or day camps. Annually for very low-volume operations. We assess your kitchen and recommend the right schedule based on your actual cooking output.
NFPA 96 is the Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, published by the National Fire Protection Association. It governs how commercial kitchens must maintain their exhaust systems to prevent fires. The Houston Fire Marshal uses NFPA 96 as the baseline standard for kitchen exhaust inspections.
Most services take 3 to 5 hours, depending on the size of your exhaust system, the number of hoods, the amount of grease buildup, and how accessible the ductwork is. Larger or heavily soiled systems may take longer. We provide a time estimate after the initial assessment and schedule around your operations to minimize disruption.
Yes. We understand that hood cleaning needs to happen when the kitchen is not in active service. We offer early morning, late night, overnight, and weekend scheduling. Let us know your preferred timing when you book and we will work around your kitchen’s schedule.
We serve Houston and the greater Houston metro area within approximately 50 miles, including Downtown, Midtown, Montrose, The Heights, River Oaks, Galleria, Katy, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Pearland, Cypress, Spring, Humble, Baytown, Richmond, Missouri City, and surrounding communities.
Yes. If you have an inspection coming up, your regular vendor cancelled, or you have a compliance issue that needs immediate attention, we offer same-week emergency service. Emergency jobs carry an additional fee. Call (832) 981-3367 directly for urgent requests and current availability.
Ready to Get Your Kitchen Inspection-Ready?
Schedule your hood cleaning assessment today. Same-day response. Learn more about Ann and Albedo’s Return, or check our FAQ.