Why You Should Check Certifications Before Hiring a Hood Cleaning Contractor
Anyone can buy a pressure washer and call themselves a hood cleaner. That’s the uncomfortable truth in our industry. The price might look great, the sticker on your hood might look official, but if the duct behind it was never cleaned to bare metal, you’re still sitting on a fire risk, and you may not find out until an inspector or insurer does.
Choosing a certified hood cleaning company isn’t about paperwork for its own sake. It’s how you know the job was done right, and how you prove it when it counts.
What the Code Actually Says
Commercial kitchen exhaust systems in Nova Scotia and across Canada are maintained to NFPA 96, the standard published by the NFPA and referenced by the National Fire Code of Canada. NFPA 96 says that when an exhaust system is contaminated with grease, it must be cleaned by a properly trained, qualified and certified person or company acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, which is usually your local fire department.
In other words, certification isn’t a bonus feature. The standard expects it. If the person cleaning your system can’t show training and certification, that work may not hold up when a fire inspector reviews your records.
Why Certification Matters to You
1. Fire Safety
A trained technician knows where grease hides: horizontal duct runs, elbows, the fan housing, the plenum behind the filters. An untrained crew often cleans what’s visible and skips the rest. Grease left in the ductwork is exactly what turns a small flare-up into a building fire. (We cover this in detail in Why Kitchen Exhaust Duct Cleaning Is Important.)
2. Passing Fire Inspections
Inspectors look for a current hood certificate, service records and a system that’s actually clean. A certified company provides documentation that meets NFPA 96 record-keeping requirements, so you’re not scrambling when an inspector walks in.
3. Protecting Your Insurance Claim
If a kitchen fire happens, your insurer will want to know who cleaned the exhaust system and whether they were qualified. Work done by an uncertified contractor can give them a reason to question your claim. Certified work, with dated photos and reports, is your best protection.
4. Safety on Your Property
Hood cleaning means working on rooftops, handling strong degreasers and working around gas and electrical lines. Crews trained in fall protection and chemical safety are far less likely to cause an accident on your premises, or damage your roof and equipment.
Certifications Worth Asking About
Red Flags When Hiring a Hood Cleaner
- Can’t or won’t show proof of certification or training
- No certificate of insurance
- Price far below everyone else’s (usually means the ducts and fan get skipped)
- No before-and-after photos or written report
- Only cleans the hood and filters, never goes on the roof
- Puts a sticker on your hood without explaining what was cleaned
7 Questions to Ask Before You Hire
- Are your technicians certified? Can you send proof?
- Do you clean to NFPA 96, including ducts and the rooftop fan?
- Can you send a certificate of liability insurance?
- Will I get before-and-after photos and a written service report?
- Do you leave a hood certificate sticker with the service date?
- Are your crews trained in WHMIS and fall protection?
- How often do you recommend cleaning for my type of kitchen, and why?
A good contractor will answer all seven quickly and in plain language. If you’re getting vague answers, keep looking.
How AA Cleaning Solutions Does It
We’re a Bedford-based company serving commercial kitchens across Atlantic Canada, with over 7 years in the trade. Our team holds NFPA 96, CHDCA, OSHA, WHMIS and Fall Arrest certifications. Every job comes with before-and-after photos, a written service report and an updated hood certificate, so you have everything your fire inspector and insurer need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is certification legally required for hood cleaners in Nova Scotia?
Fire codes in Canada reference NFPA 96, which calls for exhaust systems to be cleaned by a properly trained, qualified and certified person acceptable to the local fire authority. Your local fire department has the final say on what it accepts.
What is CHDCA certification?
CHDCA is the Canadian Hood & Duct Cleaning Association. Its certification shows a technician has trade-specific training in commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning.
How can I verify a contractor’s certification?
Ask for copies of certificates and a certificate of insurance before work begins. A reputable company will send them right away.
Is a certified hood cleaner more expensive?
Sometimes slightly, because the full system gets cleaned and documented. A cheap job that skips the ducts can cost far more in failed inspections, insurance problems or fire damage.
Work With a Certified Team
Get NFPA 96 compliant hood and duct cleaning from certified technicians, with full documentation after every job. Send us a few photos of your hood and we’ll get you a quote.