Guide
Before/after photos: why insurers care
A shiny canopy photo proves almost nothing about fire load in the duct and fan. Loss-control reviewers and claim investigators care whether the grease path was opened and cleaned — photos are the fastest way to see that without climbing the roof.
What an insurance-ready file usually holds
Secondary industry summaries of NFPA 96 documentation emphasize a service label, written inspection/cleaning reports, and a schedule matched to cooking volume — the pieces carriers ask for first. Photos are the practical evidence layer operators and many vendors use to show the report’s scope is real. Exact carrier rules vary; this is not a policy interpretation.
| File piece | What it shows a reviewer |
|---|---|
| Service label on the hood | Recent date, named tech, company contact |
| Written cleaning / inspection report | Scope, inaccessible areas, next-due |
| Before/after photo set | Whether ducts and fan were opened — not only filters wiped |
| Schedule tied to cooking type | Cadence matches solid-fuel / high / moderate / low volume |
Photo checklist (path, not vanity)
- Filters — removed or clearly cleaned; before and after
- Plenum / hood interior — metal visible after, not a wiped lip
- Duct access opening — looking into horizontal or vertical duct
- Rooftop fan interior / blades area when the fan hinges
- Grease cup / containment if present
- Date or filename that ties the set to the report date
- Same angles before and after when possible
What good looks like
- Photo set follows the same path as the quote: hood → plenum → duct → fan
- After shots show bare metal where the report claims cleaning
- “Could not access …” sections have no fake after-photos covering them
- PDF or cloud folder survives a phone wipe and a manager turnover
What a cheap wipe looks like
- One glossy canopy photo under kitchen lights
- Filters on a counter; no duct or fan frames
- Photos that don’t match the service date on the sticker
- “NFPA compliant” text with no visual proof of opened sections
Field detail to demand tonight
- Ask in writing — “email before/after of plenum, duct access, and fan with the report”
- Reject incomplete sets — missing duct/fan photos means treat the job as unfinished until explained
- Store two places — on-site binder or manager drive and a backup folder your broker can open
- Match the label — report date, sticker date, and photo batch should agree
What the written report must disclose — photos prove the path was opened
Secondary insurance-file guides (Facilitec Southwest, citing NFPA 96 2024) say carriers and loss-control reps start with four items: the hood service label, a written inspection report, a written cleaning report, and a schedule that matches cooking volume. Photos are not a fifth sticker — they are how you show the reports’ scope claims are real. Confirm section numbers against the edition your AHJ adopts.
| Report requirement (secondary) | What path photos should show |
|---|---|
| §12.6.14 / §12.6.14.1 — inspection report within 2 weeks; must list areas over grease thresholds, inaccessible areas not inspected, accessible areas skipped, duct access-panel locations, and visible duct / panel leakage | Before shots of the same openings the report claims were measured; no “after” frames inventing access that the inaccessible list denies |
| §12.6.15 / §12.6.15.2 — cleaning report within 2 weeks; same honesty pattern for areas not cleaned and panel locations | After shots of plenum, duct opening, and fan where the report says cleaned — bare metal where claimed, not a wiped canopy lip |
| §12.6.13 — adhesive hood label (date, technician name, provider contact) | Photo batch date / filename matches the label and report date (see two-week report windows) |
| §12.6.10 — preprinted company tag near opened access panels | Include the tagged panel in the duct-access frame when ducts were entered |
Operator move: write the photo set into the PO the same way you write the inaccessible-area list into the report. Pair the file with your on-site binder and the cleaning report checklist. For renewal packing, use the denser photo evidence checklist for insurance renewals. Missing duct/fan frames with a “full clean” invoice is the same failure mode as a silent skip on the inaccessible list — treat it as unfinished until explained (see also missing duct access panels).
Who it’s for / not for
- For: operators facing renewals, brand audits, or post-incident document requests; anyone comparing full-system vs canopy-only bids
- Not for: assuming photos replace the written report or local AHJ rules — not insurance or legal advice
Sources
- Facilitec Southwest — insurance documentation file (secondary; four-item file: label + inspection report + cleaning report + schedule; loss-control walk pattern)
- Facilitec Southwest — NFPA 96 codes notes (secondary; §12.6.13 label; §12.6.14 / §12.6.15 two-week reports + inaccessible-area lists; §12.6.10 panel tags)
- Facilitec Southwest — cleaning report & service label (secondary; report content lists that photos should corroborate)
- Hood cleaning documentation guide (secondary; before/after photo practice — verify against your adopted NFPA edition; do not treat vendor “edition” claims as AHJ text)
- IKECA FAQs
Next step
Open your last cleaning PDF. If plenum, duct, and fan photos are missing, request them before the next visit — or write that photo set into the next PO as a deliverable.