Guide
Changing your menu or cooking equipment: when the cleaning schedule changes
The exhaust inspection interval is set by what you cook, not by what the last tenant cooked or what the service contract says. Add a charbroiler, put a wok station on the line, bring in a wood-fired oven, or start staying open all night, and the fire code interval can drop from six months to three, or to one. Swapping or moving equipment under the hood can also pull in the suppression contractor, the mechanical engineer, and the sewer utility.
What each change does
| Change | Inspection interval (IFC Table 606.3.3.1) | Other work it can trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Add a charbroiler or char grill | 3 months (high-volume: charbroiling) | Suppression nozzle added or re-aimed; check the hood is listed and sized for the heavier appliance |
| Add a wok station | 3 months (high-volume: wok) | Suppression coverage; wok burners are high heat and high exhaust (wok line exhaust) |
| Go to 24-hour service | 3 months (high-volume: 24-hour) | Cleaning windows get harder to book; plan the overnight shutdown (24-hour planning) |
| Add a wood, charcoal, or pellet appliance | 1 month (solid fuel) | NFPA 96 has its own chapter for solid fuel cooking (Chapter 15) with separate exhaust and spark arrester rules; creosote as well as grease (solid fuel reality check) |
| Swap fryers or griddles like for like | No change if the cooking type stays the same | Replacing cooking equipment is a UL 300 trigger for older suppression systems; nozzle positions re-checked |
| Move appliances along the line | No change by itself | Repositioning is a UL 300 trigger; nozzles are placed per appliance, so coverage must be re-verified |
| Switch from animal fat to vegetable oil | No change by itself | A UL 300 trigger for older dry or wet chemical systems |
| Cut the menu, fewer hours | Stays 6 months unless you fit the low-volume row (places of worship, seasonal businesses, senior centers) or the fire code official approves another interval | Get any approved change in writing and keep it in the binder |
The interval rows above come from the 2024 IFC as adopted by Denver; other editions and NFPA 96 (Table 12.4 in recent editions) use the same four categories. Your fire marshal decides which row you’re in. See how often to inspect.
The suppression system: re-evaluate and maybe upgrade
- NFPA 96 says changes or modifications to the hazard after the suppression system is installed must lead to a re-evaluation of the system design by a properly trained, qualified, and certified person (§10.2.7.4 in the 2021 and 2024 editions).
- An existing dry or wet chemical system that isn’t UL 300 compliant must be brought into compliance when the cooking medium changes from animal fats to vegetable oils, when cooking equipment is moved, when cooking equipment is replaced, or when the manufacturer no longer supports the system (§10.2.3.1).
- The hood cleaner doesn’t do this work. Book the suppression contractor before the equipment arrives, not after the fire inspector notices a nozzle pointed at the wrong appliance. See suppression vs hood cleaning.
The hood, duct, and makeup air
- A heavier-duty appliance can need more exhaust than the existing hood and fan were designed for, and more exhaust needs more makeup air. Check the hood label and the original mechanical drawings before you buy the appliance.
- Permits differ by city. Denver’s mechanical permit policy for kitchen hood exhaust systems (25-DCBC 507, revised August 6, 2026) requires sealed drawings from one engineer covering the complete system, and on remodels the drawings must include performance data for existing equipment. Denver’s restaurant permit page notes that smaller projects such as upgrading kitchen appliances may need only some of the full set of reviews.
- If smoke starts rolling out from under the hood after the change, that’s an airflow problem for the HVAC contractor, not a cleaning problem. See makeup air and exhaust balance.
The grease interceptor
Sewer utilities size interceptors partly from the kitchen equipment. Denver’s grease interceptor policy (DOTI Right-of-Way Services Policy 14.0, effective January 5, 2026) builds its sizing method around fixtures and equipment such as a grill or wok stove, a two-basket fryer, and an oven. More fryers usually means more pumping, and in some cities a bigger interceptor. In Tampa, expanding an existing food service facility makes it a “new” facility under the city’s Grease Management Ordinance (City Code §26-306(b)(1)), which means a trap or interceptor installed to the current Florida plumbing code. Call the utility before a major line change. See grease trap service and hood day.
Checklist before the new equipment goes in
- Write down the new cooking type and hours, and which row of the interval table you’ll be in
- Send it to the hood cleaner and change the service contract frequency (contract questions)
- Book the suppression contractor to re-check coverage; ask if the system is UL 300 listed and still supported
- Ask the hood’s designer or a mechanical contractor whether the hood, fan, and makeup air can handle it, and whether a permit is needed
- Call the sewer utility if you’re adding fryers or other grease-heavy equipment
- After the change, get a fresh cleaning report and tag so the next inspector sees the new interval in use
Who it’s for / not for
- For: chefs and owners planning a menu change, operators converting a concept in an existing space, and multi-unit teams rolling out a new item that needs new equipment
- Not for: designing the hood, sizing the fan, or laying out suppression nozzles. That’s licensed engineering and contractor work; this page is the list of who to call.
Sources
- 2024 IFC Chapter 6 as adopted by Denver (UpCodes) (Table 606.3.3.1 cooking types and intervals; “or as approved by the fire code official”)
- NAFED: NFPA 96 2024 vs 2021 edition changes (§10.2.3 UL 300; §10.2.3.1 upgrade triggers; §10.2.7.4 re-evaluation after hazard changes)
- Denver CPD Building Permit Policy 25-DCBC 507: Kitchen hood exhaust system submittal requirements (PDF)
- Denver: Permits for restaurants and commercial kitchens
- Denver DOTI Policy 14.0: Requirements for grease interceptors, effective January 5, 2026 (PDF)
- City of Tampa Wastewater: Director’s guidelines for new food service facilities (PDF) (§26-306(b)(1): expanded facilities count as new)
Next step
Before you order the equipment, email the cleaner, the suppression contractor, and the mechanical contractor one line each: what’s changing, where it goes, and the date.