Guide
Post-clean fan spin test and suppression reset checks
The clean is not done when the canopy shines. The fan has to go back on correctly, spin free, and pull air. Suppression components that were protected or temporarily impaired have to be restored — and anything the cleaner is not licensed to touch belongs to the suppression contractor. This page is the operator end-of-job walk: fan spin / belts / hinge / grease cup, then suppression handoff. Pair with suppression vs cleaning for the trade split and the hinge checklist for rooftop hardware.
Short answer
Before the crew leaves: exhaust fan reinstalled, wheel spins freely by hand (power locked out), belts tensioned and not shredded, hinge/hold-open usable, grease cup / containment seated, electrical reconnect completed, and fans started to confirm airflow and rotation. Suppression: cleaners protect nozzles and links and restore anything they temporarily impaired; they do not replace fusible links, recharge cylinders, or re-tag the system. After discharge — or if nozzles/links look disturbed — call a licensed suppression tech before cooking. Keep the handoff on the written report. Not legal advice; AHJ editions win.
Fan / rooftop closeout (cleaner + you)
| Check | What “pass” looks like | Fail → next move |
|---|---|---|
| Lockout confirmed, then hand spin | Power off/locked; impeller turns freely by hand with no grind or scrape | Do not energize — debris, warped wheel, or bearing issue; cleaner/HVAC before cook |
| Belts (belt-drive fans) | Correct tension; no fray, glaze, or missing belt; guards back on | Replace/adjust before leaving; document if deferred |
| Hinge + hold-open | Fan tips for access and stays open safely; returns and seals | Flag missing/broken hinge — see hinge guide; do not leave propped on a 2×4 |
| Grease cup / containment | Cup emptied/reinstalled; pad or gutter seated if present | Missing cup is a report line — see grease cup / containment overview |
| Electrical reconnect | Disconnect restored; no loose whip; weather cover in place | Stop — licensed electrician if the disconnect or whip is damaged |
| Spin test under power | Fan starts; correct rotation (arrow on housing); no new rattle/scream; airflow felt at hood | Wrong rotation or no airflow → correct wiring/rotation before cooking |
| Makeup air runs with exhaust | MAU energizes with the hood (where interlocked) | If MAU stays dark → HVAC, not another clean — see makeup air balance |
Suppression closeout — cleaner vs licensed tech
| Item | Hood cleaner | Licensed suppression contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Protect nozzles / caps during wash | Yes — leave caps on or protect as trained; note missing caps | Replace missing listed caps; verify aim |
| Fusible links / detection line | Do not scrub with chemicals; do not “adjust”; report grease-coated, painted, or missing links | Replace metal-alloy links on ITM schedule (AHJ/secondary often annual destruction/replace); service detection |
| System rendered inoperable for cleaning | Restore per their procedure before leaving; document status on report | If system was discharged, locked out for service beyond cleaner scope, or will not rearm — their job |
| After any discharge | May clean corrosive wet-chem residue from exhaust path to bare metal (separate visit often needed) | Recharge, rearm, re-tag, re-inspect before cooking resumes |
| Inspection tag on cylinder | Read date; if expired, tell operator — do not invent a tag | Semiannual ITM (secondary NFPA 17A / NFPA 96 Ch. 10 framing) |
| Appliance moved under nozzles | Flag on written report | Re-evaluate coverage / re-pipe as required |
Facilitec and similar secondary explainers put it bluntly: neither trade’s license covers the other’s work. A cleaner who “resets Ansul” or a suppression tech who “does the duct clean” is outside scope in most jurisdictions.
Ask the cleaner to confirm on the report
- “Fan hand-spun free; belts OK; hinge operable; grease cup reinstalled”
- “Exhaust (and makeup, if applicable) started; rotation correct; airflow observed”
- “Nozzles/caps protected; no links scrubbed or repositioned by us”
- “Any suppression concern noted: ___ — call your fire-protection vendor”
- “Access panels restored and tagged; service label applied”
Patterns that leave you exposed
- Crew leaves with fan still tipped open or cup missing
- “We’ll spin it tomorrow” with no lockout note
- Links washed with degreaser or painted over and “look fine”
- Operator told to “just pull the pin” after a discharge
- Shiny canopy photos, no rooftop closeout photos
Operator end-of-job checklist
- Walk the roof with the lead — Fan down, hinged closed, cup in, no tools left, disconnect closed.
- Watch the spin test — Start exhaust (and makeup). Listen. Feel capture at the hood lip.
- Scan the plenum — Nozzle caps present; links not dangling or obviously damaged; nothing wrapped in tape as a “temp fix.”
- Read the suppression tag — Semiannual window still open? If not, schedule the fire-protection vendor separately.
- Collect proof — Before/after including fan interior and rooftop; written report inside the window you require (see cleaning report checklist and two-week report window).
- If anything discharged tonight — Stop cooking under that hood until a licensed suppression contractor recharges and re-tags; schedule exhaust clean of agent residue as needed.
- Door slam after a good spin test? — That is balance/HVAC, not a failed clean — makeup air guide.
Field note — AHJ checklists care about both halves
- St. Johns County Fire Rescue’s public hood checklist (older NFPA 96 edition cites) still pairs cleaning certificates/labels with suppression tags, nozzle caps, and annual fusible-link replacement by a licensed dealer — same split operators see elsewhere.
- Secondary NFPA 17A explainers: after discharge the system is not a DIY reset; cooking waits on licensed recharge/rearm.
- We do not invent your city’s tag colors or exact fusible-link calendar — read the tag and your contractor’s report.
Who it’s for / not for
- For: managers who sign the ticket at 2 a.m.; multi-unit leads writing closeout language into the SOW; anyone who has found a fan left open or a missing nozzle cap the morning after
- Not for: DIY fusible-link replacement; treating a cleaning sticker as a suppression tag; skipping the rooftop walk because the canopy photos look good
Sources
- Facilitec Southwest — Fire suppression systems and NFPA 96 (secondary; cleaner protects nozzles/links; licensed tech for ITM/recharge; post-discharge split)
- St. Johns County Fire Rescue — Hood / duct / suppression annual checklist (PDF) (AHJ checklist; cleaning label + suppression tag + nozzle caps + fusible-link replace)
- FirePro Tech — Kitchen hood suppression inspection (secondary; links, rearm after test, nozzle/caps)
- Florida Fire Safety — Suppression compliance notes (secondary; semiannual ITM; post-activation recharge; licensed contractor)
- Homer Fire Protection — Kitchen hood suppression systems (secondary; recharge/rearm after discharge before cooking)
- AIRAH — Commercial kitchen exhaust management BPG (PDF) (secondary / AU practice; fan run check; lockout; only competent person impairs extinguishing systems)
- US Made Supply — NFPA 96 overview (secondary companion cites)
Next step
Add the fan spin + suppression handoff lines to your work order tonight. Walk the roof before you sign. If the tag is stale or anything discharged, call the licensed suppression contractor before the first ticket of the morning — do not treat the cleaning sticker as a green light for the extinguishing system.