Directory · Austin
Austin commercial kitchen hood cleaning
Research index for operators. Public rules we found, how to vet a cleaner, open listing slots. Not a ranked vendor list.
What operators usually get asked
- Austin adopted the 2024 International Fire Code with local amendments, effective July 10, 2025. AFD says its 2012 Fire Protection Criteria Manual still applies as guidance while it is rewritten.
- Austin did not change the IFC cleaning section, so §606.3.3 applies as written. Hoods, grease-removal devices, fans, and ducts are inspected by qualified people at the Table 606.3.3.1 intervals. Where the inspection finds grease accumulation, the parts get cleaned to ANSI/IKECA C10.
- Records have to name the person and company and give the date. Inspection records also need a description of what was inspected. After each inspection a tag with the provider’s name, address, phone, and service date goes in a conspicuous spot, and older tags get covered or removed.
- Austin amended §105.5.17 so that every building or facility with fixed fire protection systems, kitchen hood suppression included, needs an annual operational permit. Inspection and testing to the Fire Protection Criteria Manual is a condition of that permit.
- Your suppression contractor files the paperwork. AFD requires third-party inspection companies to submit acceptance tests, annual reports, 6-month kitchen hood reports, deficiencies, and repairs through The Compliance Engine. AFD also states that keeping systems compliant remains the property owner’s responsibility.
- Hood suppression service in Texas is licensed by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. A Type K (FEL-K) license covers installing, certifying, and servicing pre-engineered kitchen systems. We found no Texas license for grease-duct cleaning itself, so don’t treat an FEL-K roster as a list of hood cleaners.
- Austin also amended §904.14. With the building official’s concurrence, cooking equipment used intermittently for less than 6 hours a week may sit under a Type II hood without fixed suppression, as long as a portable extinguisher rated for commercial cooking is provided. That’s a design approval, not something to assume.
- Food trucks and temporary cooking fall under IFC Chapter 41. §4106.4.1 requires the exhaust system to be inspected and cleaned per NFPA 96.
Inspection intervals (Table 606.3.3.1, 2024 Austin Fire Code)
| Type of cooking operation | Inspect at least every |
|---|---|
| Solid-fuel cooking (wood, charcoal) | 1 month |
| High-volume: 24-hour cooking, charbroiling, wok | 3 months |
| All other cooking | 6 months |
| Low-volume: places of worship, seasonal businesses, senior centers | 12 months |
The fire code official can approve a different interval. The table sets how often someone qualified looks at the system. Cleaning happens when that inspection finds grease. See inspection vs cleaning.
Three separate jobs in an Austin kitchen
| Job | Rule we found | Who files or keeps proof |
|---|---|---|
| Hood, duct, and fan cleaning | Austin Fire Code §606.3.3 and Table 606.3.3.1; clean to IKECA C10 | Cleaner leaves a tag and a record. Keep both on site. |
| Hood suppression inspection | Annual fire protection system permit (§105.5.17); 6-month reports | Licensed contractor submits to The Compliance Engine. |
| Grease trap pumping | Austin City Code §15-10-197: pump at least every 90 days, or sooner at 50% of wetted height | City-permitted liquid waste hauler; keep the manifests. |
Austin Water also bans enzymes, bacteria, and other additives meant to push grease through the trap (§15-10-22(23)). A hood cleaner’s wash water is a separate question; ask where it goes. See chemical runoff and grease waste.
Vet checklist
- Certs your AHJ accepts (IKECA or local equivalent). Ask, then verify.
- Certificate of insurance before they arrive
- Photo report: plenum, ducts, rooftop fan, not only the canopy
- Full-system vs canopy wipe in writing
- A tag with name, address, phone, and date left on the hood, per §606.3.3.3.1
- Suppression vendor holds a current Texas FEL-K license and confirms it filed the 6-month report in The Compliance Engine
- After-hours and roof access confirmed before the crew shows up
Contacts (verify on the current city page)
- Fire protection system compliance: afdcompliance@austintexas.gov · 512-974-0160, option 4
- Fire prevention inspection requests: fireprevention@austintexas.gov · 512-974-0153, option 3
Open listing slots
Unverified until docs in — Slot 1
Unverified until docs in — Slot 2
Unverified until docs in — Slot 3
Unverified until docs in — Slot 4
Sources
- Austin Fire: Fire building code resources (2024 IFC effective July 10, 2025; 2012 Criteria Manual as interim guidance)
- Austin Fire Code 2024, Chapter 6 (UpCodes) (§606.3.3, Table 606.3.3.1, records, tags)
- Council backup, File ID 25-0400 (March 27, 2025): ordinance adopting the 2024 IFC with local amendments (PDF) (§105.5.17 annual permit; §904.14 Type II exception)
- Austin Fire permits (The Compliance Engine; 6-month kitchen hood reports; owner responsibility)
- Austin Fire plan review (inspection request line)
- Austin Fire Code 2024, Chapter 41 (UpCodes) (mobile and temporary cooking, §4106.4.1)
- Texas Department of Insurance: Fire extinguisher registration, license, and test information (Type K kitchen systems license)
- Austin Water: Grease trap maintenance (§15-10-197 90-day pump-out; permitted haulers; additive ban)
Related guides
- How often to inspect
- Suppression system vs hood cleaning
- What the service label should show
- Food truck and trailer special cases
- Grease trap service on hood day
- Quote checklist
- Houston · Dallas
Request a listing: company, metro, certs, insurance, service area, photo-report policy.