UrgentCompliance
Kitchen Filling With Smoke During Service
Smoke backing up while cooking usually means your exhaust hood is no longer pulling air effectively, often from grease buildup blocking airflow.
Urgency
Urgent
Service area
Southern California
Dispatch
Within 48 hrs
First steps before the BohPro arrives
Recommended
Reduce cooking output immediately to lower smoke volume, and check that hood filters are seated correctly and the fan is running. Contact a certified hood cleaning and exhaust service provider today through Boh to inspect the system, clear any blockages, and restore proper airflow before your next service period.
The root causes and what they cost you
Cause
What’s causing it
The most common cause is grease accumulation inside the hood plenum, filters, and ductwork that restricts airflow over time. Baffle filters clogged with grease force the exhaust fan to work harder while moving less air, allowing smoke to spill back into the kitchen. A failed or undersized exhaust fan motor can produce the same result, as can a makeup air system that is not supplying enough replacement air to sustain proper negative pressure. In some cases, a damper stuck in a partially closed position or a blockage in the duct run will cut exhaust capacity even when the fan is running normally.
If you wait
What happens if you wait
Smoke filling the kitchen during service is a fire risk, a health hazard for staff, and grounds for an immediate shutdown by the health department or fire marshal. Grease-coated ductwork that is not ventilating properly is one of the leading causes of commercial kitchen fires. Every minute the hood is underperforming, grease continues to accumulate in conditions that accelerate ignition risk.
Compliance risk if you wait
NFPA 96 requires commercial kitchen exhaust systems to be inspected and cleaned at intervals based on cooking volume, and LA County Fire Department inspectors can cite or close an operation with a non-functional or grease-obstructed hood system.
Symptoms you might see
smokehoodairflowgrease
One dispatch, one licensed tech, one paper trail
Boh routes a vetted, licensed provider to your kitchen. Every visit is documented with before-and-after photos, a service report, and a compliance certificate when the work touches a code class. You never chase a vendor.
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Often seen alongside this one
Fire Suppression System Went OffGrease Fire in the Duct or HoodCited for Grease Buildup at Health InspectionHood Cleaning Tag Expired or Missing
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