We get this question all the time: “Can’t I just power wash the hood myself?”
The short answer? No.
While pressure washing has its place, professional commercial hood cleaning is a totally different beast. It’s deeper, safer, and absolutely required for full system compliance. Using only a power washer is one of the most common, and most dangerous, mistakes owners make. It cleans the surface while pushing the fire hazard deeper into the system.
Here’s a breakdown of the crucial difference and why Elite Pressure Pros uses a comprehensive, multi-step process – not just a high-pressure hose.
What Power Washing Actually Is (And What It’s For)
Power washing uses high-pressure water – sometimes heated and combined with soap- to clean surfaces. It’s a fantastic tool, but it’s designed for exterior sanitation and surface-level grime removal:
- Sidewalks and Entranceways
- Dumpsters and Back-of-House Pads (a service we offer called dumpster pad cleaning services)
- Building Exteriors and Patios
It is not designed for the complex, internal, and sensitive environment of an exhaust hood system.
What True Hood Cleaning Actually Is (The NFPA 96 Mandate)
True hood cleaning is a technical, regulatory service focused on fire prevention and system functionality. It is mandated by the NFPA 96 Standard to clean the entire system to bare metal.
This specialty service involves:
- Heavy Degreasing: Applying specialized, industrial-grade chemicals inside the hood and plenum.
- Internal Access: Opening access panels to clean inside the ductwork, a place a power washer cannot safely reach.
- Rooftop Service: Disassembling, cleaning, and rebalancing the rooftop exhaust fan components.
- Waste Management: Containing and legally disposing of the collected grease waste.
- Documentation: Providing the necessary service logs and certification for inspectors.
If a cleaning service isn’t performing this full scope, it is not a compliant cleaning – it’s just a surface rinse.
Why Power Washing Alone Isn’t Enough (The 5 Risks)
Using only a power washer on your hood system can actually make things worse and expose you to serious risk:
1. Pushes Grease Deeper (The Hidden Fire Hazard)
High-pressure water often atomizes surface grease or pushes it past joints and seams deeper into the ductwork where it’s impossible to see, creating a hidden, dangerous buildup.
2. Damages Delicate Components
Misused pressure can damage gaskets, high-temperature seals, fire suppression nozzles, and even fan motor housing. This leads to costly repairs and system leaks.
3. Guarantees NFPA 96 Non-Compliance
A power wash cannot clean ducts or fans to bare metal. It leaves the system dirty and you non-compliant, risking fines and voiding your insurance coverage if a fire occurs.
4. Zero Documentation
Inspectors in Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, or West Sacramento require certified records. DIY power washing or hiring a non-certified crew provides no legal defense against a code violation.
5. No System Check-Up
A power washer won’t check your fan belt tension or look for failing bearings. We treat every cleaning as a full system maintenance check.
The Right Way: When Pressure Washing Does Have a Place
Don’t get us wrong – we use pressure washing in our process, too.
Once we degrease, chemically treat, and scrub the system by hand, we strategically use professional pressure washers to rinse and blast the liquefied buildup out of certain areas and into our containment setup. It’s always part of a much larger, regulated process – the kind Elite Pressure Pros specializes in.
Our full system combines:
- Manual Scraping & Industrial Degreasers (to break down the hard grease).
- Targeted Pressure Rinsing (to remove the loosened material).
- Duct Access & Fan Service (to clean the hidden components).
- Environmental Containment (to handle waste legally).
This comprehensive, tools-agnostic approach is how we achieve compliance and protect your equipment. It’s the difference between a quick rinse and a guaranteed full system clean.
Need the Real Deal? If you’ve been rinsing your hood or hiring someone who does the bare minimum, let us show you the difference. We’ll inspect your system and show you exactly what’s clean – and what’s not. Because when it comes to fire safety and health codes, close enough doesn’t cut it. Let us help you get on a guaranteed maintenance plan like The Hood Standard.
