What’s a Hood?

You've likely heard your exhaust cleaning technician talk about "hoods," "banks," and other industry terms. Understanding this terminology is essential when it comes to properly maintaining your kitchen exhaust system and budgeting for cleaning services. In this guide, we'll break down the common types of kitchen hoods and explain why some systems count as multiple hoods when it comes to cleaning time and pricing.

Common Types of Kitchen Hoods

Wall-Mount Hoods

Wall-mount hoods are exactly what they sound like — exhaust hoods installed against a wall. These are the most common type found in commercial kitchens. They typically have one bank of filters and are designed to capture cooking vapors, smoke, and grease from cooking equipment placed against a wall.

Island Hoods

Island hoods hang from the ceiling over cooking equipment positioned in the center of the kitchen, away from walls. These hoods are typically designed to capture exhaust from all sides and often have multiple banks of filters to accommodate this 360-degree approach to ventilation.

Condensate Hoods

Designed specifically for equipment that produces steam rather than grease-laden vapor (like dishwashers or some ovens), condensate hoods manage moisture and steam instead of smoke and grease.

Understanding Banks and Why They Matter

A "bank" refers to a section of a hood that contains filters and an exhaust point. Many people assume that one hood equals one cleaning job, but this isn't always the case — especially when dealing with multi-bank hood systems.

Single-Bank Hoods

Most wall-mount hoods have a single bank of filters. This means there's one continuous section where filters are installed, and all exhaust is pulled through this section.

Example of a single hood, this one wall-mounted

Two-Bank Hoods

A two-bank hood has two separate sections of filters. This could be a long wall-mount hood with a divider in the middle creating two distinct sections, or it could be an island hood with filters on two opposing sides.

Example of a two-bank hood, this one wall-mounted, and the hoods are side-by-side. There is a divider that splits the hood into two banks

Four-Bank Hoods

Four-bank hoods typically refer to island hoods that have filters on all four sides, creating four distinct areas that need cleaning.

Example of a four-bank island hood

Why Multi-Bank Hoods Count as Multiple Hoods

When we price our exhaust cleaning services, we consider a multi-bank hood as multiple hoods - and for good reason. Here's why:

1. Increased Cleaning Time

Each bank requires separate attention. The technician must remove all filters, clean the interior plenum, clean the filters, and reassemble each bank. A four-bank island hood requires approximately four times the labor of a single-bank wall-mount hood.

2. More Surface Area

Multi-bank hoods have significantly more surface area that needs thorough cleaning. Each additional bank adds more square footage of grease-laden surfaces that require degreasing and cleaning.

3. Additional Ductwork

Each bank typically connects to separate sections of ductwork, which also need to be inspected and cleaned. More banks mean more ductwork to service.

4. Increased Material Usage

More banks require more cleaning solution, more water, and more disposal of grease and waste materials.

How This Affects Pricing

When we provide a quote for your kitchen exhaust cleaning, we'll count each bank as a separate hood for pricing purposes. This means:

• A single wall-mount hood with one bank = 1 hood

• An island hood with two banks = 2 hoods

• A large island hood with four banks = 4 hoods

This approach ensures that we can properly allocate the time, staff, and materials needed to thoroughly clean your system. It also helps explain why two kitchens with "one hood" might receive very different price quotes if one has a single-bank wall-mount hood and the other has a four-bank island hood.

Need Help Identifying Your Hood Type?

If you're unsure about what type of hood system you have or how many banks it includes, our technicians would be happy to assess your system and provide clarification. Understanding your equipment helps you budget appropriately for cleaning services and ensures that your kitchen remains safe and compliant.

Contact us today for a professional assessment of your kitchen exhaust system!