Start 2026 with a kitchen that’s clean, compliant, and inspection-ready. This practical, owner-focused guide eliminates guesswork and sets your team up for a smooth year—no red tags, no emergency closures, just confidence.

Why this matters now

Spring inspections ramp up quickly. Getting ahead in January helps you avoid the rush, satisfy stricter insurance documentation, and reset standards after holiday turnover. Think of it as your Clean Slate: the best moment to align schedules for hood cleaning, suppression inspections, and extinguisher service before inspectors arrive.

1) Exhaust system: clean to bare metal (NFPA 96)

Book a full hood, duct, and roof-fan cleaning to bare metal and make sure access panels are usable. High-heat operations like charbroil, wok, solid fuel, and 24-hour kitchens typically require monthly service. Full-service restaurants are usually quarterly; moderate-volume operations may be semi-annual. Ask for before/after photos, a dated certificate, and the technician’s credentials (USAKES). If smoke lingers or panels are missing, fix those issues now—don’t wait for an inspector to find them.

Quick checklist:

• Scheduled hood/duct/roof-fan cleaning date set

• Access panels opened/usable

• Before/after photos saved; certificate dated

• USAKES technician credentials on file

• Smoke capture verified (no lingering)

2) Roof grease cleanup and containment (NFPA 96 + EPA)

Grease on the roof leads to membrane damage, EPA stormwater violations, and fire code citations. Remove accumulated grease from fan housings, curbs, and the membrane, and install or service a DRIPLOC-style containment system sized to your output. Replace pillows on a set cadence. Keep photo proof and disposal logs; runoff into storm drains is an immediate red flag. This step alone can prevent $30,000–$50,000 in roof repairs.

Quick checklist:

• Fan housings/curbs/membrane degreased

• DRIPLOC-style containment installed/serviced

• Absorbent pillows replaced

• Disposal log recorded (no storm drain runoff)

• Photo proof stored

3) Hood filter exchange program

Swap dirty baffle filters for professionally cleaned ones and avoid pressure-washing outside. Frequency ranges from weekly to monthly depending on volume and menu. An exchange program improves airflow, reduces fan strain and odor complaints, and keeps you between-service compliant with NFPA 96.

Quick checklist:

• Exchange frequency set (weekly–monthly)

• Dirty filters staged; clean set installed

• No outdoor pressure-washing

• Exchange log updated

4) Exhaust fan five-point maintenance

A quiet, balanced fan is the difference between effective capture and a smoky kitchen. Perform a five-point service: clean motor dust and debris, set belt tension or replace, align mounts, align pulley and shaft, and grease bearings. Log the work. If you hear squeals, smell hot rubber, see belt dust, or notice poor capture, you’re overdue.

Quick checklist:

• Motor dust/debris removed

• Belt tension set or replaced

• Mounts aligned

• Pulley/shaft aligned

• Bearings greased

• Maintenance log updated

5) Fire suppression system (NFPA 17A / UL 300)

Complete the semi-annual inspection and functional test: detection lines, fusible links, manual pulls, nozzle caps, agent cylinders, fuel interlocks, and fan shutdowns. After any discharge, reset and recharge before reopening and get the system re-tagged. UL 300 readiness matters: confirm nozzle alignment, cylinder pressure, and agent age match today’s higher-temperature appliances—recalibrate when menus or layouts change. Coordinate suppression checks with hood cleaning so caps come off and go back correctly and the system is re-armed the same visit.

Quick checklist:

• Semi-annual inspection scheduled/completed

• Nozzle caps removed/reinstalled correctly

• Fusible links/pulls tested

• Agent cylinders pressure-checked

• Interlocks/shutdowns verified

• Tag current; report filed

• UL 300 nozzle alignment/agent age confirmed

6) Portable fire extinguishers (NFPA 10 + Texas)

Place Class K within 30 feet of cooking equipment and ABC units in dining and ancillary spaces. Do monthly in-house checks (gauge in the green, pins and seals intact, no damage, correct mounting) and schedule your annual service, including six-year maintenance and hydrostatic tests per cylinder type. Map placement, maintain current tags, and keep a signed monthly log. Make sure staff can reach the right extinguisher within seconds—no blocked routes, no hunting during a flare-up.

Quick checklist:

• Class K within 30 ft of cookline; ABC in dining/common areas

• Monthly in-house checks logged

• Annual service scheduled/completed

• Tags current; placement map updated

• Paths of travel clear

7) Documentation and inspection readiness

Centralize digital records for quick show-and-tell: hood, suppression, and extinguisher certificates; before/after photos that prove bare metal; maintenance logs for fans, filter exchange, and pillow change-outs; and any corrective actions with dates. Transition paper tags and binders into verifiable digital logs with timestamps, technician credentials, and clear service scope. Create a simple “Compliance Binder” page in your shared drive and mirror it with a physical binder in the office.

Quick checklist:

• Certificates (hood/suppression/extinguishers) in shared drive

• Before/after photos (bare metal) filed

• Fan maintenance/filter exchange/pillow change logs current

• Corrective actions documented with dates

• Physical binder mirrors digital folder

8) Staff training and safety protocols

Invest fifteen minutes a month in a toolbox talk: evacuation routes and roles, when to fight versus evacuate, how to recognize airflow and grease hazards, and how to complete monthly extinguisher checks. Each quarter, refresh hot-work policies, solid-fuel handling, emergency shutoffs, and manual pull locations. After each shift, make sure teams empty grease containers, wipe key surfaces, and check for dripping seams.

Quick checklist:

• Monthly toolbox talk completed (15 min)

• Quarterly safety refreshers scheduled/completed

• Shift-close tasks: containers emptied, surfaces wiped, seam check

• Staff know pulls, shutoffs, evacuation roles

9) The winter-to-spring transition

Holiday volume leaves residue and wear. In January, increase cleaning frequency for heavy grill and fryer lines, replace roof-containment pillows, and budget for fan belts that ran hard all season. Before spring inspections, confirm certificates are current through June and run a quick mock inspection: tags visible, photos filed, binder ready, access panels open, nozzle caps present and aligned.

Quick checklist:

• January frequency increased for heavy grill/fryer lines

• Roof containment pillows replaced

• Fan belt inspection/replacement budgeted

• Certificates current through June

• Mock inspection run: tags/photos/binder/panels/nozzle caps

10) Signs you need immediate service

If grease drips from hood seams, smoke hangs in the air, rancid odors persist, belts squeal, or roof containment is saturated, you’re already at risk. Any red tag, inspector warning, or suppression discharge requires urgent action. Call before the next service rush.

Quick checklist:

• Grease drips/pooling on filters detected

• Smoke/odors persist

• Belt squeal/vibration noted

• Roof pillows saturated

• Red tag/inspector warning/suppression discharge

Your 2026 service calendar

January: Hood cleaning + roof grease cleanup + filter exchange; extinguisher annuals

February: Exhaust fan five-point maintenance; pillow change-outs

March: Suppression semi-annual inspection; documentation audit

April/May: Hood cleaning + roof containment service; training refresh

June: Mid-year compliance review; fan belts; binder update

What you’ll get with Bowmar Industrial

You get USAKES-certified technicians, NFPA 96/17A/10 compliance, after-hours service with 24/7 emergency response, true bare-metal cleaning with photo documentation and certificates, integrated roof grease cleanup and containment, and coordinated extinguisher and suppression services that reduce repeat visits. That’s why teams at Q2 Stadium, Kalahari Resorts, Salt Lick BBQ, and restaurants across Central Texas trust us.

FAQs

How soon can we schedule? Most services are available within 5–7 business days; emergency slots are available.

Do you work after hours? Yes—night and early-morning crews minimize disruption.

Can you handle documentation? Yes—digital certificates, photos, logs, and inspection-ready reports.

Do you cover both metros? Yes—Greater Austin and San Antonio.

Ready to start the year compliant and inspection-ready? Call 512-861-5841 or request a free on-site inspection.