Semi-annual inspection and certification
The full system: cylinder pressure and weight, piping, nozzle placement over every appliance, detection line, manual pull station and the gas or electric shut-off. Certified and tagged at the end.
NFPA 17A · TITLE 19
Kitchen hood fire suppression.
Semi-annual service on Ansul, Pyro-Chem and compatible systems. Nozzles, fusible links, cylinder pressure and the gas shut-off — and we coordinate the hood cleaning so your kitchen goes down once instead of twice.
- Standard
- NFPA 17A · Title 19
- Interval
- Semi-annual
- Systems
- Ansul · Pyro-Chem
- Cylinder
- 12-yr hydrostatic
What the visit covers
Everything that gets checked, and why it matters.
Nozzle inspection and repositioning
Nozzles have to point at the appliance they protect. Kitchens move equipment and forget to move the nozzles — a fryer shifted two feet to the left is now outside its own coverage.
Fusible link replacement
The links are what trigger the system when the duct gets hot. They degrade in grease and heat, so they get replaced on schedule rather than tested and left in.
Agent cylinder recharge and testing
Recharge after any discharge, and hydrostatic testing of the cylinder on its twelve-year interval.
Hood cleaning coordination
Suppression service and hood cleaning are two different jobs that both need the kitchen down. We schedule them into the same window so you close once.
Appliance change review
Swapped a range for a fryer? The system almost certainly needs re-engineering. We catch it during service instead of during an inspection.
Service schedule
What the code asks of you, and how often.
| Interval | Work performed | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-annual | System inspection, nozzle check, fusible link replacement | NFPA 17A · Title 19 |
| 12 years | Agent cylinder hydrostatic test | NFPA 17A |
Intervals follow NFPA 10, NFPA 17A and California Title 19. Your local authority having jurisdiction can require more frequent service — in Alameda County we confirm with the fire district before we quote.
Common findings
What gets written up, in our experience.
Almost none of these are equipment failures. They are dates, positions and paperwork — which is exactly why tracking them is the service.
Appliances moved, nozzles did not
The most expensive finding, because fixing it means re-piping. Any time the cook line changes, the coverage has to be re-checked.
Fusible links past their interval
Greased-up links are slow links. Inspectors check the date on them.
No Class K extinguisher nearby
The hood system is not a substitute. A Class K portable unit is required in the kitchen as well.
Gas shut-off not tested
The system has to cut fuel to the appliances when it discharges. If that linkage has never been tested, it is a finding — and a real hazard.
Questions
What people ask us about this.
How often does a kitchen hood suppression system need to be serviced?
Semi-annually — every six months — by a licensed company, which is what NFPA 17A and California Title 19 require for commercial cooking suppression. That service covers the cylinder, the piping, the nozzles, the detection line, the fusible links and the fuel shut-off.
What is a fusible link and why does it get replaced?
It is a small metal link in the detection line above the cook line, designed to melt at a set temperature and release the system. It sits in grease and heat all day, and grease buildup slows it down. Because you cannot tell a slow link from a good one by looking, they get replaced on schedule rather than inspected and left in place.
Is hood cleaning the same as hood suppression service?
No, and confusing the two is common. Hood cleaning removes grease from the hood, filters and duct. Suppression service tests and certifies the fire system installed inside that hood. You need both, on different schedules, and the cleaning company is usually not licensed to do the suppression work. We coordinate them into one closure window.
We moved a fryer. Does that affect the system?
Almost certainly. Every nozzle is aimed at a specific appliance from a specific distance. Move the appliance and the nozzle is now aiming at empty stainless steel. Wok ranges change the picture too. Any change to the cook line — new equipment, different equipment, or just a different position — means the coverage has to be re-checked and often re-piped.
What happens if the system discharges?
Call us and we will come out. The cylinder has to be recharged, the nozzles and piping cleaned, the fusible links replaced and the whole system re-certified before you can cook again. We answer the line 24/7 specifically because a discharge closes a kitchen until it is fixed.
Coverage
On the ground across the East Bay.
Same-week scheduling in these cities. The rest of the Bay Area by request.
Also on the same visit
One technician, one invoice.
Fire Extinguisher Service
NFPA 10 · TITLE 19ANNUAL
Inspection, certification tagging, recharge, and 6-year maintenance. Class K units for commercial kitchens, hydrostatic testing on schedule, and a dated tag on every unit before we leave.
Exit & Emergency Light Testing
TITLE 19 · NFPA 101ANNUAL + MONTHLY
The 30-second monthly and 90-minute annual battery tests, documented. Most failed inspections here are a dead battery nobody checked — not a missing fixture.
Request a quote
Tell us what you have.
We walk the property, count the units and send a flat-rate quote. No commitment and no sales pressure — if your current vendor is doing fine, we will tell you that too.
Faster than a form
(510) 828-7434Answered 24/7 by our team. If your inspection is tomorrow, call — do not fill out the form.