Editor Notes · Verification Log
NFPA 96 Explained, Section by Section
Source article: read in Fire Safety
Verified by: Arthur Haggerty, Founding Editor (IKECA CECS)
Verification date: October 5, 2026 (partial; see table)
Last updated: October 22, 2026
Verification scope
Guide published October 22, 2026. The inspection intervals, the grease-depth thresholds and the Chapter 12 reference were checked against the primary-source citations in How Often Must a Commercial Kitchen Exhaust System Be Cleaned?, verified October 5, 2026. The remaining claims are marked below as not verified by the editor. Other section headings carry no chapter number because those numbers were not verified.
Primary sources consulted
| Claim | Primary source | Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection frequency by cooking type: solid fuel monthly, high-volume quarterly, moderate-volume semi-annually, low-volume annually. | NFPA 96, 2024 edition, Table 12.4. | Verified Oct 5, 2026 (see linked article) |
| Cleaning triggered at 2,000 microns on a surface and 3,175 microns in a fan housing; cleaned to a maximum residual of 50 microns. | NFPA 96, 2024 edition, §§12.6.1.1.3, 12.6.1.1.4 and 12.6.1.1.1. | Verified Oct 5, 2026 (see linked article) |
| Chapter 12 as the inspection and cleaning chapter (the only chapter number kept in a heading). | NFPA 96, 2024 edition, Table 12.4 and §12.6. | Verified Oct 5, 2026 (see linked article) |
| Scope: commercial cooking operations producing grease-laden vapors, including the listed occupancy examples; residential kitchens excluded. | NFPA 96. | Not verified by editor |
| General requirements: grease-producing equipment under a hood, vapors exhausted outside. | NFPA 96. | Not verified by editor |
| Hoods, grease removal devices (baffle filters, not mesh), and duct construction, clearance to combustibles and access openings. | NFPA 96. | Not verified by editor |
| Exhaust fan access, hinging for cleaning, discharge clearances and grease containment at termination. | NFPA 96. | Not verified by editor |
| Listed fire-extinguishing system over grease-producing equipment, inspected and serviced at least every six months, tested after appliance changes, fuel and power shutoff on discharge. | NFPA 96 and NFPA 17A, Standard for Wet Chemical Extinguishing Systems. | Not verified by editor |
| Cleaning scope (hood, filters, plenum, duct, fan, termination); trained, qualified and certified personnel; report left with the owner showing areas not cleaned; label showing date and company name. | NFPA 96. | Not verified by editor |
Corrections to the draft
The draft described 3,175 microns as a system-wide critical level at which the system should not be run. NFPA 96 §12.6.1.1.4 sets 3,175 microns as the cleaning trigger for a fan housing. The published text states it that way. The draft’s chapter numbers for general requirements, hoods, grease removal, ducts, fans and fire-extinguishing equipment were removed from the headings pending verification.
AI assistance disclosure
The initial draft of this article was generated with AI assistance — specifically, large-language-model tools used as a writing aid. The claims marked verified above were checked against primary sources by the named editor (Arthur Haggerty). Claims marked not verified by editor have not yet been checked against the standard and will be updated here when they are. The editor is responsible for the published article.
See our editorial standards for the full primary-source verification policy. To submit a correction: editor@getstovio.com.