Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Kitchen Ventilation Technician

🎯 Role Definition

The Kitchen Ventilation Technician is a skilled field-service professional responsible for inspecting, installing, maintaining, repairing and commissioning commercial kitchen ventilation systems, including exhaust hoods, grease ductwork, rooftop fans, makeup air units, and associated fire suppression systems. This role requires strong knowledge of NFPA 96, local mechanical and fire codes, sheet-metal fabrication techniques, electrical troubleshooting, and customer-facing communication. The Technician ensures restaurant ventilation systems operate safely, efficiently and in compliance with code while minimizing downtime and fire risk.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

HVAC Technician or Apprentice with experience in commercial systems
Sheet Metal Fabricator or Apprentice familiar with ductwork and hoods
Commercial Hood Cleaner or Exhaust System Service Technician

Advancement To:

Senior Kitchen Ventilation Technician / Lead Technician
Project Supervisor / Installation Manager
Estimator for commercial kitchen ventilation and exhaust systems
Facilities or Maintenance Manager for multi-unit restaurant or institutional clients

Lateral Moves:

HVAC Controls Technician (building automation for kitchens)
Fire Suppression / Life Safety Systems Specialist
Sheet Metal Design / Fabrication Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Inspect, diagnose and document mechanical, electrical and airflow issues in commercial kitchen exhaust hood systems, grease ducts and rooftop exhaust fans, producing clear written reports and compliance recommendations aligned with NFPA 96 and local code requirements.
Perform complete preventive maintenance on commercial kitchen exhaust systems, including cleaning and replacing filters, grease extractors, fan bearings, belts, drive components, motor assemblies and vibration isolation hardware to restore designed airflow and efficiency.
Install, service and commission commercial exhaust hoods, custom-fabricated grease ductwork, rooftop exhaust fans, makeup air units and silencers, ensuring proper curb mounting, flashing and weatherproofing while following manufacturer instructions and local code.
Troubleshoot and repair electrical and control components of ventilation systems, including single- and three-phase motors, starters, VFDs (variable frequency drives), limit switches, relays and wiring to restore safe and reliable operation.
Fabricate, modify and fit sheet metal components on-site for hood flanges, duct transitions, plenums and chase penetrations using industry-standard sheet metal tools and welding techniques to achieve airtight grease duct assemblies and code-compliant joints.
Test and balance exhaust and makeup air flows using anemometers, manometers and duct traverse techniques to verify designed CFM, correct backdraft conditions and ensure proper kitchen ventilation performance under load.
Service and inspect grease removal devices (GRDs), grease filters, baffle and cartridge filters, and schedule or perform grease duct cleanings to prevent buildup and reduce fire hazard while documenting actions in service logs.
Maintain, inspect and repair commercial kitchen fire suppression systems (Ansul, Pyro-Chem and similar) in coordination with certified life-safety technicians, ensuring actuators, detection tubing, manual pull stations and nozzles are functional and tagged per NFPA standards.
Provide emergency breakdown response for restaurants and commercial kitchens, rapidly diagnosing failures, isolating hazards, performing emergency repairs, and coordinating temporary ventilation or makeup air solutions to minimize operational disruption.
Prepare accurate service estimates, change orders and time/material quotes for repairs, retrofits and new hood/duct installations, communicating scope, lead time, parts and code implications to customers and project stakeholders.
Coordinate work with general contractors, electricians, plumbers, fire marshals and health department inspectors to ensure ventilation installation and repairs pass inspections and meet inter-disciplinary project milestones.
Maintain parts inventory, order replacement motors, belts, bearings, dampers, gaskets and specialty grease duct materials, and track inventory usage to reduce mean time to repair and manage customer budgets.
Record detailed service documentation in a CMMS or CRM system, including diagnostic findings, photos of installations, repair steps, parts used, and compliance verification to support warranties and regulatory auditing.
Conduct site risk assessments for confined space entry, fall hazards (rooftop work), hot work permits (welding/soldering) and electrical safety, implementing PPE, lockout/tagout and hot-work procedures to protect staff and customers.
Fabricate and install ductwork penetrations with proper firestop materials and curb-mounted protection, verifying that grease ducts maintain continuous, smooth interior surfaces and that joints are sealed per code to prevent grease migration and fire spread.
Program and troubleshoot simple HVAC control interfaces related to kitchen ventilation, such as interlocking exhaust and makeup air sequences, fan staging, and automatic shutdowns tied to fire suppression activation.
Train kitchen staff and on-site maintenance personnel on routine inspection points, filter replacement intervals, hood startup/shutdown procedures, and basic grease management to reduce service calls and extend component life.
Implement and oversee scheduled preventive maintenance contracts for multi-site clients, maintaining consistent PM intervals, service-level documentation and recurring revenue status for the service organization.
Conduct final commissioning and performance verification for new hood and duct installations, documenting airflow rates, static pressures, electrical loads and ensuring the installation meets manufacturer and code performance metrics before customer acceptance.
Manage warranty claims, manufacturer RMA processes and supplier coordination for defective parts, ensuring timely replacement and minimal impact on customer operations while maintaining professional vendor relationships.
Maintain a high standard of housekeeping at job sites, ensuring grease containment, appropriate disposal of contaminated materials, and compliance with local environmental and waste disposal regulations related to grease and solvents.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to optimize service routes, stocking strategies, installation methods and fabrication templates that reduce install time, improve compliance and increase customer satisfaction.
Provide on-site supervision and mentoring to junior technicians and apprentices, ensuring safe work practices, code-compliant fabrication techniques and quality workmanship across all assigned projects.
Monitor and report recurring failure modes or systemic design issues to the estimating and engineering teams to inform product selection, retrofit recommendations and capital improvement proposals for customers.

Secondary Functions

Support sales and operations by providing technical input for proposals, scope documents and retrofit design suggestions for commercial kitchens and institutional cafeterias.
Assist project managers with scheduling, permitting coordination and contractor punch lists to ensure timely completion of installation and maintenance projects.
Participate in factory and vendor training on new hood components, exhaust fans, grease removal technology and fire suppression products to keep skills and certifications current.
Maintain vehicle service tools, ladders and mobile fabrication equipment in serviceable condition and ensure all required PPE and safety gear are stocked and inspected regularly.
Conduct periodic safety toolbox talks and contribute to company health and safety policy updates based on field observations and incident reviews.
Collaborate with accounting and dispatch to ensure accurate invoicing, parts allocation and timely close-out of service tickets.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Deep knowledge of NFPA 96 (Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations) and ability to perform code-compliant inspections and corrective actions.
Proficient in commercial kitchen exhaust hood installation, grease duct fabrication, rooftop fan mounting and makeup air unit integration.
Electrical troubleshooting and repair for single- and three-phase motors, starters, VFDs, control relays, and field wiring associated with ventilation equipment.
Sheet metal fabrication skills including layout, cutting, forming, fastening and oxy-fuel or MIG welding for custom duct transitions and hood modifications.
Hands-on experience balancing airflow, using anemometers, manometers and smoke pencils to achieve proper exhaust-to-makeup air ratios.
Experience with commercial kitchen fire suppression systems (Ansul, Kidde, Pyro-Chem), including interfacing with hood systems and coordinating certified inspections.
Proficiency using CMMS/field service management software for logging work orders, PM schedules, parts, photos and compliance documentation.
Familiarity with rooftop curb flashing, weatherproofing and mechanical rooftop safeguarding (fall protection anchorage use) when installing rooftop ventilation equipment.
Ability to read and interpret mechanical and architectural blueprints, shop drawings, ductwork layouts and riser diagrams.
Competence with confined space entry procedures, hot-work permits, lockout/tagout and general construction site safety practices.
Basic HVAC controls knowledge, including sequencing, occupancy controls, interlocks and simple PLC or building-automation interactions for kitchen ventilation systems.
Experience estimating labor and material for hood/duct installation projects and preparing technical scopes for proposals.

Soft Skills

Strong customer-facing communication and client relations skills to explain technical issues and recommendations to restaurant managers and facilities staff in plain language.
Detail-oriented documentation habits and the ability to produce professional, audit-ready service reports with photographs and code citations.
Problem-solving mindset and methodical diagnostic approach to rapidly isolate causes in high-urgency restaurant downtime situations.
Time management and route planning skills to meet same-day service targets and multi-site preventive maintenance schedules.
Team leadership and mentoring skills to coach apprentices and junior technicians while maintaining quality and safety standards.
Adaptability to varied environments: commercial kitchens, rooftops, mechanical rooms and active restaurant operations with strict housekeeping and safety constraints.
Professionalism and client-service orientation, including maintaining clean uniforms, polite interactions and respect for customer property during on-site work.
Commitment to continuous learning and staying current with evolving codes, new exhaust technologies and manufacturer best practices.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED; demonstrated hands-on experience in commercial ventilation, HVAC, or sheet metal work may substitute.

Preferred Education:

Technical certificate or diploma in HVAC, sheet metal technology, refrigeration or mechanical systems from a trade school or community college.
Manufacturer-specific training and certifications (Ansul, kitchen hood manufacturers, VFD vendors).

Relevant Fields of Study:

HVAC / Refrigeration Technology
Sheet Metal Fabrication and Welding
Mechanical Technology / Building Systems

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–7 years of field experience servicing or installing commercial kitchen ventilation systems, exhaust hoods, grease ducts and rooftop fans.

Preferred:

5+ years of direct experience with commercial kitchen exhaust systems, NFPA 96 compliance, and on-site sheet metal fabrication.
Certifications such as NFPA 96 compliance training, OSHA 10 (or 30), confined space, and driver’s license (CDL not required but a plus).
Proven track record working with restaurant chains, institutional kitchens or foodservice contractors and managing preventive maintenance programs.