Converting a non-food space into a kitchen
A first-generation kitchen needs every piece of the exhaust system, from structural support for the hood to a curb on the roof. We plan it with the rest of the build-out.
Serving Lake Zurich & nearby Palatine, Buffalo Grove
Commercial Kitchen Hood Installation in Lake Zurich, IL
Type I and Type II exhaust hoods, grease duct, exhaust fans and makeup air installed for restaurants and food-service kitchens in Lake Zurich.
- Commercial kitchens across Lake Zurich ZIP 60047
- Nights, early mornings and closed days
- Coordination with the fire and health inspectors
Hood and ventilation problems we solve for Lake Zurich kitchens
Opening a new restaurant, swapping a cook line or failing an inspection on an old hood all land on the same question: what ventilation does this kitchen need? Our crews size, permit and install Type I and Type II hoods in Lake Zurich, with duct, fan and makeup air sized to the equipment underneath.
Adding a fryer or charbroiler under the wrong hood
Menu changes bring new appliances, and the hood has to keep up. We measure coverage, recalculate exhaust and coordinate new suppression nozzles for the added equipment.
Doors whistle and the kitchen is under heavy negative pressure
If the back door is hard to open or the front door whistles, the exhaust is pulling more air out than the building can replace. A properly sized makeup air unit corrects it.
Landlord or property manager requirements
Property managers often need roof work, curb details and contractor insurance in hand before a hood goes in. We prepare that paperwork alongside the permit set.
Inspector flagged the hood or duct
A failed fire or mechanical inspection usually comes with a list: clearances, a duct joint, a missing access panel, a fan without a hinge kit. We work through the write-up item by item and get it reinspected.
Grease odor reaching neighbors
When cooking smell bothers next-door tenants, we look at where and how the exhaust leaves the building and propose a better arrangement.
School, church or daycare kitchen upgrade
Community kitchens change use over the years. We review the equipment, the existing hood and the code requirements and recommend the right system.
Exhaust fan noisy, slipping or dead
Fans wear out from grease and heat. We assess whether a motor and belt will do or whether a new fan is the sensible move.
Scope of work
- System design and sizingWe size the canopy, airflow, fan and replacement air to match the appliances underneath.
- Permit drawings and plan reviewWe prepare the permit set and answer plan review comments from the building and fire officials.
- Grease duct installationWelded, liquid-tight grease duct with cleanout access, sloped toward the hood and kept clear of combustibles.
- Makeup airReplacement air sized to the exhaust so the kitchen stays near neutral pressure.
- Fire suppression coordinationThe suppression system is installed and certified by a licensed suppression contractor; we build the hood to suit it.
- Start-up and airflow checkFans and makeup air started, balanced and checked so the hood captures smoke at full cooking.
- Inspections and closeoutWe meet the mechanical and fire inspectors and close out the permit.
Systems and components
Baffle filtersRemovable baffle filters that slide out for washing; mesh filters are not accepted on grease hoods.
Type I hoodRequired over cooking that makes grease-laden vapor; it connects to a welded grease duct.
Type II hoodA heat and condensate hood for dish machines, steamers and ovens that don't produce grease.
Stainless and galvanized constructionExposed hoods are usually stainless steel; concealed parts may be galvanized where the standard allows.
Wall canopy and island hoodsThe layout decides the shape: wall-mounted over a line against a wall, double island over back-to-back equipment.
Kitchens like yours in Lake Zurich: before and after
Before
Installed
DetailLake Zurich kitchen, cafe kitchen: commercial kitchen hood installation
This one is a cafe kitchen in Lake Zurich. The reason for the call: an exhaust system that had been written up at inspection. After: a new stainless type I exhaust hood with fire suppression nozzles over the cook line. On site this meant system design and sizing, grease duct installation, plus makeup air.
Before
AfterCommercial Kitchen Hood Installation in a bakery kitchen, Palatine
A bakery kitchen in Palatine, a typical kitchen for Palatine. The reason for the call: an exhaust system that had been written up at inspection. The result: a new stainless type I exhaust hood with fire suppression nozzles over the cook line. Work included system design and sizing, grease duct installation, plus inspections and closeout.
Commercial Kitchen Hood Installation in Palatine →
Before
AfterLake Zurich kitchen, restaurant kitchen: commercial hood cleaning
What changed: the same hood degreased to bare stainless with an inspection sticker area.
Commercial Hood Cleaning in Lake Zurich →
Before
AfterLake Zurich kitchen, restaurant kitchen: grease trap installation & cleaning
What changed: the same interceptor pumped and the lid closed, service hose coiled on the truck.
Grease Trap Installation & Cleaning in Lake Zurich →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Lake Zurich
Finished: cabinets in deep olive with unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, a white 3x12 tile in a stacked pattern backsplash, gray wood-look porcelain plank flooring and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights.
Kitchen Remodeling in Lake Zurich →Scheduling around service
- Call with your equipment listSend the equipment schedule, floor plan or a few photos of the line and the roof.
- Site surveyWe walk the kitchen, ceiling space and roof to plan the duct route and fan location.
- Written proposal and permitsYou get a written, itemized proposal, then we prepare the drawings and file for permits.
- InstallationHood, duct, fan and makeup air go in, often scheduled around your build-out or off-hours.
- Testing and inspectionThe system is started, balanced and inspected, and you get the closeout paperwork.
Commercial Kitchen Hood Installation questions from Lake Zurich businesses
What type of contractor installs a commercial kitchen hood?
You need a crew that does commercial kitchen ventilation, not a residential range hood installer. That's our work; the suppression system is installed by a licensed suppression contractor.
Do I need a permit to install a restaurant hood?
Always. We prepare the drawings, file the mechanical permit and handle plan review comments from the building and fire officials.
What code does a commercial hood have to meet?
NFPA 96 is the standard for commercial cooking ventilation, adopted alongside the mechanical code your village enforces. It covers hoods, grease duct, clearances, fans and suppression.
Do I need a hood for my equipment?
It depends on what the appliance produces. Fryers, griddles and charbroilers need a Type I hood; some countertop and ventless units are listed to run without one.
What is the difference between a Type I and Type II hood?
Grease decides it. Equipment that makes grease-laden vapor needs a Type I hood; equipment that only gives off heat or moisture usually gets a Type II.
Do I need a Lake Zurich-registered contractor for hood installation?
All contractors and subcontractors must register with the Village before work: form, $120 annual fee (Illinois-licensed plumbers exempt), signed $10,000 surety bond. Village pages show differing fee amounts ($110/$120/$125). We take care of that before work starts.
Who inspects kitchen hoods and fire safety in Lake Zurich?
Fire Prevention Bureau, 1075 N. We schedule the inspection and have the paperwork ready.
Does hood installation need a Lake Zurich building permit, and who files it?
Permits go through Building and Zoning Division (Community Services Department), phone 847-540-1696. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do you work in my part of Lake Zurich?
Yes. Our crews work across Lake Zurich — ZIP 60047 — and nearby Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights.
Working in Lake Zurich
- Kitchens in Lake Zurich keep cooking as long as possible: we schedule the noisy work for off-hours.
- Permits, plan review and inspections go through Building and Zoning Division (Community Services Department) and the fire department when the job needs them.
- Certificates of insurance, keys, roof access and landlord sign-off are arranged ahead of the first visit.
ZIP 60047
Commercial Kitchen Hood Installation nearby
Other kitchen services in Lake Zurich
Commercial Hood CleaningHood, duct and roof fan degreased to bare metal, after hours.
Grease Trap Installation & CleaningTraps and interceptors installed, cleaned and logged for inspectors.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.