Hood and Fire Suppression System

Hood and Fire Suppression System is the combined exhaust hood (Type I for grease-laden vapors, Type II for steam) and automatic fire suppression system (typically ANSUL or equivalent wet-chemical suppression) required by NFPA 96 and local fire codes for any commercial kitchen producing hot food.

In a ghost kitchen buildout, the hood and suppression system is almost always the single largest equipment line item, typically running $25,000 to $60,000 installed depending on hood length, grease load, and metro. A small kitchen with a single fryer and griddle might require an 8-foot hood ($25K range); a multi-brand kitchen with multiple cooking stations and a wok line might require a 16-foot hood with multiple fire suppression zones ($55K+ range).

The buildout includes the hood itself, the rooftop exhaust fan, the rooftop makeup-air unit (which replaces the air being exhausted, required in most metros), the ductwork to code (NFPA 96 specifies welded seams and specific clearances), and the suppression system with its nozzles, piping, manual pull station, and tie-ins to the gas valves and electrical.

For financing, hood and suppression systems are textbook equipment-loan collateral — fixed, identifiable, installed, with documented useful life of 15-20 years. Equipment lenders fund them readily, often at the most favorable rates of any line item in the buildout. First-time operators sometimes try to skip the proper hood (it's a major cost) — that path leads to failed health-department inspections and far more expensive remediation later.