Pollution Control Unit (PCU) Cleaning & Repair
Protect your air quality compliance and your roof with NFPA 96-compliant* PCU cleaning, filter exchange, bulb replacement, and fan service for commercial kitchens across Texas and surrounding states.
What a Pollution Control Unit Does
— And Why It Matters
A Pollution Control Unit sits downstream of the exhaust fan, between the grease duct and the rooftop discharge. Its job is to capture the grease aerosols, smoke particles, and odor compounds that a standard kitchen hood and exhaust system cannot remove on its own — so the air leaving the roof meets municipal air quality standards.
Many cities across the Southwest require a PCU when a commercial kitchen exhausts near residential, mixed-use, or sensitive air zones. Dallas, Houston, Austin, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa all have local air quality provisions that interact with NFPA 96, 2024 Edition Section 11.4 (air pollution control devices) and IMC 506.3.4 (emission control equipment). When a PCU is installed, the operator becomes responsible for keeping it functioning at the manufacturer’s specifications — per NFPA 96, Section 11.4.1.
A clogged PCU stops doing its job. Grease and smoke return to the air. Neighbors complain. Building owners get cited. And the operator carries the liability.
Facilitec Southwest’s Phil Ackland Certified Technicians handle the cleaning and maintenance side of PCU service — the routine work the manufacturer expects the operator to keep up with between certified-technician visits. From Cooktop to Rooftop, every link in the exhaust system is documented and accounted for.
When NFPA 96 Requires PCU Service
NFPA 96, 2024 Edition treats Pollution Control Units as part of the listed exhaust system. Three sections of the standard determine when cleaning is required:
Section 11.4
Air pollution control devices shall be maintained to manufacturer's instructions. This makes the manufacturer service interval — not a generic calendar — the legal baseline.
SECTION 11.6.13
Air pollution control devices shall be inspected and cleaned at the frequency required by Table 12.4 — tied to the cooking volume of the kitchen below.
IMC 506.3.4
International Mechanical Code: emission control equipment installed in the exhaust system shall be approved and maintained per the manufacturer's listing.
Our Phil Ackland Certified Technicians inspect the PCU at every hood cleaning visit, clean to the surfaces we are qualified to clean, exchange filters, replace broken PCU bulbs and globes, and flag any electrical or electronic issue for the manufacturer’s certified technician to follow up on.
What's In Scope — And What Goes Back to the Manufacturer
Facilitec Southwest is honest about the line between routine PCU service and certified manufacturer repair. The maintenance side — cleaning, filter exchange, bulb replacement, fan repair, access panels — is our daily work. The in-depth electrical and electronic repair side is reserved for the manufacturer’s certified technician because warranty terms, training requirements, and proprietary parts all sit with the manufacturer.
- Ionizer rod replacement and alignment
- ESP cell replacement (vs. external washing)
- High-voltage power supply repair or replacement
- Control board replacement, firmware, and reset work
- UV ballast diagnosis and replacement
- Auto-wash system electrical, solenoid, or pump repair
- kV calibration and adjustment
- Manufacturer warranty work of any kind
- Total unit replacement
- Any work requiring manufacturer-specific training or proprietary parts
- PCU cleaning to bare metal at every surface we are qualified to clean
- Pre-filter and mesh filter exchange
- HEPA and polishing-stage filter exchange
- External ESP cell removal and washing
- PCU bulb and globe replacement (separate from hood bulbs)
- Carbon bed inspection and exchange
- Grease drain and scupper service
- Access panel installation on the duct and PCU housing
- Fan repair and full fan replacement on the PCU exhaust fan
- Hood filter replacement (delivered alongside PCU service)
If the inspection finds a deficiency on the manufacturer’s side of the line, we document it in the written report, photograph it, and forward the file so the operator can route the work to the manufacturer’s certified technician without delay. That’s the cleanest path for warranty preservation, certification compliance, and operator peace of mind.
Field Note — Why the Scope Line Exists
Manufacturers train and certify their own service technicians on the specific electronics inside each PCU model. Performing in-depth electrical repair without that certification voids the manufacturer's warranty, creates liability exposure, and risks damaging components that are expensive to replace. Facilitec Southwest holds the cleaning and maintenance line, and lets the manufacturer hold the electronics line. That's the responsible boundary — and the one that keeps operators covered.
Protect Your Business With Regular Exhaust Hood Cleaning
Kitchen hood cleaning helps reduce fire risk, support inspections, and keep commercial kitchens operating safely. Facilitec Southwest provides NFPA 96-compliant kitchen hood cleaning and kitchen exhaust cleaning for restaurants, hospitals, hotels, schools, and other commercial facilities across our service areas.
Serving Kitchens of Every Industry
If your facility isn’t listed, we likely still serve it—contact us.
Why Choose Facilitec Southwest for Hood Cleaning?
Facilitec Southwest provides professional kitchen hood cleaning, detailed documentation, and flexible scheduling to help commercial kitchens stay compliant and inspection-ready.
- NFPA 96-Compliant Service* – Every cleaning is completed to support fire safety standards and inspection readiness.
- Fire Risk Reduction – Remove hazardous grease buildup before it becomes a safety issue.
- Comprehensive Cleaning – Hoods, ducts, filters, and fans cleaned as part of a full exhaust system service.
- Certified Technicians – Trained professionals using industry-approved cleaning methods and documentation practices.
- Flexible Scheduling – After-hours, overnight, and coordinated service options to reduce disruption to operations.
- Detailed Documentation – Before-and-after photos and service records to help support compliance and inspections.
- Trusted Since 1986 – Serving commercial kitchens across Texas and surrounding service areas for decades.
How Often PCUs Need Service
NFPA 96 doesn’t set a cleaning schedule directly for Pollution Control Units — it sets an inspection schedule under Section 11.6.13 (tied to Table 12.4) and a cleaning trigger when the manufacturer’s specification or the inspection finds the unit out of compliance. Manufacturer recommendations vary by technology and cooking volume.
Our Phil Ackland Certified Technicians assess your unit, review the manufacturer’s spec, log the kV and lamp-hour readings, and recommend a schedule that holds the PCU within manufacturer tolerance and keeps the system Grease-Free and Fire-Safe between visits. Schedule coordination is handled through our Maintenance Program.
PCU Cleaning — What Every Visit Covers
A Facilitec Southwest PCU cleaning visit follows the manufacturer's published cleaning procedure for the unit, layered on top of the documentation chain NFPA 96 expects. Cleaned to bare metal at every collection surface we are qualified to clean.
Lockout and isolation
Electrical lockout (NFPA 96, Section 12.6.3) and isolation of the upstream exhaust system. Suppression system taken offline during the work (Section 12.6.5).
Pre-service inspection
Photograph the unit, document the condition of every removable component, and note any electrical or electronic concern to flag for the manufacturer's certified technician.
Pre-filter exchange
Replace pre-filters and mesh stages with fresh media. Pre-filter blinding is the most common cause of PCU underperformance and the most common item missed on shortcut visits.
ESP cell external washing
Where the unit's manufacturer cleaning procedure permits external washing, remove the ESP cells and wash to bare metal with the manufacturer-approved detergent. Reinstall in original orientation.
PCU bulb and globe replacement
Replace broken PCU bulbs and globes on UV-equipped and lighted units. PCU bulbs are separate components from the bulbs inside the hood.
Carbon stage check
On units with carbon polishing, inspect the bed and recommend exchange if saturated. Carbon is non-cleanable once spent.
Grease drain service
Clear and flush the PCU grease drain and scupper. A blocked drain backs grease into the unit and onto the roof — a frequent source of citations.
Reassembly and verification
Reinstall cells and filters, restore power, and confirm the unit starts and runs. Electronic verification (kV calibration, lamp-hour reset, control board diagnostics) is the manufacturer's certified technician's responsibility.
Documentation and sticker
Apply the service sticker per NFPA 96, Section 12.6.13. Place service tags at any opened access panels (Section 12.6.10). Deliver the written report within two weeks (Section 12.6.15) with photos, work performed, and any items flagged for the manufacturer's follow-up.
Field Note — What Goes Wrong
The most common finding when Facilitec Southwest's Certified Technicians take over a PCU from a previous vendor is ESP cells that were rinsed but never actually de-greased to bare metal, leaving residual film that immediately re-fouls. The second-most-common is pre-filters that were left in place visit after visit, blinding airflow until the unit stopped pulling. Both are cleaning-side problems — not electronics — and both are inside our scope to fix.
What You Receive at the End of Every PCU Visit
Every Facilitec Southwest PCU service closes with the documentation chain NFPA 96 requires — the same file a fire marshal, an air quality inspector, and an insurance carrier all expect to see.
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Service label on the PCU — per NFPA 96, Section 12.6.13. Date of service marked by perforation, name of the Phil Ackland Certified Technician who performed the work, and Facilitec Southwest's contact information. Stays on the unit until the next service. -
Service tags at every opened access panel — per Section 12.6.10. Small tags preprinted with the company name and dated, placed near every panel opened during the cleaning. -
Before-and-after photographs of the ESP cells, UV chamber, pre-filters, and grease drain. Filed alongside the written report. -
Items flagged for the manufacturer's certified technician - written and photographed when found. Includes any electrical, electronic, or proprietary-component concern so the operator can route the work to the right technician without delay. -
Written cleaning report - per Section 12.6.15. Delivered to the equipment owner within two weeks of the visit. Includes date, named technician, areas serviced, parts exchanged, and recommendations for the next visit.
The complete chain — sticker, tags, photos, written report, and any manufacturer-side flags — gives operators peace of mind when an inspection lands without notice. For the standards behind each requirement, see button below.
Always NFPA 96 Compliant*
Every service includes documentation and cleaning practices designed to support NFPA 96 compliance and inspection readiness. We’re proud members of the NFPA, Texas Restaurant Association, and Restaurant Facility Management Association.
Trusted By Major Brands
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Pollution Control Unit?
A Pollution Control Unit (PCU) is air pollution control equipment installed downstream of the exhaust fan in a commercial kitchen exhaust system. Its job is to capture grease aerosols, smoke particles, and odor compounds before the air discharges from the roof. Common types include Electrostatic Precipitators (ESP), UV-ozone systems, hybrid multi-stage units, and carbon polishing stages. NFPA 96, 2024 Edition, Section 11.4, covers their maintenance requirements.