Hood Fan Repair and Exhaust Fan Installation in Kingston
Hood Fan Repair in Kingston is the diagnosis and repair of the rooftop exhaust fan that pulls smoke and grease vapour out of a commercial kitchen. Kingston Hood Cleaning checks the belts, bearings, motor and curb, fits hinge kits and rooftop grease containment, and installs new fans on a new cooking line or hood. Every job is quoted after inspection, with parts and labour itemised on a written quote that comes back within 24 hours.
Kitchen exhaust fan repair: belts, bearings, motor and curb
Most kitchen exhaust fans in Kingston are upblast fans on the roof. Four parts decide whether one keeps running.
The belt connects the motor to the fan wheel on a belt-drive unit. A slipping belt turns the wheel too slowly long before it snaps.
The bearings carry the shaft. A worn bearing shows up as a growl, then as vibration through the curb.
The motor drives everything.
The curb is the raised frame the fan sits on. It holds the fan above the roof membrane and seals the opening into the building.
The fan is not exhausting: what to check before you call
A fan that runs but does not exhaust usually has a slipping belt, a loaded wheel or a blocked path.
Smoke rolling past the front of the canopy is the first sign. From the kitchen, check that the filters are in place and clean, and listen for a squeal from the roof when the fan starts.
On the roof, a technician checks belt tension, the grease load on the fan wheel, and whether the wheel spins the right way after recent electrical work. Cleaning the wheel belongs with the full duct clean on the kitchen exhaust cleaning page.
The extractor fan does not work at all
A fan that does not start points to power, the motor or a snapped belt. Check the breaker and the switch at the hood first. If the motor hums and the wheel stays still, the bearings may have seized. If the motor spins and the wheel does not, the belt is gone. Turn the fan off at the switch and call 343-453-2343.
Hood fan repair vs replacement in Kingston
Repair makes sense while the housing, wheel and motor are sound. Replacement makes sense once two or more of them are failing.
| What the inspection finds | Repair vs replace | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Worn or slipping belt | Repair | A belt is a wear part. Swap it and set the tension. |
| Noisy bearings, shaft still true | Repair | New bearings restore the fan if the shaft is not scored. |
| Failed motor on a sound housing | Repair | A matched motor goes on the existing fan. |
| Cracked or unbalanced wheel | Replace in most cases | An unbalanced wheel keeps wrecking new bearings. |
| Rusted housing, motor and bearings all worn | Replace | Repair costs stack up past the price of a new fan. |
| New hood or bigger cooking line | Replace | The old fan was sized for a different load. |
Exhaust fan hinge kit
An exhaust fan hinge kit lets the fan tip back off the curb on a hinge, so the wheel and duct opening can be reached without unbolting the fan.
A fan without a hinge has to be unbolted and lifted off every time someone cleans the duct below it. That strains the wiring and disturbs the curb seal. With a hinge kit fitted, the fan tips back, the duct opening is exposed, and the fan goes back onto its seal afterwards.
A hinge kit is fitted to the existing curb and fan. The quote lists the kit and the labour as separate lines.
Rooftop grease containment and roof-membrane damage
Rooftop grease containment is a trap or absorbent unit around the fan base that catches grease before it reaches the roof.
An upblast fan throws some grease out with the exhaust. Without containment, that grease runs down the curb and spreads across the roof. Grease softens many roofing membranes, and a softened membrane leaks into the kitchen ceiling below.
The inspection notes any staining, pooling or soft membrane around the curb. Containment gets fitted to the fan, and absorbent pads get swapped on a schedule you set. Membrane repair stays with your roofer.
Lake-effect freeze-thaw on a Kingston flat roof
Winter off Lake Ontario brings repeated freeze-thaw cycles to Kingston roofs. Water gets under a loose curb seal, freezes and lifts it. By February, a fan can be iced to its curb, and a hinge that has not moved since fall may not open.
A fall inspection checks the curb seal, the hinge and the drain on the containment unit before the cold sets in.
Exhaust fan installation on a new line or a new hood
Exhaust fan installation comes with a new hood, a bigger cooking line, or a fan too far gone to repair.
A fan sized for a small fryer line cannot keep up once a charbroiler goes in. The free walk-through looks at the hood, the duct size and the curb before a fan is chosen. Installation covers setting the fan on the curb, fitting a hinge kit and grease containment, and checking the fan runs in the right direction. Hood work is on the hood cleaning services page.
Best exhaust fan repair in Kingston for a plaza or a leased unit: who pays
Your lease decides who pays for the fan, and the fan on a shared riser usually belongs to the building.
A single tenant with its own fan often carries the repair under the lease. In a plaza where several kitchens exhaust through one riser, the fan serves all of them, so plaza management usually owns it.
The written quote can go to the landlord, the property manager or the tenant, whoever holds the repair. Proof of WSIB coverage and liability insurance arrives before anyone goes on the roof. Landlords with tenants in several towns can find the segment on who we serve, and the question of tenant or landlord responsibility under the standard is on the NFPA 96 page.
How much does exhaust fan repair cost in Kingston in 2026?
Exhaust fan repair in Kingston is quoted per job after inspection, with parts and labour itemised. The written quote comes back within 24 hours.
The quote lists each part, the labour, and any hinge kit or containment unit as separate lines. You approve it before parts are ordered.
Next step: call 343-453-2343 or request an inspection. Say whether the fan runs, what sound it makes, and who holds the roof key. The other services are on the services page.
Hood fan repair: frequently asked questions
Why is my kitchen exhaust fan squealing when it starts?
A squeal at start-up usually means a loose or glazed belt slipping on the pulley. A belt swap and tension check fixes it.
Can I keep cooking if the exhaust fan stops?
A hood with a stopped fan does not remove smoke or grease vapour from the kitchen. Turn off the cooking under the hood and call 343-453-2343.
Does every rooftop fan need a hinge kit?
A hinge kit is worth fitting on any upblast fan that sits over a duct that gets cleaned.
What causes the soft spot on the roof around my exhaust fan?
A soft spot around the fan is usually grease that has run off the curb and softened the membrane. Rooftop grease containment stops more grease reaching it, and your roofer repairs the damaged area.
Who replaces the exhaust fan in a leased restaurant?
The lease decides. A fan serving only your kitchen often falls to you. A fan serving a shared riser usually falls to the landlord. The quote can go to either party.