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Kitchen Exhaust Training
Common Questions
Q: Will this class be available online?
A: Not at this time. This is a hands-on, in-person course by design. Face-to-face coaching lets us demo techniques, answer questions in depth, and confirm each student truly understands the nuts-and-bolts—things like shutting down pilots, draping/containment, safe fan flips, and LOTO. That back-and-forth is essential for safety and quality, and it’s hard to replicate on video.
Q: Is the class hands-on?
A : Yes. This training is 100% hands-on. We supply everything you’ll need: pressure washer, sprayers/foamers, applicators, scrapers, clamps, buckets, degreasers, and PPE. Training happens on a fully assembled commercial exhaust system—hood, plenum, ductwork, and upblast fan—plus a UL-300 kitchen fire-suppression system (e.g., Ansul) in a controlled wash area. You’ll practice shutdown and verification, draping/containment and water control, filter removal and soak-tank cleaning, smart chemical application and dwell, duct and fan cleaning (including safe flips), thorough rinse, cleanup, and return-to-service procedures. We also plan optional evening site walk-throughs at local kitchens to practice inspections and evaluations; subject to permission and scheduling.
Q: What support do I get after the class?
A : You will have ongoing access to a private PWNA Kitchen Exhaust Training
Enterprise Facebook Group, moderated by the PWNA KEC Committee and the PWNA Safety Advocate Group. You will be able to post questions, photos, or job scenarios and get practical answers from instructors, enterprise members, seasoned technicians, and vetted vendor partners. We coordinate across these groups to route specialized questions to the right subject-matter experts, so you get clear, trusted guidance and an open professional discussion space tailored to this industry which will give you an advantage from any other classes.
Q: I’ve already been cleaning hoods. Do I really need this class—and will I learn anything new?
A : Yes. Even experienced techs pick up meaningful gains here. After 40 years in this industry, I’m still refining techniques and workflows. This course focuses on the small things that compound into big results—smarter draping and containment, faster pre-scrape and chemical dwell, safer fan flips, cleaner rinses, and tighter cleanup/return-to-service. We also dig into documenting deficiencies and stickers the right way, plus repeatable SOPs and checklists you can use to train crews. If you’re running solo or with a couple crews, we’ll show you how to turn personal know-how into systems that scale—quality control, scheduling, pricing and job costing basics, and field leadership—so the work gets done right without you standing over every job. You’ll work hands-on with a live system and leave with practical, immediately usable upgrades to your process. As a quick example: in a recent class in Mexico, one attendee wasn’t even in kitchen exhaust—yet he applied the operations, safety, and workflow lessons to his own business with great results. If you think you’ve seen it all, this class is designed to sharpen what you do, remove bad habits, and open up the next level.
Q: Is the class really worth $4,500?
A : Yes. Break it down and the value is clear: $4,500 ÷ 35 hours ≈ $128.57 per hour (about 32 hours of intensive class/lab time plus ~3 hours of dinner Q&A). For that, you get four days of hands-on mentorship distilled from 40+ years in the field—live system work, proven SOPs, and practical shortcuts that immediately improve speed, safety, and finish quality. Most two-person crews bill well above $128/hour combined, so even modest efficiency gains, a single avoided callback, or one additional recurring account can offset the tuition quickly. Plus, your support doesn’t end on day four: you’ll have access to the PW&A enterprise network and alumni group for ongoing answers, resources, and coaching.
Q: How long will you be offering this class?
A : I’m committed to running this program in partnership with Mike Draper’s Safety Advocate Training Facility and the PW&A Enterprise Program for at least the next couple of years, health and schedule permitting. Our plan is to hold monthly classes, with the option to add a second session each month if demand warrants. The course is currently a four-day format; we may expand to five days if additional hands-on time benefits the group. We’re also exploring an optional fifth “community” day—networking, informal shop talk, and (weather allowing) a casual golf day for those who want it. Beyond the class week, you’ll be part of a continuing PW&A community where alumni, Safety Advocates, and instructors trade answers, resources, and support as the industry evolves.
Q: What kind of guarantee do I have that I’ll be successful in this business?
A : There are no true guarantees in business—markets, execution, and local conditions all matter. What I doguarantee is a complete, working playbook and continued support: four days of intensive, hands-on training on a live system; clear SOPs, checklists, and documentation standards; practical pricing and job-costing fundamentals; and proven workflows for safety, quality, and speed.
Your success comes from applying that playbook consistently—but you won’t be doing it alone. After class you’ll have access to the PW&A community and alumni support channels for real-world Q&A and coaching. And if you feel you didn’t fully absorb the material, you’re welcome to attend the four-day course again to reinforce what you learned (by advance arrangement, space permitting). Our commitment is to equip you with the skills, systems, and ongoing guidance you need to grow a safe, compliant, and profitable operation.
Q: There are lots of hood-cleaning classes. You’re the new kid—how do you compare?
A : We respect the other programs out there; they’ve each carved out a lane. Here’s how this course is different:
• Depth of field experience: The curriculum is built from 40+ years operating and scaling one of the industry’s largest providers—what we teach are the systems, SOPs, and controls that actually work in the field at scale.
• Standards-driven: Instruction is aligned to NFPA 96 and taught by an instructor who actively participates in the standard’s committee work—something that’s still uncommon among training programs.
• Mission over margin: Your certification pathway runs through the PWNA nonprofit model—education and industry uplift first, not “pay-and-pass.”
• Founder-led, every session: You’re taught by the person with the track record—no hand-offs to junior substitutes.
• Business outcomes, not just technique: Yes, you’ll learn safer, faster cleaning methods—but we also cover pricing, job costing, QA checks, photos/docs for AHJs, scheduling, crew training, and growth playbooks so you can build a reliable operation (not just a skill set).
• Hands-on labs + real-world context: Live, fully assembled system in a controlled wash bay, optional evening site walk-throughs, and a repeatable end-to-end workflow you can take home on day one.
• Ongoing community support: After class you plug into the PW&A network and alumni channels for real answers on real jobs.
Bottom line: if you want more than a techniques seminar—if you want a complete operating system for a safe, compliant, profitable exhaust-cleaning business—this class is built for that.
Q: What is the NFPA Certification Test like that PWNA gives out for certification?
A: Over the years, the certification test has evolved quite a bit. In the early versions, many of the questions were vague or, quite honestly, even a bit silly. They didn’t really serve the true purpose of a certification program.
The intent of the PWNA certification program is clear: to make sure the person taking the test is well-versed in the code requirements and essential information needed to properly meet the standards outlined in NFPA 96.
I’m glad to say that the most recent version of the test — for the last several years — has stayed true to that mission. The questions now focus only on NFPA 96. If you read the document, study the codes, and learn the clearance requirements, you’ll understand exactly what’s necessary to meet the standards for an exhaust system. That knowledge will prepare you to pass the certification test and earn the PWNA nonprofit certification
Who do you want to learn from?
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