When your hood system stops pulling the way it should, the whole kitchen can suffer: smoke hangs over the line, heat builds fast, grease creeps onto nearby surfaces, and the smell drifts into the dining room. Boer Brothers Restaurant Services handles commercial hood repair for restaurants across Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, so a struggling exhaust system doesn’t turn into a shutdown during your dinner rush.
We’re family owned since 2007 and built around the realities of restaurant operations. Request an appointment or call 919-336-0271 and we’ll get your kitchen back to clean, controlled airflow.
Why a working hood system matters in a commercial kitchen
A commercial range hood isn’t just nice to have. It’s a frontline system that keeps your kitchen running and your operation compliant. A hood that captures and exhausts properly will:
- Pull smoke, heat, and airborne grease away from the cook line
- Keep the kitchen more comfortable and workable during a rush
- Reduce grease accumulation that becomes a fire and safety risk over time
- Prevent dining-room odor problems that hurt the guest experience
When the hood falls behind, you feel it quickly. Smokier air, hotter temperatures near the line, and more residue on the walls and equipment around it.
Signs your commercial hood needs repair
Most restaurant hood repair calls start with one of the symptoms below. Catching them at the early-warning stage is the difference between a scheduled service visit and an emergency in the middle of service. Watch for:
- A smokier kitchen than usual, where capture seems weak or inconsistent
- Grease buildup showing up on nearby walls, ceilings, or surfaces
- The dining room starting to smell like the kitchen
- Louder fan noise, rattling, or vibration from the rooftop unit
- Weak suction or poor airflow along the hood line
- Lights not working, the hood not powering on, or controls acting up
- Staff complaining about heat and airflow, which can point to make-up air problems
If you’re seeing any of these issues, get the system inspected before it fails. Once the hood is down, your line may not be allowed to run.
What our commercial hood repair covers
Every kitchen is set up differently, but these are the kitchen hood repair and exhaust issues we handle most often.
Range hood and ventilation repairs
We fix poor ventilation, fan and lighting failures, unusual noise, weak suction, and power or control problems on commercial range hoods.
Exhaust and supply fans
When the rooftop fan struggles or a belt slips, airflow drops fast. We service commercial kitchen exhaust and supply fans, including belt replacement, motor swaps, bearing service, and general fan repair.
Electrical controls and system troubleshooting
Hood systems rely on controls and interlocks that have to work together. We troubleshoot electrical control faults and get the system operating the way it was designed to.
Specialty ventilation components
Some kitchens run pollution control units or water-wash systems. We service and integrate these components where your setup uses them.
How much does commercial hood repair cost in the Triangle?
Commercial hood repair pricing depends on what failed, how the unit is accessed, and the size of your system, so the only accurate number comes from an on-site diagnosis. That said, restaurant owners want a ballpark before they call, so here is a realistic range for the Triangle market:
- Service call / diagnostic: roughly $75 to $150 to get a technician on site and identify the problem
- Labor: about $60 to $175 per hour depending on the complexity of the repair
- Minor repairs (belt replacement, minor electrical, adjustments): around $250 to $500
- Fan, motor, or bearing work: roughly $400 to $900
- Exhaust fan motor replacement: about $600 to $1,500, higher for larger horsepower units
- Full rooftop fan assembly replacement: $1,500 to $4,000 or more, depending on size and roof access
- Electrical and control repairs: $300 for a simple fault up to $2,000 for control or panel work
Treat these as planning numbers, not a quote. Before any work starts, Boer Brothers gives you a clear explanation of the problem and a written estimate, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Brands we work with
Our technicians are factory-trained and certified across a wide range of commercial hood brands, including Captive-Aire, Greenheck, Ventilation Direct, and Hood Mart, among others. If you’re not sure what brand you’re running, that’s fine. We can identify it and recommend the best next step.
How our hood repair service works
Restaurant owners and managers can’t afford to wait, so we keep the process simple and fast:
- We show up ready to diagnose quickly.
- You get a clear explanation of what’s wrong and what the fix involves.
- We provide upfront pricing and a written estimate before any work begins.
- We keep common parts on hand to aim for a single-visit repair.
- We clean up and leave your kitchen ready to get back to service.
We also call ahead, so you’re not guessing about when we’ll arrive.
Repair vs. replacement: when an upgrade makes sense
Sometimes the repair is straightforward. Other times the same fix keeps coming back and you’re paying for downtime again and again. If your hood system is chronically underperforming, inconsistent during peak volume, or patched together from years of past fixes, we’ll walk you through upgrade options. We handle system planning, custom installs, and full ventilation improvements when you’re building a new kitchen or reworking an existing one.
Hood cleaning, maintenance, and NFPA 96 compliance
A large share of hood failures trace back to maintenance slipping while the kitchen stays busy. Regular cleaning and service helps you reduce grease buildup, improve airflow and efficiency, extend component life, and stay ready for safety and fire inspections.
How often should a commercial hood system be cleaned?
Cleaning frequency depends on your cooking type and volume, and your local authority having jurisdiction (the fire marshal or inspector) has the final say. Many Triangle kitchens follow a schedule aligned with NFPA 96, the standard for ventilation control and fire protection in commercial cooking operations. A commonly referenced guideline:
- Monthly: solid-fuel cooking (wood or charcoal)
- Quarterly: high-volume cooking with a heavy grease load or frequent charbroiling
- Semiannually: moderate-volume kitchens
- Annually: low-volume or seasonal operations
Always confirm what your local inspector expects. We can recommend a plan based on your equipment and usage, and we offer commercial kitchen maintenance agreements that keep you ahead of breakdowns instead of reacting to them.
Service area: the Triangle and surrounding communities
Boer Brothers Restaurant Services supports restaurants throughout the Triangle from our Chapel Hill location, including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Cary, Apex, Hillsborough, and Pittsboro, plus surrounding areas as needed. Not sure whether you’re in range? Call us and we’ll confirm quickly.
Frequently asked questions
How much does commercial hood repair cost?
It depends on the failure and your system, but most Triangle repairs range from about $250 for minor work to $1,500 or more for fan or motor replacement. Boer Brothers provides a written estimate after diagnosing the problem, so you approve the cost before work starts.
How fast can you respond to a broken hood?
If a hood issue is shutting down your cook line, we treat it as urgent. We work to respond quickly and call ahead so you’re not left guessing on timing.
Do you offer commercial hood repair near me in the Triangle?
Yes. We provide commercial kitchen hood repair across Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, Apex, Carrboro, Hillsborough, Pittsboro, and surrounding communities from our Chapel Hill base.
Why does my dining room smell like the kitchen?
That’s usually a ventilation performance issue. We inspect airflow, fan function, and the broader system to find what’s causing the odor to migrate into the dining area.
Do you stock parts for hood repairs?
Yes. We keep common replacement parts on hand and aim to complete many repairs in a single visit to cut down your downtime.
Do you service ventilation beyond the hood itself?
We do. Hood performance often depends on the full ventilation setup, including commercial cooking equipment and make-up air, so we can support broader ventilation service when it’s needed.
Get your hood working like it should
If your kitchen is running hotter, smokier, or smellier than it should, don’t wait for a Friday-night breakdown. Request an appointment or call 919-336-0271 to schedule commercial hood repair, installation, or maintenance in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and across the Triangle.