Kitchen & Bathroom Vent Cleaning

General exhaust system requirements — applies to all residential exhaust including bathroom, kitchen, and general.

Damper requirements. Fusible-link dampers in residential laundry and kitchen exhaust are no longer compliant and must be replaced.

Owner obligation to maintain all building systems in safe, code-compliant condition.

Do you clean restaurant or commercial kitchen exhaust?

No — our exhaust scope is residential apartment buildings only. We clean apartment kitchen and bathroom exhaust risers and do not service commercial kitchen hoods, restaurant exhaust, or NFPA 96 scopes. If your building has a commercial tenant with its own hood system, we can recommend an NFPA 96-certified partner.

What's the difference between apartment kitchen exhaust and commercial kitchen exhaust?

Apartment kitchen exhaust is the individual-unit vent or range hood that ducts into a shared riser in the building. Commercial kitchen exhaust is restaurant-scale hood and ductwork regulated under NFPA 96 with very different cleaning requirements. The codes, scope, and equipment are different — and so are the contractors.

My building has fusible-link dampers in the kitchen and bathroom exhaust. Are those still compliant?

Probably not. NYC Mechanical Code 2022 §606.5 requirements mean most older fusible-link damper installations in residential kitchen and laundry exhaust are no longer compliant. We identify them during cleaning, document them, and coordinate replacement so your building isn't carrying a hidden code violation.

Do you work with our MEP engineering firm or TAB contractor?

Yes — a significant share of our work is partnered. We coordinate directly with engineering firms on scheduling, access, and handoff so our cleaning work feeds directly into their balancing or commissioning scope. We're happy to be added to a firm's approved subcontractor list.

Do you balance the airflow yourselves, or do we need a separate contractor?

Our role is cleaning, code-compliance remediation, and access. Airflow balancing is engineering work and is typically performed by an MEP firm or a certified TAB contractor. We see ourselves as the cleaning partner that makes balancing possible, and we work directly with balancing firms on joint scopes. Our Air Duct Inspection & Balancing service covers inspection and basic airflow verification.

How long does a residential exhaust riser cleaning take?

A single bathroom or kitchen riser in a 15–30 story building is typically a one- to two-day scope depending on in-unit access, riser configuration, and condition. Multiple risers scale accordingly. Tenant access coordination is usually the scheduling driver, not the cleaning work itself.

Do tenants need to be home during cleaning?

Yes for any in-unit work. Most cleaning is done from rooftop and mechanical access, but in-unit grille cleaning and any in-unit damper access requires tenant presence or building staff access. We support buildings with advance tenant notices, appointment scheduling, and flexible time windows.

What documentation do you provide?

Written cleaning report, before/after photo documentation at access points, component condition notes (including any non-compliant dampers or terminations found), and handoff documentation suitable for your MEP firm, TAB contractor, or DOB filing. Buildings with active violations receive cure-appropriate documentation.

Can you install access panels if our exhaust riser doesn't have them?

Yes. Many older NYC residential exhaust risers were never built with adequate access. We install code-compliant access panels as part of the cleaning scope where needed, which also makes future cleaning and engineering inspection far easier.

Are you insured, MBE-certified, and experienced with NYC residential buildings?

Yes. Cismycro Environmental is a NYC MBE-certified contractor with full general liability and workers' compensation. We've served over 5,000 NYC buildings, with the majority of our exhaust work in residential high-rise co-ops, condos, and rentals. COIs are issued naming the building, managing agent, and owner on request.