San Diego Fire Suppression & Ansul Inspection
San Diego, California — 6 licensed inspectors found
San Diego restaurants and food trucks need a current NFPA 17A/96 six-month tag on the kitchen wet-chemical system. Hood cleaning is a different trade and does not certify discharge readiness.
In California, a company that services kitchen suppression systems for a fee needs either a State Fire Marshal "A" license (Type 2, which covers pre-engineered systems like Ansul) or a CSLB C-16 Fire Protection contractor license (19 CCR 905). Inside the City of San Diego, San Diego Fire-Rescue requires service providers to file kitchen hood suppression reports through The Compliance Engine. Browse San Diego inspectors, including Ansul, or read the six-month tag guide.
Six-month tag guideHood cleaning vs suppressionNFPA 17A / 96 guideInspection checklistInspection costMonthly owner logUL 300Ansul inspectors
Who inspects kitchen fire suppression systems in San Diego?
San Diego restaurants and food trucks hire fire suppression service companies, not hood cleaners, to inspect and tag kitchen wet-chemical systems. In California, a company that services these systems for a fee needs a State Fire Marshal "A" license (Type 2) or a CSLB C-16 Fire Protection license. HoodInspect lists San Diego inspectors and shows a license number only when the company publishes one. San Diego Fire-Rescue is the usual AHJ in the city.
Inspectors in San Diego
Kitchen fire suppression FAQs in San Diego
- How often is a San Diego kitchen suppression inspection required?
- At least every six months and after the system discharges. The City of San Diego fire inspection checklist for kitchen hood systems lists service and tagging every six months and after each activation, and says inspection, testing and maintenance records are kept on site. Hood cleaning does not certify discharge readiness.
- What license must a San Diego kitchen suppression inspector hold?
- California law says no one may service automatic fire extinguishing systems for a fee without either a State Fire Marshal "A" license or a CSLB C-16 Fire Protection contractor license (19 CCR 905(a)). Either one satisfies the rule. Kitchen wet-chemical systems are pre-engineered systems, which fall under the State Fire Marshal's Type 2 license (engineered and pre-engineered fixed extinguishing systems). HoodInspect shows a license number only when the company published it.
- Is HoodInspect a San Diego hood-cleaning directory?
- No. San Diego listings are inspectors who tag wet-chemical hood suppression systems (including Ansul). Grease-duct cleaning is a different trade.
- How do I check a California inspector's license?
- Ask the company for its license number, then look it up. C-16 contractor licenses can be checked on the Contractors State License Board's online license check, by license number or business name. State Fire Marshal licenses can be checked through the OSFM's GOVmotus Fire license status lookup. State regulation also says a State Fire Marshal licensee may only do business under the name on its license and must post the license at its licensed location, so the name on the license should match the company you are hiring (19 CCR 905(e) and (f)).
- What does San Diego require after a kitchen suppression service?
- Since April 15, 2020, San Diego Fire-Rescue has required service providers who inspect and test fire protection systems in the city to register with The Compliance Engine and submit their reports electronically. For kitchen hood suppression systems the six-month report goes on the State Fire Marshal's AES 20 form, with repairs on AES 10, uploaded as one PDF within 14 days of the work. The rule applies to properties inside City of San Diego limits, so ask your company whether it files through The Compliance Engine.
- How often are fusible links replaced in San Diego kitchens?
- The City of San Diego fire inspection checklist for kitchen hood systems lists fusible links as replaced annually, except frangible bulbs. Ask your inspector for the replacement date on your system.
- Does the company have to be qualified on my system's brand?
- For a State Fire Marshal license, the application lists the engineered and pre-engineered systems the company intends to service, by extinguishing agent and manufacturer, along with the employees qualified to do the work (19 CCR 905(c)). Service must also follow the manufacturer's written instructions on file with the State Fire Marshal (19 CCR 904.7). Ask which manufacturers and system models the company services, and whether the technician is qualified on yours (Ansul, Kidde, Range Guard, Buckeye, Pyro-Chem and so on).