Commercial Kitchen Hood Filter Sizing & Replacement Guide

A grease-clogged or missing hood filter is one of the most common reasons a commercial kitchen fails a fire marshal inspection, and also one of the cheapest problems to prevent. Filters do two jobs at once: they catch grease before it reaches the duct and fan (where it becomes a fire hazard), and they slow airflow enough for the hood to actually capture smoke and heat instead of letting it spill into the kitchen.

Baffle filters vs. mesh filters

• Baffle filters — louvered aluminum or stainless panels that force air to change direction sharply, slinging grease out by centrifugal force. This is the standard, UL 1046-listed filter type required over commercial cooking equipment (grills, fryers, ranges, broilers).
• Mesh filters— layered aluminum mesh that traps grease by filtration rather than impingement. Lower airflow resistance and lower cost, but generally not code-compliant for grease-laden vapor exhaust over commercial cooking equipment — they're common on residential and light-duty hoods instead.

How to measure your filter correctly

Measure the actual filter panel — length × width × thickness — not the hood opening it sits in; hoods commonly use multiple filters side by side, and the frame adds clearance the filter itself doesn't need. Standard commercial baffle filters are almost always 2" thick; 16"×20" and 16"×25" are the most common panel sizes, but always measure your existing filter rather than assuming a size — replacement filters are sold by exact panel dimension, and an undersized filter leaves a gap grease-laden air can bypass entirely.

Signs it's time to replace, not just clean

• Visibly warped, bent, or bowed panel that no longer sits flat.
• Broken, missing, or bent louvers/baffles inside the frame.
• A handle or frame edge that's cracked or no longer latches securely into the hood's filter rack.
• Grease buildup that doesn't come off with normal degreasing — usually means the aluminum has started to oxidize and pit, which gives grease more surface area to cling to.

Not sure which filter your hood uses?

Email a photo of your existing filter and hood model (if visible on a data plate near the exhaust connection) to info@prokitchenspares.com and we'll confirm the correct panel size and type — see also our FAQ for how our compatibility checks work.