Commercial Ventilation · CUE · CUBE · Plenum Hoods · NFPA 96 · $120 Diagnostic
Greenheck Commercial Hood & Exhaust Fan Repair
CUE belt-drive, CUBE direct-drive, plenum hoods, restaurant ventilation. Independent Wisconsin manufacturer since 1947. Sister-brand to Accurex. C-20 HVAC scope. NFPA 96 compliance documentation included.
01 · Greenheck commercial ventilation
Independent Wisconsin manufacturer, restaurant kitchen workhorse.
Greenheck Group is the independent commercial ventilation manufacturer headquartered in Schofield, Wisconsin. Founded 1947, privately held, and the dominant supplier of restaurant kitchen exhaust fans across the United States. Their CUE and CUBE upblast exhaust fan platforms are the most-installed equipment in our LA-area restaurant ventilation service load.
Greenheck owns Accurex (restaurant-specific ventilation hoods, XGSB and XGRC series), Loren Cook (centrifugal fans), and several other ventilation divisions. The independence matters for service: parts pipelines are stable, sourcing timelines predictable, and the engineering documentation pipeline through Greenheck distribution covers all sister-brand product. We service all of it through the same authorized parts pipeline.
Three core service categories on Greenheck equipment in our area:
- CUE belt-drive upblast exhaust fans. 500 to 8,000 CFM range. Restaurant kitchen workhorse. Belt drive means more wear parts (belts, pulleys, bearings) but easier mid-life rebuilds.
- CUBE direct-drive upblast exhaust fans. 500 to 5,000 CFM range. Direct drive means fewer wear parts and quieter operation. Becoming dominant in 2018+ installations.
- Plenum hoods and condensate hoods. Type II steam and vapor capture (dishwasher exhaust, steam table). Different fire-safety profile than Type I grease hoods.
$120 commercial diagnostic, waived with repair. BHGS Licensed #A49573, EPA 608 Universal certified (#1346255700410), C-20 HVAC scope. 90-day warranty. Same-day across LA, OC, Ventura. See parent: commercial kitchen exhaust hood repair pillar.
02 · CUE vs CUBE platform comparison
Belt-drive vs direct-drive choice matters at year 8.
Most LA restaurant kitchens are running one of these two platforms. The choice was made at install time, but it affects every service call after year 5.
- CUE (Centrifugal Upblast, belt-drive). Standard restaurant configuration. Motor drives an impeller through a belt-and-pulley assembly. Belts are wear parts, replaced typically year 3 to 5. Pulleys need alignment check semi-annually. Bearings (motor side and shaft side) replaceable separately when they go. CUE is the workhorse for higher CFM (5,000 to 8,000 range common on heavy-grease cooking lines).
- CUBE (Centrifugal Upblast, direct-drive). Motor and impeller share a shaft, no belt. Fewer wear parts means lower routine maintenance cost. Trade-off: when motor fails, the direct-drive replacement is more expensive ($880 to $1,600 vs $640 to $1,200 on equivalent CUE) because the assembly is tighter integrated. Better for moderate-volume operations.
Service implications:
- CUE units, year 5 to 8: belt replacement plus pulley alignment is the most common service. $260 to $440. Bearings if making noise.
- CUE units, year 10+: motor replacement starts becoming the recurring conversation. $640 to $1,200.
- CUBE units, year 0 to 7: minimal service typical. Cleaning at scheduled intervals; rare component failures.
- CUBE units, year 8+: motor replacement is the major service event. $880 to $1,600.
We test motor amp draw against nameplate at every diagnostic. Sometimes the issue is the bearing or belt, not the motor itself. Replacing the motor when only a $120 to $260 bearing is failing is the kind of mistake that erodes operator trust.
03 · Common Greenheck failures
In honest frequency order.
1. Belt wear and tension drift (CUE belt-drive, year 3-5)
Most common service call on CUE platform. Belts stretch and wear; tension drifts; impeller speed drops; CFM falls below NFPA spec. We replace belt set, realign pulleys, retest CFM with anemometer. $260 to $440 service.
2. Bearing failure (CUE shaft or motor, year 5-8)
Audible noise (rumbling, grinding) at startup or during operation. Test bearing condition with stethoscope or vibration probe. Replacement $120 to $260 per bearing, often paired with belt replacement at the same visit.
3. Motor failure (CUE or CUBE, year 8-12)
Insulation breakdown, winding short, or thermal failure. Test winding resistance against nameplate. CUE belt-drive motor replacement $640 to $1,200 (1/2 HP to 3 HP). CUBE direct-drive motor replacement $880 to $1,600.
4. Impeller imbalance or damage
Grease accumulation on impeller blades creates imbalance; vibration accelerates bearing wear. Visible deformation from foreign object impact (rare but happens). Cleaning service $180 to $260; replacement impeller $440 to $780 depending on size.
5. Damper or louver failure
Backdraft damper stuck open during off-hours allowing rain or pest entry. Motorized damper actuator failure on integrated systems. $220 to $440 typical depending on type.
04 · NFPA 96 inspection coordination
Fire Marshal documentation included with every Greenheck service.
NFPA 96 (Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations) sets inspection cadence and documentation requirements based on cooking volume:
- Solid-fuel cooking (wood, charcoal): monthly inspection minimum.
- High-volume cooking (24-hour operations, char-grilling, wok cooking): quarterly minimum.
- Moderate-volume cooking (most restaurants): semi-annual minimum.
- Low-volume cooking (churches, seasonal, day camps): annual minimum.
We perform the inspection, generate the NFPA 96 compliance certificate, and document fan CFM, hood capture velocity, and grease accumulation status. Fire Marshal accepts our documentation across LA, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties.
Annual contract pricing scales with kitchen volume:
- Low-volume: 1 visit per year, $340 to $480 annual.
- Moderate: 2 visits per year, $680 to $980 annual.
- High-volume: 4 visits per year, $1,400 to $2,000 annual.
- Solid-fuel: 12 visits per year, $4,200 to $6,000 annual.
05 · Pricing
Greenheck repair costs.
| Repair | Cost |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic (commercial, includes amp test plus written report) | $120, waived with repair |
| Belt replacement plus pulley alignment (CUE) | $260 to $440 |
| Bearing replacement (per bearing, CUE) | $120 to $260 |
| Motor replacement (CUE belt-drive, 1/2 to 3 HP) | $640 to $1,200 |
| Motor replacement (CUBE direct-drive) | $880 to $1,600 |
| Impeller cleaning service | $180 to $260 |
| Impeller replacement | $440 to $780 |
| Backdraft damper replacement | $220 to $440 |
| Motorized damper actuator replacement | $340 to $560 |
| NFPA 96 annual contract (moderate-volume restaurant) | $680 to $980 |
| NFPA 96 annual contract (high-volume restaurant) | $1,400 to $2,000 |
| Multi-component overhaul (year 12+ refresh) | $1,400 to $2,400 |
| Warranty | 90 days parts plus labor |
06 · Why operators call us
Seven reasons.
- CUE and CUBE platform fluency. Belt-drive vs direct-drive diagnostic discipline; we test the right component before quoting parts.
- Sister-brand coverage. Greenheck plus Accurex restaurant ventilation through the same Wisconsin parts pipeline.
- NFPA 96 inspection coordination. Fire Marshal documentation included with annual contracts.
- Amp-test diagnostic before motor quotes. Sometimes the issue is a bearing, not the motor; we test before recommending the expensive replacement.
- C-20 HVAC scope. Commercial ventilation is HVAC-adjacent; we hold the right license.
- BHGS Licensed #A49573 and EPA 608 Universal certified (#1346255700410). See our licensing page.
- $120 commercial diagnostic, no after-hours surcharge. Phones answered 24/7.
Cross-link: commercial exhaust hood repair pillar, Accurex (Greenheck division), CaptiveAire, Gaylord (Welbilt). Credentials: BHGS license, EPA 608.
07 · FAQ
Greenheck service, common questions.
What Greenheck commercial kitchen ventilation products do you service?
Greenheck CUE and CUBE series upblast exhaust fans (most-installed restaurant fan platforms in our service area), plenum hoods, condensate hoods, and exhaust fan accessories. We also service Accurex restaurant ventilation hoods (XGSB and XGRC series), which is Greenheck's dedicated restaurant ventilation division. Sister-brand parts pipeline runs through the same Wisconsin distribution network with 3 to 7 day standard sourcing on common parts.
Is Greenheck independent or part of a larger group?
Greenheck Group is independent, headquartered in Schofield, Wisconsin since 1947. The company manufactures fans, dampers, louvers, energy recovery, and kitchen ventilation across multiple brand divisions including Accurex (restaurant ventilation), Loren Cook, and others. Privately held. The independence matters for service: parts pipelines are stable, no recent acquisition-related sourcing disruptions like we saw with some Welbilt-acquired brands.
CUE vs CUBE Greenheck exhaust fan, what's the difference?
CUE is centrifugal upblast belt-drive, the workhorse for restaurant kitchen exhaust at 500 to 8,000 CFM range. CUBE is centrifugal upblast direct-drive, simpler maintenance (no belts, no pulleys to align), runs typically 500 to 5,000 CFM. CUBE has fewer wear parts but slightly higher motor-replacement cost when it does fail. Most LA restaurant kitchens we service run CUE, though newer installations from 2018+ are increasingly CUBE for the maintenance-simpler value.
How much does a Greenheck CUE motor replacement cost?
Belt-drive CUE motor replacement runs $640 to $1,200 depending on horsepower (1/2 HP through 3 HP common), plus belt and pulley alignment as needed. CUBE direct-drive motor replacement runs $880 to $1,600 because the motor and impeller assembly are tighter integrated. We test motor amp draw against nameplate before quoting; sometimes the issue is a worn bearing ($120 to $260 part) on belt-drive units, not the motor itself.
Is the C-20 HVAC license relevant for commercial ventilation work?
Yes. Commercial kitchen ventilation falls under HVAC scope per California licensing structure. Our parent entity holds an active C-20 HVAC contractor license in addition to BHGS #A49573 (appliance repair) and EPA 608 Universal certification (#1346255700410). C-20 covers the make-up air balance, exhaust airflow calculations, and HVAC-integrated systems that commercial hoods depend on. NFPA 96 fire safety compliance is enforced by Fire Marshal regardless of trade license; we document compliance on every visit.
Do you do annual NFPA 96 inspection coordination?
Yes. NFPA 96 (Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations) requires routine inspection schedules based on cooking volume: monthly for solid-fuel and high-volume operations, quarterly for moderate-volume, semi-annual for low-volume, annual for places like churches and seasonal kitchens. We perform the inspection, generate the certificate, and provide the documentation Fire Marshal asks for. Annual contract pricing scales with kitchen volume.
What's your warranty?
90 days SDAR labor warranty on every repair. BHGS Licensed #A49573, EPA 608 Universal certified (#1346255700410), C-20 HVAC scope. BBB A+ accredited.
Greenheck CUE or CUBE down? Call today.
$120 commercial diagnostic. CUE belt-drive and CUBE direct-drive specialty. NFPA 96 documentation included. BHGS Licensed #A49573, C-20 HVAC.