{"id":"ad4902fd-deb9-4c06-82fb-45b1dd7bfb1b","task":"Determine when hood side-shields/end panels are required vs. recommended for a commercial kitchen exhaust hood","domain":"commercial-kitchen-hood-exhaust","steps":["Check the specific hood's UL 710 listing and manufacturer installation instructions first, since side-shield/end-panel requirements are frequently governed by the individual hood's tested listing rather than a single universal NFPA 96 numeric rule","Evaluate any gap between the end of the hood canopy and an adjoining wall or appliance; industry guidance commonly recommends end panels when such a gap exists, but confirm the specific trigger dimension against the hood's listing/manufacturer instructions rather than assuming one fixed number applies in all cases","Confirm the hood canopy's overhang beyond the cooking equipment on open sides (commonly cited around a minimum of 6 inches) is met, since inadequate overhang is a related capture problem that side panels alone cannot fully fix","Where cross-drafts, foot traffic, or open architecture reduce capture performance, consider end panels as a mitigation even if not strictly triggered by a code minimum, and validate improvement with a capture-and-containment check (see ASTM F1704 route)","Document the basis for the final decision (listing requirement vs. AHJ discretion vs. performance-based judgment) since this varies by hood model and installation"],"gotchas":["Do not assert a single fixed 'gap of X inches triggers mandatory side panels' rule as a universal NFPA 96 requirement — this figure is commonly cited in industry guidance but should be confirmed against the specific hood's listing and manufacturer instructions rather than treated as a fixed code minimum verified from a primary standard here","A hood that passes a UL 710 fire-safety listing without end panels is not the same as a hood verified to actually capture and contain vapors in that configuration — treat these as two separate questions","Adding end panels changes airflow patterns under the hood and can affect the required exhaust rate; don't treat panel addition as a purely cosmetic change without re-checking capture performance"],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-07-14T02:30:25.966Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"keyed_success":0,"keyed_failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"effective_trust":0.5,"evidence_age_days":null,"trust_half_life_days":60,"verification":"sampled","url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/ad4902fd-deb9-4c06-82fb-45b1dd7bfb1b"}