Outfitting a commercial kitchen with an exhaust hood system is essential for effective protection against fire hazards. Every facility manager, therefore, should invest in the most ideal and advanced hood system. Though the exhaust hood system minimizes the risk of fire breakouts in the kitchen, the use of fuel and high volume of cooking often leads to grease and grime buildup over time. To keep your employees and visitors as well as the facility itself safe at all times, you need to pay serious attention to the cleaning of the commercial exhaust hood system.At APS Hoods, we specialize in the degreasing of every component of the kitchen hood system. Whether it is the removal of grease from the ducts, the hood, the vents, or the exhaust fans, our professionals are expertly trained in the entire procedure to deliver the best results for a restaurant facility.
The cleaning of the exhaust hood system is an elaborate multi-step procedure, which should be performed only by qualified and certified professionals. If you operate a large commercial kitchen, restaurant facility, cafeteria, or dining center, you should always make sure that the cleaning of your exhaust hood is carried out in a correct manner for a strong defense against fire hazards.Given below are some of the key steps that the exhaust hood system of a commercial kitchen or restaurant facility involves.
Exhaust Fan Inspection:
The fan is a crucial part of the exhaust hood system. If the heat, smoke, and odor of the kitchen have to be removed, the fan needs to work with utmost efficiency. That is why the fan needs degreasing and cleaning to minimize fire hazards and stay code-compliant. Inspection by trained technicians is important to ensure proper fan operation.
Appliance Removal:
Before the exhaust hood is ready for cleaning, all the appliances will need to be removed. The draping of the exhaust hood will also be removed. Our grease cleaners will remove all the cooking appliances and hood components to carry out cleaning in a professional manner.
Hood Filters:
Usually, the exhaust hood filters need cleaning at intervals of every 2-3 months. If your cooking is high volume and involves a lot of frying, a greater frequency of cleaning will be required. For this, professionals will first detach the filters and soak them up for proper cleaning.
Disarm Fire Suppression System:
To perform hood cleaning, grease cleaners will also detach the fire protection system. Once this system has been disarmed, it becomes easy to clean the hood and the other parts of the exhaust hood system. Feel confident our technicians will do the job right.
Ductwork Cleaning:
Due to a consistent supply of grease-laden vapor, the hood ducts accumulate a lot of grease and grime. Unless properly cleaned, this can become a sure fire hazard. So, the cleaners will scrape, degrease and clean the entire ducts as well as the plenum area.
Check for Leaks:
It is crucial to examine the quality of the vent hood ducts. If the system has leakage, the kitchen environment will not have proper ventilation. Poor ventilation will have a bad impact on the indoor air quality and the productivity of the kitchen staff. That is why checking for leaks in the vent hood is an important part of the overall exhaust hood cleaning process.
Fan Belt Replacement:
A broken or worn out fan belt will reduce the efficiency of the hood fan and the entire exhaust hood system. After the hood fan has been cleaned, the technicians will replace the worn out belt with a new, high quality belt so as to keep the system functioning efficiently.
Roof Condition:
In commercial kitchens, the exhaust hood vents out of the roof. Venting outside is a best practice, as it reduces the extent of damage in the event of a fire breakout or accident. During exhaust hood cleaning, professionals will examine the roof vents and assess the roof condition. The review will be documented so that you can refer to it as per need.
Reinstall Fire Suppression System:
After the hood and all its parts and components have been degreased, washed, and cleaned, the professionals will start to reinstall all the detached parts. The fire suppression system will be rearmed into the exhaust hood in an accurate manner.
Verify Fan Operation:
Since the hood fan is a key component of the ventilation system. Post-cleaning and reinstallation of the system, the technician will operate the hood fan and see if it works efficiently.
Restore the Kitchen:
The exhaust hood cleaning leaves a lot of greasy residue on the kitchen floor. As part of the overall cleaning, grease cleaners will mop up, wash and clean the entire kitchen area. Finally, you will have a spotlessly commercial kitchen with a highly efficient exhaust system. The fresh and clean kitchen atmosphere will keep both the employees and visitors happy.
You Need a Professional Exhaust Cleaning Service
As a facility manager, you should have the kitchen staff do the exterior cleaning of the exhaust hood on a regular basis. However, deep and detailed cleaning of the exhaust hood system should always be performed by only certified and qualified grease cleaners, as mentioned in NFPA 96. Exhaust hood cleaning involves disassembly, degreasing, and inspecting by well-trained professionals. Whether it is the hood filters, grease troughs, hood fans, or the ductwork pipes going to the roof, a qualified service provider will properly pressure-wash and clean each and every part of the system. The ultimate goal of grease cleaners is to minimize fire hazards, enhance the efficiency of the ventilation hood system and give your kitchen a neat and fresh look.
Does Your Hood Exhaust System Need Cleaning?
Restaurant fires can prove to be devastating. Most of these fires occur simply because the hood exhaust has been left uncleaned. Maintaining a proper exhaust hood system doesn’t just help you eliminate fire hazards, but it also helps you avoid penalties by the fire department and the city health inspector. If you plan to operate your food service facility in a hassle-free manner and increase your bottom line, you should hire the services of a qualified hood cleaning company such as the APS Hoods. Based in Denver, Colorado, we offer professional hood cleaning and maintenance of commercial kitchens, restaurants, and dining facilities.If you are a restaurant owner or manager, schedule your kitchen exhaust hood cleaning without any delay. You can get in touch via a quick phone call or write us an email using the contact form on our website.
