Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning: A Guide for the Commercial Kitchen Owner

Cooking equipment contributes to 61%  of fires in commercial food establishments. For example, a dirty kitchen hood and exhaust system can speed up the spread of fire in such facilities, potentially resulting in massive losses, injuries, and fatalities.

Regular maintenance of the kitchen's exhaust system by a qualified contractor can safeguard against fire hazards and improve the service life of your equipment. Here is a quick guide to help you learn more about kitchen exhaust cleaning.

Although unknown to many commercial kitchen owners, regular cleaning of the kitchen's exhaust system is mandatory. In particular, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides the minimum safety standards for the design and maintenance of kitchen exhaust systems.

According to the NFPA, owners of commercial kitchens are responsible for ensuring adequate inspection, maintenance, cleanliness, and ventilation of the facility's exhaust system. A qualified specialist should perform these tasks to minimize the risk of fire and associated liabilities.

Surface cleaning of kitchen equipment and amenities is not enough. To comply with industry regulations, you must clean essential components such as ducts, fans, hoods, and other parts of the kitchen's exhaust system regularly to avoid accumulation of grease, oil, and debris on these components.

If you have not cleaned your kitchen exhaust in a long while, have a professional contractor clean the components to bare metal standards. To expose the underlying shiny metal surface of your kitchen's exhaust system, the contractor would need to use powerful pressure washing methods and cleaning detergents.

Encourage employees to clean and maintain the immediate cooking area, including the exterior of the range hood, backsplash, and grease filters. Leave the cleaning of the interior parts of the kitchen exhaust system to a professional.

Cleaning the exhaust system of a commercial kitchen entails several steps. In particular, expect your cleaning contractor to:

• Detach fans from the ductwork for thorough cleaning
• Inspect fans for wear and tear
• Remove grease, fat, and oil from the hood filters and other parts of the range hood
• Degrease accessible components of the exhaust system

Find out whether the cleaning services will also apply a food- and fire-safe finish to protect stainless steel ductwork against corrosion.

To prevent accumulation of grease and other contaminants inside the kitchen's exhaust, schedule for regular cleaning and maintenance. The frequency of cleaning will largely depend on your kitchen's operations.

Clean the exhaust system at least once a month if you cook using solid fuels such as coal or lumber and every three months for high-intensity, round-the-clock cooking, as is the case with busy restaurants. You can clean your kitchen exhaust yearly or twice a year for medium to low-volume kitchen operations.

The NFPA recommends that commercial kitchen owners hire a contractor with the proper training, qualification, and certification to clean kitchen exhaust systems. Negligence and improper cleaning by an unqualified contractor can result in your insurer declining your claim in the event of a fire.

A certified contractor has a higher standard of testing, inspection, and cleaning kitchen exhaust systems. After cleaning, your contractor will provide a certification sticker indicating the date of cleaning and the results of the inspection routine.

A commercial kitchen is a buzzing hub of activities and, even with a fire suppression system, the risk of fires from cooking operations is ever-present. Regular cleaning of the kitchen's exhaust is among the most effective ways to keep your facility safe for your customers and staff.

Of course, keeping the exhaust clean is only one element of making sure this essential piece of equipment works just right. Regular exhaust hood maintenance is also crucial. If your commercial kitchen exhaust hood needs an expert eye, call Colonial Kitchen Fabrication and Sheet Metal today.