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Rockford Restaurant Hood Cleaning Service

July 26, 2022/0 Comments/in Pressure Washing/by WashPro

Rockford Restaurant Hood Cleaning Service

When you look at the hoods above your commercial kitchen’s cooking surfaces, what do you see? How clean are they? How often do you clean them? Without proper and timely cleaning, those hoods can get covered in grease. A greasy hood doesn’t just create a dirty kitchen but also poses a serious fire hazard. You can protect your restaurant, cafeteria, or other commercial kitchens by having a regular Rockford restaurant hood cleaning service.

Every commercial restaurant kitchen should be equipped with an exhaust hood to remove grease-laden vapors from the fuel sources and cooking surfaces of each cooking appliance. Operating without an exhaust system is dangerous for your employees, customers, and the facility itself. However, even with the most advanced equipment, grease buildup will occur over time depending on the type and frequency of cooking happening in your kitchen.

It is easy to spot the grease buildup on the underside of the hood canopy, on the components of the fire suppression system, in the ductwork, and all the way up to the exhaust fan on the roof. This grease buildup is the leading cause of restaurant fires worldwide.

Over 60% of fires in eating and drinking establishments are caused by cooking equipment. And not the kind of avoidable mishaps people make at home. To remove the fire hazard due to grease buildup, all of the exhaust equipment must be thoroughly cleaned by a professional using the right chemicals and equipment.

Deep-fried turkey, anyone?

We are talking about fires and other accidents caused by the hidden buildup of grease through the consistent use of necessary kitchen equipment. The conditions that lead to this type of danger are, in fact, unavoidable.

That is why the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) outlines in NFPA 96 “preventive and operative fire safety requirements intended to reduce the potential fire hazard of both public and private commercial cooking operations.”

That means routine cleaning of your kitchen hood is a requirement. Failure to do so can result in fines and closure, among fires and other catastrophes.

So, let’s look into just what kitchen hoods are – and how and how often to clean them.

What Is a Kitchen Hood?

A kitchen hood, exhaust hood, or range hood is a contraption that hangs above commercial ranges, grills, fryers, and other cooking equipment. It contains one or more mechanical fans that remove airborne heat, smoke, grease, and odors. It’s an ‘absolute magnet’ for grime and debris.

How Does a Commercial Kitchen Hood Work?

Most kitchen exhaust hoods have four primary parts. Here is what they are and what they do.

Filters – These are stainless steel or mesh accessories that span the opening in the ductwork and keep debris from flying into the fans.
Fans – Behind the filters are one or more mechanical fans that suck air up through the ductwork and out of the facility.
Grease traps – As debris- and smoke-filled air rushes up the ventilation system, it collects on the side of the ductwork and drips back down. On the inside edge of the ductwork are small trays that collect that grease. They are the grease traps.
Ductwork – The ductwork is the entire conduit that captures the airflow through a flared opening and delivers it up and away. The filters, fans, and grease traps are inside the ductwork.

The Benefits of Restaurant Kitchen Hood Cleaning

Your restaurant kitchen hood has a consistent supply of dirty, greasy air flowing through it during all cooking hours. You need to schedule a regular Rockford restaurant hood cleaning service to ensure your exhaust system is functioning efficiently and safely. When built-up grease and grime are removed from your restaurant kitchen hood, it:

Reduces the risk of kitchen fires. Grease is flammable. When it is built up and/or dripping from the ceiling, it is an obvious hazard in a kitchen.
Increases the kitchen’s overall hygiene. Having old food and residue linger around in a cooking environment is a contamination hazard. A dirty hood pollutes the entire space.
Enhances airflow in your kitchen. The build-up of grease and grime in the ventilation system lessens air circulation and makes being in the kitchen less comfortable and healthy.
Reduces the risk of grease-related slips and falls. Grease is also slippery.
Keeps you on the right side of the law. It is required to clean your commercial range hood. That should be reason enough.
Saves you money from potential fines and closures. You will also increase the fan motor life on your blower blades by removing any buildup on them.
Runs quieter. If you are in a BBQ restaurant or using a lot of solid fuel, buildup on fan blades makes them louder.

Increases overall hygiene and safety saves money, hmm … Sounds great! Who doesn’t want that?

How Often Should I Clean My Restaurant Kitchen Hood?

The NFPA, along with their requirement to clean kitchen hoods routinely, in general, lays out recommended frequencies. Make sure to include this in your restaurant cleaning checklist.

Monthly Restaurant Hood Cleaning – The NFPA recommends that kitchens or cooking operations using solid fuel should clean their hoods every month. Solid fuel refers to the solid material that is burned for cooking, like charcoal, wood, and coal. Therefore, if use solid fuel in your commercial kitchen, it is necessary that you schedule a monthly Rockford restaurant hood cleaning service to make your kitchen exhaust hood system clean, efficient, and safe.
Quarterly Restaurant Hood Cleaning – High-volume operations without solid fuel should undergo quarterly commercial range hood cleaning. This is most restaurants that do not use solid fuel. Diners, short-order spots, and most commercial dining establishments.
Semi-Annual Restaurant Hood Cleaning – Any cooking operation with moderate volume, or volume below that of an average commercial dining establishment.
Annual Restaurant Hood Cleaning – Any low-volume cooking systems like churches, seasonal businesses, day camps, or restaurant operations in service during only special events.

Choose Professional Restaurant Hood Cleaning

As a restaurant owner or kitchen manager, you know that to prevent restaurant fires it is necessary to regularly schedule your kitchen exhaust system cleaning and maintenance with a certified and insured vent hood professional cleaning company.

A reputable kitchen exhaust hood cleaning company, such as RPW ProWash, will clean your commercial-grade kitchen exhaust system down to bare metal – removing all grease and debris from your vent hood, exhaust fan, baffle filters, and the duct system. This process most importantly keeps your restaurant and kitchen safe for employees and guests, but also keeps you in compliance with NFPA 96 requirements.

Even if the hood looks clean from the outside, only a trained and certified kitchen exhaust technician will be able to identify and properly remove hazardous buildups that can accumulate from the hood and filters to the vents, ducts, fans, and ultimately the roof grease containment system.

Even if you aren’t attempting to clean your kitchen exhaust system on your own (we advise against it for several reasons), it’s extremely beneficial to understand and be aware of the process and steps that your hired technician will take to ensure your system is in tip-top shape.

In the end, it’s in your restaurant’s best interest to know how to inspect your exhaust system once your technician has completed the entire cleaning.

Keep in mind that a properly functioning commercial kitchen exhaust system is critical to your business and your bottom line. When properly and regularly cleaned and maintained, your exhaust system will provide you with years of trouble-free service.