The kitchen exhaust hood is something restaurants can’t afford to neglect in their day-to-day operations. The ventilation system in a kitchen helps remove all contaminated air from inside the kitchen and makes it safe for both you and your customers alike.
What is a Kitchen Exhaust Hood?
A kitchen exhaust hood is a system that is meant to remove contaminated air from inside your kitchen. The hood installed above a restaurant’s cooking areas helps prevent the spread of contaminants and helps prevent fires caused by grease accumulations. In other words, it keeps your customers safe and ensures that they have a great dining experience.
How does the Kitchen Exhaust Hood work?
The kitchen exhaust hood removes air by passing it through an activated carbon filter that absorbs or destroys any contaminants in the air. The air then continues to travel into the atmosphere via a duct system.
Is regular cleaning necessary? Yes, regular cleaning is essential for your kitchen to function properly and protect your customers from possible health hazards. If the hood remains dirty, it will not remove all contaminants, creating an environment that can cause fires. The accumulation of grease around the filters is another issue that needs to be addressed regularly.
Benefits of Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning
The following are the benefits of having a clean kitchen exhaust system.
- Reduce the risk of fire and smoke damage
When you have an unclean kitchen exhaust system, it can lead to the accumulation of grease and dirt on top of your hoods and filters over prolonged periods. The risk involved is that when this residue is ignited by heat or some other source, such as an electrical spark, it can lead to a fire, resulting in extensive damage.
- Improved air quality
Exhaust hoods are meant to improve air quality in food preparation areas, ensuring that the smell and sight of grease are reduced. If you don’t clean your hood regularly, it will lead to a grease buildup, harming your patrons.
This buildup can emit odors that might disturb or disgust your customers if not cleaned regularly. A clean kitchen exhaust system ensures that your guests are not disturbed by any unpleasant smells or views of grease and dirt.
- Better airflow in the kitchen
When the kitchen’s ventilation system is clean, it ensures smooth airflow inside your kitchen. With a clean hood system, you can also adjust the speed of your fans to suit the type of cooking taking place in your restaurant.
- Energy efficiency
Kitchen exhaust and ventilation systems consume a lot of energy, and therefore, it is important to ensure that they are cleaned and maintained correctly. If your hood system has not been cleaned for a long time, the fan might have to work harder than usual to extract air from inside your kitchen which will inevitably lead to increased utility bills.
The only way to enjoy all these benefits is to clean your kitchen exhaust system regularly. If you fail to do so, it can lead to reduced efficiency and negatively impact the overall ambiance of your restaurant in the long run.
- Environmental safety
An unclean kitchen exhaust system can harm the environment as well. It has been found that grease is carcinogenic, and many commercial kitchens are now adopting greener options for their ventilation systems instead of just cleaning them once in a while.
With an increased number of people aware of environmental issues, it becomes even more important to regularly clean your kitchen exhaust system. When you do so, it puts less strain on the environment and ensures that all restaurant patrons enjoy a top-notch dining experience without compromising on environmental safety.
- Save money
A clean kitchen exhaust system will ensure excellent air quality and lead to considerable savings in the long run. A clean hood system will work more efficiently and require less maintenance. This will result in significant savings for your restaurant over time.
How often should you clean the kitchen exhaust system?
According to NFPA 96 recommendations, it is appropriate to have the hood system cleaned regularly as follows:
Monthly
For kitchens using solid fuels, have the system cleaned every month. These fuels include wood and coal, which produce more ash and smoke than gas-powered cooking appliances.
Quarterly cleaning
For high-volume operations, cleaning should be carried out every three months. The kitchens that don’t use solid fuels and operate 24 hours, such as cafeterias, diners, and banquet kitchens, can have their hoods cleaned every three months.
Semi-Annually cleaning
Kitchens with moderate cooking operations or below the average volume should have their hoods cleaned every six months.
Annually cleaning
Systems that serve low volume cooking operations or have a less frequent schedule should clean the hoods every 12 months. These might include churches, day camps, or seasonal businesses.
Before you hire a professional kitchen exhaust cleaning service, make sure that they follow safety guidelines and only use the most efficient equipment to clean your system and ensure the safety of all employees working in the facility.
Why Use a Professional Cleaning Service?
Restaurant owners can clean the exhaust system themselves, but it can be time-consuming, dirty, and even dangerous. Cleaning the hood system yourself will require you to wear safety equipment such as eye protection and gloves to ensure your safety. It is also messy and might lead to splashing grease all over you or nearby objects.
The following reasons explain why hiring a professional cleaning service is the best option:
- Time-saving
Cleaning your kitchen exhaust system by yourself might be time-consuming and demanding, which is why you should not attempt to do it without proper preparation. Hiring a professional service will save you significant time. They are highly experienced in the field and carry all the necessary safety equipment to ensure a fast and efficient cleaning job.
- Cleaning experience
A professional kitchen exhaust cleaning service uses state-of-the-art tools like soft brushes, hot water extraction, steam cleaners, and high air pressure to clean the system appropriately. They are experienced in handling all kinds of ventilation systems without causing any damage or disruption.
- Certified services
A professional cleaning service follows guidelines from institutions such as the NFPA 96, ensuring that your system is cleaned correctly according to safety standards.
- Guarantee results
Cleaning the kitchen exhaust system by yourself might not be very effective in cleaning all parts of your ventilation system due to a lack of experience or tools. Professional services have the necessary equipment to clean all system areas and guarantee excellent results.
Kitchen exhaust hood cleaning can be carried out regularly to ensure that your ventilation system is immaculate and working correctly, providing the best air quality in your area and for all employees working in the facility. Professional cleaning services will deliver excellent results and guarantee you satisfaction.
How to Choose Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning Service
Many companies offer kitchen exhaust cleaning services, but not all are created equal. Therefore, you have to do your homework before hiring any cleaning service for your restaurant’s hood system.
Here are some of the most critical things that you need to consider when choosing a professional kitchen exhaust cleaning company:
- Types of equipment − The types of cleaning methods used for your system depend on the kind of equipment that the cleaning service uses. For example, if they want to use steam cleaners, you need to ensure that it is safe for carbon steel surfaces and doesn’t affect the food cooked in your restaurant.
- Types of systems − Make sure you know what kind of system will be used during the cleaning process. For example, if they plan to steam-clean your exhaust hoods, you need to see if it is safe for the cooking appliances’ filters.
- Onsite inspection – Working with a professional kitchen exhaust cleaning company that conducts an onsite inspection before beginning the work will ensure that you know what to expect from the job. This also allows them to assess your facility’s needs, offer suitable solutions for all problems, and provide you with a detailed quote for their services ahead of time.
- Insured professionals − You should only work with a company that employs professionals who are certified and insured. This will ensure that you get quality service without any risks.
- Follow NFPA Code 96 guidelines
Any professional kitchen exhaust cleaning company should follow NFPA Code 96 guidelines. This means that the company should only use the safest equipment and cleaning solutions for your restaurant’s system.
Conclusion: Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning for Restaurants
Kitchen exhaust hood cleaning is important for your restaurant because it helps ensure the safety of customers and staff. This should be done by professionals who have all the necessary equipment to carry out the job safely and efficiently.
Companies like Bare Metal Standard are certified in kitchen exhaust cleaning. If you are looking for the best service possible, don’t hesitate to contact them today.