It’s not just about looks for restaurant owners to keep their kitchens clean and safe; it is also important for the health of their employees, customers and business. Keeping the vent hood system in good shape and cleaning it regularly is one of the most important parts of keeping the kitchen clean. The vent fan is an important part of the kitchen that is often ignored. It gets rid of heat, smoke, grease, and food smells. But if you don’t take care of your vent fans, they can catch fire, make the air quality bad, and cost a lot to fix or even get you in trouble with the law. As a restaurant owner, you should know how important it is to clean your vent hood and why it’s so important.
What the Exhaust Hood Does in the Kitchen
The exhaust hood is part of the kitchen’s airflow system and is meant to collect smoke, steam, grease, and other flying particles that are made when food is cooked. It is usually put up above stoves, grills, fryers and ovens, among other things. The exhaust system which is made up of the hood, pipes and fan, moves these floating pollutants outside the building. This makes the air cleaner and safer for everyone including the cooking staff and the people who eat there.
But grease, oil and other food leftovers build up on the vent hood, pipes and fans over time. There is a big risk to both the safety and the efficiency of the business if these deposits are not cleaned properly.
Why cleaning your exhaust hood on a regular basis is important for preventing fires The chance of a grease fire is one of the biggest problems that can happen when the exhaust hood is dirty. Grease is very flammable, and if it builds up on the vent hood and ductwork, it can catch fire and quickly spread through the kitchen. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says that hundreds of fires happen every year in business kitchens. Many of these fires are caused by vents and air systems that are too greasy.
Cleaning often gets rid of grease buildup and lowers the risk of fires. A lot of local fire departments and insurance companies actually make cleaning vent hoods a regular part of their safety rules. Not cleaning well enough can cause bad things to happen, like expensive fire damage, loss of property, or even harm to customers or workers.
Following the rules for health and safety When it comes to cooking air devices, most states and cities have strict rules. As a result of these rules, restaurant owners often have to keep their vent fans clean to make sure that the areas where food is prepared are safe. You could get fines, fees, or even have to close your restaurant temporarily if you don’t follow the local health and fire rules. In the worst situations, not taking care of an exhaust hood could get you in trouble with the law or even lose your license to drive.
It is important to know the rules that apply to your business so that these problems don’t happen. In many places, vent hoods need to be cleaned every three to twelve months based on things like the size of the kitchen and how much food is being cooked. Following these rules can help you prevent problems that aren’t necessary.
Better air quality For good air quality in the kitchen, you need to keep the drainage system clean. As grease and other particles build up in the vent fan and pipes, they can make the air in the kitchen smell bad and become thick and dirty. This is bad for the health and comfort of your staff, and it can also make eating out unpleasant for your customers if the smells get into the dining area.
Cooking smells and fumes are successfully taken from the kitchen by a clean air system making it a more comfortable and healthy place to work. Over time, this keeps dangerous particles from building up in the air, which can make it hard for kitchen staff to breathe.
How to Save Energy It takes more work for the ventilation system to move air out of the kitchen when grease and dirt get stuck in the exhaust system. This can put stress on the system which can cause energy use to rise and electricity bills to go up. If you keep your exhaust fan and pipes clean the air system will work better, which will save energy and money on costs.
The exhaust system will last longer if it is cleaned regularly. Not doing upkeep can cause pipes to get clogged, fans to stop working, and other technical problems that may need expensive fixes or replacements.
The Right Way to Clean an Exhaust Hood
Professionals who know how to clean and keep industrial kitchen air systems should clean the exhaust fan. Some simple cleaning jobs, like wiping down the outside of the hood can be done by cooking staff. But to deep clean the whole system, including the hood, filters, pipes and fans, you need special tools and knowledge.
Here’s a quick look at the cleaning process:
Inspection and Evaluation: First a professional cleaner will look over the whole system to see if there is any grease buildup, damage or clogs that can be seen.
Assembling: To make sure the exhaust system is clean, the cleaning team will often have to take parts of it apart such as the fan, filters and baffles.
Cleaning: The team will clean the inside of the hood, pipes, and fans with commercial grade degreasers and pressure washers. Places where a lot of grease has built up get extra care.
Putting the system back together and testing it: Once it’s been cleaned, the exhaust system is tried to make sure it works right.
How often do you think exhaust hoods should be cleaned?
How often you clean your vent hood depends on a number of things, such as the type of food you serve, how much you cook and the tools you use. For example restaurants that serve greasy foods like barbecue or fried chicken may need to clean their exhaust system more often than restaurants that cook less greasy foods.
As a general rule though:
Heavy Use Kitchens: Every three to six months, these kitchens usually need to be cleaned. Examples: fast food or full-service restaurants.
Kitchens with Moderate Use: Every 6 to 9 months the kitchen may need to be cleaned. This could be in bars or smaller restaurants.
Kitchens that do not get a lot of use like those in restaurants or coffee shops might only need to be cleaned every nine to twelve months.
Check the rules in your area to make sure you follow the cleaning rules that apply to you.
In conclusion
Cleaning the exhaust hood is an important part of keeping a restaurant kitchen safe, healthy, and running smoothly. You can greatly lower the risk of fire, improve the quality of the air, follow health and safety rules and save money on energy costs by following a regular cleaning plan and hiring professional cleaners. Along with these useful benefits a well kept exhaust system helps keep your restaurant safe and running easily so you can focus on what really matters: giving your people great food and service.
