According to a topical fire research report conducted by the United States Fire Administration, a large percentage of restaurant fires originate from the kitchen. Statistics show that restaurant fire peaks during pre-lunch hours when the kitchen is busiest, and in 2002, 68% of these fires were started due to ignited grease and cooking oil. Although fatalities and injuries were minimized by fire prevention equipment such as smoke alarms and automatic fire extinguishers, preventing the inception of restaurant fire is always best to avoid pricey property damage. One way to prevent restaurant fires is a sticking to a regular hood cleaning maintenance schedule.
Hood cleaning is actually a fire security procedure. In fact, hood cleaning is a government mandate under fire code NFPA 96. It involves the removal of fire hazards from areas where common causes of restaurant fire exists such as grease buildup and flammable deposits in interior surfaces of your kitchen exhaust system – along ducts, fans, and hoods.
Accumulated grease in kitchen areas takes more than soap and water to wash off. Special cleaning chemicals and tools applied by trained professionals are needed to remove these fire hazards. Hood cleaning specialists not only ensure that your kitchen exhaust system is properly cleaned. They also watch for possible system blockage and ensure that the system is working properly.
Benefits of Hood Cleaning
Apart from being the primary defense against restaurant fire, hood cleaning also has a number of additional benefits. When regularly implemented, you can minimize instances of product contamination and, thus, you can improve your health standards and public reputation. At the same time, hood cleaning improves your kitchen ventilation. It helps eliminate smoke and unpleasant odors, and it provides a better working environment for your kitchen staff.
How frequently should hood cleaning be performed?
The number of times hood cleaning must be performed in a span of time largely depends on the volume and the type of cooking you make. Apparently, the more you cook, the more frequent is the cleaning required. However, what most restaurant owners do not realize is that the type of food you are cooking also affects how many times hood cleaning should be performed.
Cooking foods that are high in fat and oil as well as cooking with solid fuels leaves much more grease and residue in your kitchen exhaust system. This means if you cook burgers on a daily basis and at a high volume, you will need to have your system cleaned more frequently.
As a rule of thumb, hood cleaning should be done at least once every six months. To know how frequently your kitchen exhaust system should be cleaned, you must consult a certified and trained hood inspector in your area. Some hood cleaning specialists will even conduct an inspection for free and provide pictures of their previous work.
Hood cleaning is therefore an important routine in kitchen maintenance and fire protection. Restaurant owners should be vigilant in making sure that this routine is being done properly and regularly by partnering with hood cleaning professionals. If you have a cooking facility in the Roanoke, VA, North Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina areas, GreasePro hood cleaning services can help you stay safe.
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