Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Tips

You’ve probably heard that exhaust hood systems are one of the most critical parts of a restaurant kitchen. They pull smoke, heat, and odor from the cooking surfaces into the hood, venting it outside. This not only helps keep employees safe and makes the kitchen more comfortable but also protects the restaurant itself. However, while the ventilation hood does a great job of removing these elements, some of them, like grease, oil, and even creosote, can build up inside the hoods and ducts. This buildup can lead to dangerous situations, which is why exhaust hood cleaning is so important for every restaurant’s ventilation system.

How to Prevent Fire Hazards in Your Exhaust Hood

Grease, fats, and oils can accumulate inside your hood and duct system. This buildup is one of the leading causes of restaurant kitchen fires. The good news is that protecting against these fire hazards is straightforward. With regular cleaning and proper maintenance, you can significantly reduce the risk of a fire. In short, cleaning your exhaust hood, filters, and ductwork frequently doesn’t just make your kitchen cleaner—it makes it much safer too.

Exhaust Hood Cleaning Requirements

The National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) has national guidelines for professional exhaust hood cleaning in commercial kitchens and restaurants. Not following these rules doesn’t just increase the risk of fire—it can also put your restaurant at risk of hefty fines or even forced closure. The NFPA 96 outlines the cleaning requirements and best practices, including how often trained, certified kitchen exhaust cleaning professionals should clean the hoods.

Exhaust Hood Cleaning Guidelines

Different types of commercial kitchens have different cleaning schedules. Here are the recommendations for various facilities:

• Monthly Cleaning: For systems serving solid fuel cooking operations and high volume restaurants in season.
• Quarterly Cleaning: For systems serving high-volume operations like 24-hour cooking, charbroiling, or wok cooking.
• Semi-Annual Cleaning: For systems serving moderate-volume cooking operations.
• Annual Cleaning: For systems serving low-volume cooking operations such as day camps, churches, or seasonal businesses.

To ensure a thorough job, an exhaust hood cleaning should include:

• Disassembling, cleaning, and degreasing the hoods, including hood filter tracts, grease troughs, and removable grease cups.
• Removing roof and/or wall-mounted upblast exhaust fans to degrease the base, shroud, and blades.
• Inspecting exhaust fans for loose or worn-out fan belts.
• Cleaning and degreasing all grease baffle hood filters and parts, replacing them if needed.
• Cleaning all accessible areas of the grease ductwork, from upblast fans to individual exhaust hoods.
• Applying food-safe polish to stainless steel ductwork.
• Thoroughly cleaning affected areas in the facility, including removing plastic, mopping, and clearing debris.
• Providing a detailed report of all work completed and any issues found, with recommendations for addressing problems.
• Attaching a certificate with the company name, the cleaner’s name, and the cleaning date to each hood that’s been cleaned.

The Importance of Duct Access Doors in Hood Cleaning

Duct access doors are key to thorough hood cleaning. These metal panels provide access to the inside of your ventilation ductwork, allowing cleaners to reach all areas. Although often overlooked, duct access doors are essential for cleaning the restaurant’s ventilation system from top to bottom. They need to be grease-tight and rated to handle temperatures of at least 1500 degrees. Installing duct access doors correctly is crucial for allowing professional hood cleaners to get rid of all the grease, oil, and fats inside your system.

The Role of Professional Exhaust Hood Cleaners

Hiring a certified professional hood cleaner is necessary for most commercial kitchens. Not only does it reduce the risk of fire, but it also helps avoid noncompliance with safety regulations. Professionals know the ins and outs of NFPA 96 and will help ensure your restaurant’s ventilation system is up to code. They can walk restaurant owners and managers through their cleaning procedures and provide peace of mind that everything is functioning properly.

A Few Last Words

Keeping your kitchen’s ventilation system clean can dramatically reduce the risk of fire in your restaurant or commercial kitchen. A big part of keeping your exhaust hood and fan clean is using the right grease hood filter. The better the filter you use, the more grease and smoke it will catch before entering the exhaust hood, meaning less buildup and fewer cleanings needed.

If you have questions about exhaust hoods, grease filters, or hood cleaning services Clean Hoods Express is here to help. Just give us a call or text at 727 270 1476, or send an email to mike@cleanhoodsexpress.com. We are always available to answer your questions!