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Learn the Essential Reasons That Flue Cleaning Needs to Be a Priority in Your Commercial Kitchen

December 12, 2022

Learn the Essential Reasons That Flue Cleaning Needs to Be a Priority in Your Commercial Kitchen

Did you realize that one of the most crucial components of your setup is the flue in your commercial kitchen? No matter how big or small your kitchen may be, the flue is crucial to maintaining the effectiveness and safety of the entire system. However, a lot of people make the mistake of ignoring the flue in their industrial kitchen, which has terrible consequences.

Your entire system will operate less effectively if your flue is not fully cleaned on a regular basis. It may even be harmful. Grease will accumulate in filthy flues and eventually cause a flash fire. As a result, you’ll need to call the fire brigade, you might need to close your company (costing you money), and you might even need to repair certain commercial kitchen equipment (further hurting your bottom line).

Types of chimney cleaning

Knowing how important flue cleaning is for your commercial kitchen, Flue Steam would like to inform you of the several forms of flue cleaning you can choose from. You won’t again have to worry about your flue being regularly cleaned correctly again if you work with Flue Steam.

Steam cleaning and hand scraping are both used to clean the flue. We advise reserving both hand scraping and steam cleaning services on a regular basis. Simply scraping the accumulated grease off the fans, hoods, ducts, and any other accessible part of your exhaust system is hand scraping.

On the other side, steam cleaning is more expensive but also more comprehensive. Hot, pressured water efficiently removed accumulated oil during steam cleaning. Many businesses sign up for steam cleaning twice a year in addition to monthly cleaning.

Certificate of achievement

We clean your flue more completely than some other flue cleaning firms. We make an effort to access every nook and cranny of your exhaust system. After every project, we even give out “Certificate of Performance” stickers as evidence that you’ve complied with the requirements of the NFPA code. These decals might cut your insurance costs while also keeping inspectors happy.

Extra services

We will be pleased to check your exhaust fan each time we visit to clean your flue. We’ll lubricate the fan bearings and check the belts and other components. If you happen to have spare belts on hand and your current ones are worn out, we’ll happily install them for you at no extra cost. It’s just one more way we ensure that your exhaust system functions as effectively and as long as it possibly can.

Dial us now

Are you prepared to start a collaboration with Flue Steam? We would adore working with you! Call 800-700-FLUE right away to join the ever-expanding number of clients we already have. We are eager to hear from you and take care of your needs for flue cleaning.

Learn the Truth About How Often Your Commercial Kitchen’s Flue Should Be Cleaned

November 16, 2022
Learn the Truth About How Often Your Commercial Kitchen’s Flue Should Be Cleaned

Did you know that it’s imperative to ensure that the flue in your commercial kitchen is regularly cleaned? It can be exceedingly unsanitary, ineffective, and even dangerous to have a dirty flue or exhaust system in general. This is due to the ease with which accumulated grease can spark a flash fire.

A disastrous flash fire that starts with just one match or one towel that catches fire while cooking can result in injuries, a call to the fire department, a significant disruption of business operations, and the need to repair your expensive commercial kitchen appliances. By using Flue Steam’s commercial kitchen exhaust system cleaning services, you can save all of that bother. You’ll yourself a ton of trouble and anxiety!

How often?

You might be wondering how frequently the flue in your business kitchen has to be cleaned to avoid an unsafe situation from developing. We advise signing up for monthly hand scraping services for the majority of commercial kitchens and augmenting that with steam cleaning services 2-4 times per year. All grease deposits in reachable places can be easily and effectively hand scraped away.

Although this approach is excellent, steam cleaning, which uses hot, pressurized water to reach every crevice of your industrial kitchen exhaust system, is more comprehensive. Although steam cleaning costs more and needs more work up front, it produces superior results. The majority of commercial kitchen managers choose hand scraping services on a monthly basis, supplemented 2-4 times a year by steam cleaning services.

How will the flue in my kitchen be accessed?

This is a common query we get from clients who hire us to clean their flues. Our professionals who do flue cleaning will enter your flue through access panels. The exhaust hood is the one that stands out the most, followed by the duct access panels, which will be removed for cleaning and then sealed back in place using a special caulking compound that is fire-rated.

The exhaust fan will then be cleaned after that. It has a hinged base and an additional electrical cable if it was set up in accordance with fire code specifications. Simply turn it over on its side and our professionals will clean it.

Having issues with your access panels?

We would be pleased to install access panels for your flue in accordance with all applicable rules, regulations, and materials according to NFPA 96 and the California Mechanical Code if they are missing or not positioned properly.

Code requirements

When you work with Flue Steam, you won’t have to be concerned about keeping up with code requirements for your exhaust system. A “Certificate of Performance” sticker with the date of service, the frequency of service, and the existence of any inaccessible regions in your system will be applied to your system following each cleaning. We advise preserving this sticker as documentation that you have complied with the code.

Phone us now!

Call us at 800-700-FLUE right away to set up your initial exhaust system cleaning treatment.

Does Your Automatic Fire Suppression System Comply with All Applicable Codes?

November 9, 2022
Does Your Automatic Fire Suppression System Comply with All Applicable Codes?

To keep a commercial kitchen as safe as possible, there are numerous crucial components. A kitchen exhaust system, a swamp cooler, and a few other specialized items are not only needed by law to be installed in many kitchens; they also serve as vital safety precautions to help avoid or put out a flash fire in your kitchen. There is always a danger that a fire will start, even though it is not common, especially in a greasy kitchen with gas-powered appliances.

An automatic fire suppression system is another crucial piece of equipment that can assist safeguard your kitchen from a potential fire. Once it detects a specific ambient temperature, these automatic extinguishing devices will put out a fire in your kitchen. Many commercial kitchens in Southern California have seen less severe flash fire damage as a result of this piece of equipment.

However, only having an automatic fire suppression system is insufficient. Making ensuring your system conforms with all laws and rules in the state of California as well as in your county or city is equally crucial. Read on to learn more and then contact Flue Steam at 800-700-FLUE if you need assistance with an automatic fire suppression system.

Why maintaining compliance is important

Not every regulation will be accepted by everyone. However, observing all the regulations is important for maintaining a commercial kitchen’s functionality. Failure to maintain compliance with your automatic fire-extinguishing system may result in inspection failure and potential fines.

Not to mention, if there is a fire in your commercial kitchen, if your system is out of compliance, it might not work properly. This inability to function may subject you to more severe losses and put you and/or your staff at risk for injury.

We’ll check to see if your automatic fire suppression system is up to code

When it comes to making sure your automatic fire suppression system complies with all standards and requirements, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. A large fine, a failed inspection, and a hazardous kitchen are the last things you need!

How can you determine if your automatic fire suppression system complies, though? You may rely on Flue Steam to determine if you’re in compliance! If not, we’ll let you know what has to be done to comply with the regulations and our technicians will be able to determine whether your system does so fast.

Call Flue Steam right away to schedule your appointment.

Learn the Ways We Can Make Your Commercial Kitchen Safer for Your Staff

October 26, 2022
Learn the Ways We Can Make Your Commercial Kitchen Safer for Your Staff

Commercial kitchens can be dangerous, as is well known. There are so many people working at once, along with the dangers of boiling oil and sharp blades. Serious mishaps can occur if you’re not careful. However, there are practical measures to guard against mishaps and guarantee that nobody gets wounded while working in your commercial kitchen.

We can help you keep your kitchen safer

Working with Flue Steam is one approach to make your commercial kitchen safer. Our goal is to improve the efficiency and safety of commercial kitchens for cooking. To accomplish this significant objective, we provide a range of services to commercial kitchens, including:

Comprehensive cleaning of commercial kitchen exhaust systems (including hand scraping and steam cleaning of fans, hoods, and ducts)

  • Services for changing grease filters
  • Upkeep of exhaust fans
  • Service for automatic fire suppression systems
  • Sales and service of portable fire extinguishers

Today, schedule services for cleaning exhaust systems

One of the most important things you must take to ensure that your commercial kitchen is secure and protected from the possibility of flash fires is to regularly engage the services of a kitchen exhaust system cleaning company. In Southern California, we provide commercial kitchens hand scraping and steam cleaning services.

The best and most economical approach to remove oil buildup from your exhaust system is by hand scraping; steam cleaning, while more expensive, offers a thorough cleaning. We advise companies to sign up for steam cleaning every three months and monthly hand scraping. To create the best cleaning routine to properly safeguard your kitchen, we’ll be pleased to talk about your preferences and the demands of your kitchen. Set up cleaning services for your kitchen exhaust system with Flue Steam by calling us at 800-700-FLUE or sending an email to contact@fluesteam.com.

Services for changing grease filters

It takes a lot of effort, time, and effort to change the grease filter in your industrial kitchen, and it may be quite nasty. Enroll in Flue Steam‘s grease filter exchange services to save the trouble. At predetermined intervals of your choosing, a qualified technician will bring new, clean filters straight to your place of business.

The expert will replace your old filters with these new ones and remove them for cleaning. This will lower your fire risk and free up your personnel to work on more engaging projects. We advise replacing grease filters in most eateries every two weeks. To begin services right away, just give us a call at 800-700-FLUE or send us an email at contact@fluesteam.com.

Upkeep of exhaust fans

At Flue Steam, we value your kitchen’s efficiency and safety, so each time one of our technicians visits to clean your exhaust system, they’ll check your exhaust fan. If you have a spare belt in case your worn-out ones break, our specialist would happily install it for you at no extra cost.

Sales and servicing for portable fire extinguishers and automatic fire suppression systems

We also provide sales and maintenance for portable fire extinguishers across Southern California because avoiding fires in commercial kitchens is one of our main goals. Although we hope you never need them, you must contact Flue Steam by phone or email at contact@fluesteam.com to confirm that they are still in good working order.

How to Choose the Right Portable Fire Extinguisher for Your Commercial Kitchen

October 12, 2022
How to Choose the Right Portable Fire Extinguisher for Your Commercial Kitchen

According to fire rules, if you own or run a commercial kitchen, you are required to have portable fire extinguishers in addition to an automated fire suppression system. This makes it more likely that staff members will be able to put out a fire that could start in an area that isn’t covered by the automated fire suppression system. Before selecting items to safeguard your kitchen, take a look at what you need know about portable fire extinguishers. You contact Flue Steam at 800-700-FLUE if you need help.

Fire extinguisher classifications

It’s crucial to think about the kinds of fires that might develop in your kitchen before you start shopping for fire extinguishers. Depending on the materials being burnt, fires are categorized into the following groups:

  • Class A: Natural materials such as wood, cloth, paper, and many types of polymers
  • Class B: Flammable liquids such as lacquers, tars, petroleum greases, solvents, and so on.
  • Class C: Energized electrical equipment
  • Class K: Flammable cooking ingredients, such as fats and oils

Two types of frequently used portable fire extinguishers

Depending on the sort of fire they are intended to put out, several portable fire extinguisher models employ various extinguishing ingredients. For instance:

A decent all-purpose fire extinguisher for use in the home or business is an ABC Fire Extinguisher. They employ mono ammonium phosphate, a chemical, to put out Class A, B, and C flames. Because of its corrosive nature, this chemical must be rapidly cleaned up after usage.

Grease fires in industrial kitchens may be put out with Class K fire extinguishers. To stop oil from splashing and causing the fire to spread, they spritz the flames with potassium acetate and potassium citrate rather than stream it. The chemical will aid in preventing the fire from re-igniting as it adheres to the cooking utensils.

UL Ratings UL tests portable fire extinguishers and assigns ratings that represent the efficacy of the device. The extinguisher’s performance in putting out a fire in comparison to 1.25 liters of water is always shown by the first number in the rating.

For instance, a product with a rating of 2A:K would be twice as effective on a Class K fire as 1.25 liters of water (or as effective as 2.5 gallons). You can also discover a second number on ABC extinguishers that indicates the maximum square footage it can handle. For instance, a 4A:80B:C extinguisher would cover 80 square feet and hold the equivalent of 5 gallons of water.

Comparing rechargeable versus non-rechargeable

Both rechargeable and non-rechargeable versions of the majority of portable fire extinguisher types are available. Rechargeable extinguishers are strongly recommended for commercial kitchens by Flue Steam. Although this kind of portable fire extinguisher is more expensive initially, it offers a superior long-term value since it may be replenished after each use rather than being thrown away.