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To open, operate, and keep a commercial kitchen running in California, there are certain requirements that you must meet. These include proper licensure and certification, continued compliance with safely handling food, passing of regular safety inspections, and keeping appliances and plumbing up to code.

Apart from the latter, having fire extinguishers present in your commercial kitchen space is not only an important safety measure, but it’s a requirement here in California. But it isn’t enough to simply have a fire extinguisher or two within your commercial kitchen; the right type, amount, and placement of your extinguishers matters too.

What Laws Require Fire Extinguishers in California Commercial Kitchens?

Title 8, Section 6151 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) mentions details regarding the fire extinguisher requirements for California businesses. The agencies that observe and enforce these regulations include Cal OSHA, the California State Fire Marshal, local fire marshals, and business and corporate liability insurance providers.

For commercial kitchens and restaurants, Class K fire extinguishers are required to be securely installed every 30 feet. Each extinguisher must be accessible at all times and cannot be blocked by furniture or other objects. In addition, all employees must be trained on how to use a fire extinguisher and informed where each one is located in the building. Training of employees should be done at the time of hiring, as well as once annually thereafter. Likewise, extinguishers should be inspected annually, and hydrostatic testing should be regularly performed.

Are There Penalties for Not Having Fire Extinguishers?

Failure to have the right number, type, and placement of fire extinguishers on your commercial property can result in hefty fines from OSHA, costing thousands of dollars per fire extinguisher that isn’t in compliance. Penalties can also result if you fail to train your employees on fire safety and/or don’t pass annual inspections/testing.

In order to avoid these penalties, it’s critical to follow all regulations and guidelines enforced in the state of California as well as in your locality.

Get High-Quality Fire Extinguisher Supply in Southern California

Not only do you want to be in compliance to keep your commercial restaurant or kitchen up and running, but you’ll want to have quality, reliable fire extinguishers on your property in case a flash fire erupts. But how do you ensure you get your hands on fire extinguishers you can trust?

Fortunately, Flue Steam, Inc. has a wide supply of various fire extinguishers for businesses in Southern California. Call us today for more information on fire supply to protect your commercial kitchen or restaurant from a devastating fire: 800-700-FLUE.

Many restaurants this time of year are busier than ever before. From serving large families coming together at one dinner table to celebrate the holiday season, to accommodating hungry Christmas shoppers, to whipping up catered meals for customers’ holiday celebrations, your kitchen staff are going to be slammed with endless tasks. This is no surprise for many restaurant and catering company owners.

But have you ever stopped to think how all the extra business you’re receiving around the holidays could be negatively impacting your kitchen equipment? Your expensive mixer might break, a burner on your stove might go out, the list goes on. One important unit many folks in the cooking industry forget to tend to is their kitchen hood, which will definitely be overworked this time of year, along with the rest of their equipment.

Commercial Kitchen Safety Starts with a Clean Hood!

There’s no better time to amp up the kitchen cleaning than during the month of December. And it goes beyond just the need for extra dishwashing, wiping down countertops more often, and frequently disinfecting door handles to steer clear of germs.

At Flue Steam, Inc., we recommend getting your entire kitchen exhaust system cleaned, including your range hood, drip cups, exhaust fans, and exhaust ducts, to get rid of excess grease buildup in your commercial space. Without regular exhaust system maintenance, especially during one of your busiest times of the year, this can result in unfortunate results, including:

• Poor air quality in your kitchen
• Possibility of a flash fire
• Lower lifespan of costly kitchen equipment
• Increased risk of slip and fall injuries
• Penalties for not properly maintaining your kitchen flue

The latter risks can not only be potentially expensive and time-consuming to tend to but can also have a negative effect on your staff members’ health and the safety of your commercial property. A filthy kitchen exhaust is perhaps one of the most dangerous aspects of any kitchen!

Get Kitchen Exhaust System Cleaning in Southern California Today

You might be one to do things on your own, but when it comes to your kitchen exhaust system, cleaning it correctly is critical in terms of health, safety, and compliance. Especially with you and your crew being extra busy around this time of year, it’s a great idea to have a professional come out to maintain your flue before or after Christmastime.

What are you waiting for? The holidays are almost here! Contact Flue Steam, Inc. in Southern California today at 800-700-FLUE to set up your kitchen hood cleaning soon.

For those who own a commercial kitchen, getting regular kitchen exhaust cleaning performed is critical. Leaving greasy residue to buildup in your kitchen is equivalent to anticipating a disaster. From the restriction of airflow to the start of a flash fire, excess grease in your kitchen is a devil in disguise.

To maintain a safe kitchen and avoid potential penalties, there’s no wiser decision than to delegate your kitchen exhaust cleaning tasks to Flue Steam, Inc. in Arcadia, CA. Our team of professionals has been doing what we have been doing since 1971. We can practically clean a kitchen flue with our eyes closed and our hands tied behind out back (although, we won’t)!

Here’s what our kitchen exhaust cleaning service consists of:

Hand Scraping and Steam Cleaning

There are two main methods of exhaust cleaning we offer: hand scraping and steam cleaning. Hand scraping, which is typically performed once a month, is an easy and affordable way to eliminate the buildup of grease by hand. It’s also less expensive, although not quite as effective, as its steam cleaning counterpart.

As an alternative, you might try our steam cleaning service. Steam cleaning involves removing grease via the use of hot, high-pressure water. As you might expect, steam cleaning is quicker, and the results are more reliable than scraping grease residue by hand. Due to its advantage over hand scraping, some businesses opt for steam cleaning a few times a year versus getting hand scraping done a dozen times a year.

Exhaust Fan Inspection

Included in your kitchen exhaust cleaning appointment, our Flue Steam, Inc. team will inspect your exhaust fan for no extra cost. During the inspection, we’ll check to make sure the parts of your exhaust fan are up to par and will let you know if anything needs to be replaced for you and your kitchen’s safety. And, for no additional charge, we’ll gladly grease your fan bearings and replace any old, worn-out belts.

Certificate of Performance Stickers

At the end of your exhaust cleaning appointment, our team will provide you with “Certificate of Performance” stickers. These stickers serve two important roles. For one, they ensure you fulfil your NFPA code requirements. Secondly, you can save money on your insurance bills thanks to the presence of these stickers. Like hitting two birds with one stone!

Are you interested in kitchen flue cleaning in Arcadia, CA? We’re currently taking on new clients! Phone us up today at 800-700-FLUE.

Swamp coolers are no doubt a critical component of your kitchen exhaust system. A functioning kitchen swamp cooler plays an important role in bringing cool air to replace the hot, stuffy air accumulating in your kitchen. In turn, swamp coolers ensure your kitchen hood’s fire suppression system doesn’t overheat and can continue successfully doing its job.

But eventually, there may come a time when the swamp cooler in your commercial kitchen begins to malfunction. That’s when it’s necessary to call out our San Pedro, CA team out to resolve the potential problem.

Is it Time to Get Swamp Cooler Repair?

You might be hesitant to make an appointment with us until you know for certain that your swamp cooler is having an issue that necessitates help from a professional.

Here are signs that your swamp cooler needs to be serviced, or even replaced, soon:

• Randomly stops working
• Unit fails to turn on
• Low air flow
• Dripping water
• Releasing musty odors
• Reduced cold air
• Corroded and rusted parts

Urgent Appointments Available

It can be frustrating trying to figure out what’s wrong with your swamp cooler. Often, when you try to troubleshoot your swamp cooler on your own, you might find yourself working on it for hours trying to resolve the problem. Who has time for that?

Instead of wasting your precious time, know that Flue Steam, Inc. offers emergency 24/7 appointments for your convenience. With our efficient team, you won’t have to worry about booking an appointment on certain business days within specific hours. We’re available every day, all day! And our phone line is always open.

That means if your evaporative cooler decides to fail on you on an early Saturday morning, we can most definitely come out and take a look at it. It also means we can set up an emergency appointment with you if your swamp cooler starts to drip water on, say, Tuesday at 11 p.m. We know swamp cooler problems don’t always happen at convenient hours!

Schedule Swamp Cooler Service in San Pedro, CA Now

Always aim to take the best care of your kitchen exhaust system. Part of ensuring it’s well taken care of is having your swamp cooler serviced in a timely manner when things go wrong. With our 24/7 availability, there is no excuse not to call our technicians at the first signs of your swamp cooler failing!

Get your swamp cooler diagnosed and repaired in San Pedro, CA today by dialing 800-700-FLUE.

One of the most important parts of running a business is following and meeting all codes, regulations, and laws associated with your type of business. Owning a restaurant or other type of facility housing a commercial kitchen in California, one of the things you must do by law is have fire extinguishers available inside your kitchen in case a fire ever erupts.

People often ask us, “How many fire extinguishers do I need to have installed in my California commercial kitchen?” Good news: we’ve got the answer!

The Number of Fire Extinguishers You Need Varies

Apart from having a fire suppression system, commercial kitchens in California are required to have Class K extinguishers installed, but how many? While you probably want a definite answer, the number of fire extinguishers one commercial kitchen is required to have might vary from the number required for another commercial kitchen.

By California law, extinguishers in commercial kitchens must be placed so that an employee within your kitchen only has to travel 30 feet to obtain an extinguisher. Depending on how large your kitchen is, you may need to have several extinguishers installed whereas a smaller kitchen may only need a couple.

Why Fire Extinguishers are Vital for Commercial Kitchens

Everyone knows why fire extinguishers are important: they help put out fires. However, what some people fail to realize is how important fire extinguishers are for commercial kitchens in particular.

Compared to many other types of builds, or even home kitchens, commercial kitchens are especially at risk for flash fires. Unsupervised food-heating appliances, flammable objects near a heated appliance or open flame, overheating of fryer oils, clutter of paper goods within your kitchen, and dirty grease traps and exhaust hoods that aren’t properly maintained are all potential commercial kitchen fire hazards.

Due to the potentials for a flash fire to strike at any time, it isn’t enough to make sure you eliminate hazards from your commercial kitchen and make sure to maintain your grease traps, exhaust hoods, and ductwork. The addition of fire extinguishers in case a fire does happen to emerge is critical.

Get Fire Extinguisher Supply in Southern California Today!

It’s a law: you must have fire extinguishers installed in your California commercial kitchen. Since their installation is inevitable, you might as well get your supply from the right place.

At Flue Steam, Inc., we carry a wide selection of different types of portable fire extinguishers to ensure your business is up to code. Call us at 800-700-FLUE to get in touch with one of our technicians who can help you select the best extinguishers for your needs!