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Navigating the restaurant business is akin to navigating a ship through a storm; unpredictable and demanding. Among the many crucial components on this ship, the equipment stands as the backbone, ensuring smooth operations. When vital equipment like the oven, stove, or the kitchen exhaust system falters, it’s like hitting an iceberg. The panic is real, and the urgency to rectify it is paramount. However, the harsh reality many face is the long waiting periods before a technician can address the problem.

While there’s potential workarounds for some equipment breakdowns, others are non-negotiable. The kitchen exhaust system, undeniably, is one of the non-negotiables. Keep reading to learn how Flue Steam can help with kitchen exhaust cleaning and other services. Then contact us at 800-700-FLUE for help.

Underestimating the Exhaust System: A Costly Oversight

It’s intriguing how often the exhaust system’s pivotal role in a commercial kitchen is overlooked. In Southern California, for establishments equipped with a stove, regulations dictate the mandatory installation and maintenance of an exhaust system. Beyond legal mandates, the emphasis is primarily on safety and health.

Cooking without a fully functional exhaust means trapping unhealthy debris and oils in the kitchen environment. Such conditions escalate heat and could pose respiratory challenges, especially for those already battling ailments like asthma. Imagine the compounded stress on your staff and the potential reputational damage if customers were to feel these effects. It’s not merely about following the law; it’s about ensuring a safe, healthy, and efficient working environment. A non-operational exhaust isn’t just an operational hurdle; it’s a ticking legal time bomb.

Prompt Solutions for Urgent Challenges

Time is of the essence in the restaurant world. Every moment your exhaust system is down, you’re potentially losing business, compromising safety, and straining your operations. Recognizing this critical urgency, Flue Steam steps up with a promise: rapid response and effective solutions. In an industry where every minute counts, especially amidst the unpredictability of events like pandemics, you need a partner who understands the stakes.

At Flue Steam, we don’t merely offer services; we offer peace of mind. Our emergency response team is on standby, 24/7, ensuring you have support when you need it the most.

For immediate assistance and to address all your commercial kitchen exhaust system challenges in Southern California, contact us at 800-700-FLUE. We’re committed to helping you maintain a seamless rhythm in your kitchen operations.

In commercial kitchen exhaust system maintenance, considerable focus is often placed on ensuring that exhaust hoods and ductwork are clean. However, the role of grease filters cannot be overlooked – they are an integral component of this setup.

There Are Two Main Roles of Grese Filters.

Grease filters perform two critical roles in commercial kitchens.

Fire Safety

The primary purpose of a clean grease filter lies in minimizing fire risks in the commercial kitchen. As air laden with grease passes through the filter, grease particles are trapped. The upshot is a reduction in grease making its way into the ducts, where it could create a significant fire risk. Some grease filters feature a spark arrestor mechanism, further enhancing fire safety by preventing sparks produced from cooking with solid fuels such as wood or charcoal from entering the ductwork.

Ensuring Adequate Airflow

The secondary role of a clean grease filter is to encourage appropriate airflow within your kitchen. Without a grease filter, surplus grease could build up on your ductwork’s walls, escalating the drag inside the ducts. This could cause your exhaust fan to overwork, potentially escalating system wear and tear. The diminished airflow could also lead to smoke and odor problems in the kitchen.

Regrettably, the efficiency of a grease filter deteriorates as it gets dirtier. A dirty grease filter can itself be a fire risk, and it can also more drastically impede airflow compared to dirty ducts.

Best Practices for Keeping Your Grease Filters Clean

Commercial kitchen grease filters might get dirty swiftly, but the silver lining is that they are engineered to be cleaned and reused. An initial step would be having your team inspect the grease filters at each day’s end. If the filters appear greasy, they should be removed and cleaned. Most grease filters can be effortlessly cleaned by applying a degreaser, allowing them to soak for a while, and then putting them through your commercial dishwasher.

But what happens if your team lacks time for these tasks? Or if your kitchen operates around the clock, making it impossible to leave your appliances without grease filters even briefly? You can use Flue Steam‘s grease filter exchange service to ensure your filters remain clean.

We will visit your premises every week or so, take away your old, dirty filters and replace them with clean ones. This doesn’t mean you’ll need to purchase new filters each time – we’ll clean your old filters for you and return them on our next visit. Essentially, you only need two filter sets to avail of this service.

To find out more about arranging a grease filter exchange service that suits your business, please call 800-700-FLUE now.

Maintaining a clean kitchen exhaust system is not just a regulatory requirement — it also provides numerous significant advantages for your business. However, some commercial kitchens fail to receive the meticulous cleaning they genuinely need. The reasons for this can be numerous, but here are four common scenarios.

If you need help with flue cleaning, contact Flue Steam at 800-700-FLUE for help today.

Failing to Book the Necessary Service

One issue is that some commercial kitchen owners or managers simply neglect to book the required comprehensive cleaning service to eliminate grease from the entire exhaust system. This is more prone to occur in kitchens that don’t cook substantial volumes of greasy food. The grease then slowly accumulates on visible areas of the exhaust system, like the exhaust hoods, and owners may assume it is building up even more slowly deeper inside the system. Given they cannot see this accumulation, they might not recognize that an issue is indeed developing.

Hiring the Incorrect Service Provider

Another frequent issue is employing the incorrect exhaust system cleaning company. Many companies are satisfied just to clean the visible components of the system. They may venture into the plenum and ducts, but they won’t proceed further than their arms and tools can reach. Depending on a company that assures you your ducts are “clean” without offering complete steam cleaning of the entire system is naturally a substantial hurdle to keeping your ducts free of grease.

Insufficient Access Points

An insufficient number of access points to the ductwork represents another significant impediment to adequate cleaning. NFPA codes dictate that approved access doors must be installed in the system at specific intervals. Depending on the ductwork’s design, this might necessitate a door that a person can enter through, or smaller access panels at pre-set intervals. You should also have a hinge kit on your rooftop exhaust fan to facilitate proper cleaning of this crucial piece of equipment.

Budget Constraints

Sometimes, kitchen owners may refrain from ordering service as frequently as they need due to concerns about the cost. In reality, the cost of service is minimal compared to the potential costs of a fire igniting in the ductwork. Clean ducts also improve air circulation, contributing to lower cooling bills and lower gas bills (propane flames on cooking appliances will burn higher with better air flow). Remember, the longer the interval between duct cleanings, the more grease will accumulate, making it more challenging and expensive to remove.

At Flue Steam, we can assist you in overcoming all these hurdles and attaining the comprehensive cleanings your business requires. We offer exceptionally thorough steam cleaning services to reach every nook and cranny of your ductwork, including parts you can’t see. We can gauge grease deposits throughout the system to determine the correct frequency of hand scraping and steam cleaning to help you understand when to order service, and we can install code compliant access panels for you. And of course, our services are very cost-effective. Please call 800-700-FLUE now to schedule your service at a time that suits your business.

In California, it’s mandated by law that commercial kitchens, such as those in restaurants, are equipped with automated fire suppression systems. This is critical to mitigate the risk of injury to personnel and avoid damage to your costly kitchen equipment. Are you confident that your restaurant kitchen has an effective automated fire suppression system ready to respond in an emergency? If you’re uncertain, now is the opportune time to update your system with Flue Steam.

Understanding the Functioning of Automated Fire Suppression Systems

Automated fire suppression systems work with a temperature sensor. When the air outside the exhaust system’s hood reaches a specific pre-set temperature, typically around 450 degrees, the system gets activated. Once the sensor is triggered, an extinguishing agent is released to smother any flames on your appliances and within the plenum. Simultaneously, an automatic shut-off valve is activated to cut off the gas supply, a crucial step in diminishing the flames. The system’s automated operation is paramount for immediate fire suppression. However, these systems are also fitted with a manual pull trigger as an additional safety measure.

Is Your Automated Fire Suppression System Ready to Take on the Task?

If your automated fire suppression system has seen many years of service or shows signs of wear and tear, it’s an ideal time to consider upgrading to a new one from Flue Steam. Having a well-functioning system is crucial to ensure readiness in case of an emergency. Unexpected events are not uncommon in commercial kitchens, hence it’s always better to err on the side of caution.

When you opt for an automated fire suppression system from Flue Steam, our experts will professionally install it, ensuring compliance with all relevant codes, including the UL 300 standard. Our licensed technicians will not only install your system but also conduct all the required inspections and maintenance every six months as mandated by law.

We Have the Experience You Need

For comprehensive automated fire suppression system services, put your trust in Flue Steam. Our team of specialized technicians have the experience and commitment to cater to your needs diligently. We don’t stop until we’re assured that your commercial kitchen is well protected against fires with an automated fire suppression system that’s flawlessly calibrated and maintained.

Kitchen Exhaust System Cleaning

Alongside the installation and maintenance services for your automated fire suppression system, we recommend availing of our kitchen exhaust system cleaning services. Our licensed technicians, utilizing hot, high-pressure water, will thoroughly clean your exhaust system, effectively removing any grease deposits that could lead to flash fires. We suggest scheduling these steam cleaning services 2-4 times annually. Post-service, your hood, exhaust ducts, drip cups, and exhaust fans will be in pristine condition. To book your first service, contact us today at 800-700-FLUE.

Are you seeking a deep clean for your commercial kitchen’s exhaust system? Have you noticed that while hand scraping is reasonably effective and straightforward, it doesn’t reach every nook and cranny of your commercial kitchen’s exhaust system? If you’ve pondered these thoughts recently, it’s time to consider Flue Steam.

As Southern California’s top steam cleaning service, we have over 52 years of experience in steam cleaning commercial kitchen exhaust systems throughout the region. We would be delighted to visit your kitchen regularly to ensure it’s not just up to code but also safe and efficient for daily cooking activities. Be it a restaurant, hotel, hospital, retirement facility, or any other commercial kitchen, ensure a spotless exhaust system by partnering with Flue Steam today.

Understanding Steam Cleaning

Steam cleaning employs hot, high-pressure water to meticulously remove grease deposits from every tiny part of your commercial kitchen exhaust system. While it may cost a bit more than hand scraping, it provides a more thorough cleaning. We suggest scheduling steam cleaning services for your exhaust system approximately 2-4 times per year.

This frequency may vary based on the amount of grease that accumulates in your exhaust system. Do you frequently fry or broil food? If so, we recommend steam cleaning services four times a year. However, if you fry or boil occasionally, like at a sushi restaurant, two or three cleanings per year should suffice. Schedule your service today by calling 800-700-FLUE.

What Gets Cleaned?

We utilize specialized equipment to clean every part of your exhaust system. Starting with the range hood, which typically accumulates the most grease, we proceed to remove grease deposits from the exhaust ducts, drip cups, and exhaust fans. To ensure a comprehensive cleaning, we can also install code-required access panels in your ducts. We strive to make your exhaust system shine after every cleaning service.

Additional Services

Your commercial kitchen’s safety and efficiency are our priorities. Therefore, each regular cleaning service includes an exhaust fan inspection. Our technician will examine the belts and other parts, and also lubricate your fan bearings. If your belts are worn out and you have a replacement available, we’ll install the new belt free of charge. This proactive approach ensures your exhaust fan always functions optimally, maintaining a cleaner exhaust system for longer periods.

We eagerly look forward to forming a partnership with you, consistently delivering top-tier steam cleaning services for your commercial kitchen exhaust system. Contact us today at 800-700-FLUE to schedule your first appointment.