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Overcome the obstacles that are preventing your business from getting thorough cleaning with help from Flue Steam.

Keeping your kitchen exhaust system clean isn’t just the law—it also provides many important benefits for your business. Unfortunately, some commercial kitchens don’t get the thorough cleaning they actually need. There may be many different reasons for this, but here are 4 common possibilities.

Not Ordering Service

First of all, some commercial kitchen owners or operators may simply fail to order the thorough cleaning service needed to remove grease from every inch of the exhaust system. This is more likely to happen in kitchens that don’t cook a large volume of greasy food. Grease then builds up very slowly on visible areas of the exhaust system such as the exhaust hoods, and owners may assume it is building up even slower further inside the system. Because they can’t see this buildup, they may not realize that a problem is indeed growing.

Using the Wrong Company

Another very common problem is using the wrong exhaust system cleaning company. Many companies are content to just clean the visible parts of the system. They may reach up into the plenum and ducts as well, but they won’t go further than their arms and equipment can reach. Relying on a company that promises your ducts are “clean” without actually providing complete steam cleaning of the entire system is naturally a huge impediment to keeping your ducts grease-free.

Lack of Access Points

A lack of sufficient access to the ductwork is another serious obstacle to proper cleaning. NFPA codes require that approved access doors be installed in the system at specific intervals. Depending on the design of the ductwork this may mean you need 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 that important piece of equipment.

Budget Concerns

Sometimes, kitchen owners may hesitate to order service as frequently as they really need to out of concern about the cost. In reality, the cost of service is very small compared to the possible costs of a fire breaking out in the ductwork. Clean ducts also draw air better, contributing to lower cooling bills and lower gas bills (propane flames on cooking appliances will burn higher with better air flow). Remember, the longer you wait between duct cleanings the more grease will build up and the more difficult—and costly—it will be to remove.

At Flue Steam, we can help you overcome all of these obstacles and get the thorough cleanings your business needs. We provide extremely thorough steam cleaning services to reach every corner of your ductwork, even the parts you can’t see. We can measure grease deposits throughout the system to determine the proper 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 now to schedule your service at a time that is convenient for your business.

Learn how and when to remove grease from your appliances for cost-effective fire risk mitigation.

Exhaust hood and duct cleaning is an essential service for commercial kitchens because it helps reduce the risk of fire in the exhaust system. At Flue Steam, we offer two different methods for exhaust hood cleaning: hand scraping and steam cleaning. Depending on your kitchen’s needs, we may need to use these cleaning techniques at different intervals in order to best promote fire safety in your kitchen.

Every 30 Days

In kitchens that prepare a high volume of grilled meats or fried foods, the exhaust hoods on cooking appliances need to be cleaned monthly by hand scraping. Typically, the main appliances that need to be cleaned include ranges, broilers, fryer vats. Depending on the layout of the kitchen, these appliances may have a shared exhaust hood or individual ones.

Every 90 Days

In kitchens that don’t focus so heavily on grease-producing foods and cooking methods, it may be sufficient to get hand scraping for ranges, broilers, and deep fryers much less frequently, perhaps even every 90 days. In other kitchens where hand scraping is occurring every 30 days, these same appliances will most likely need steam cleaning every 90 days.

Every Year

If might surprise you to learn that the exhaust hoods over non-grease creating appliances also need to be cleaned periodically. This includes appliances like steam kettles, soup vats, and even dishwashers. This is because even with proper ventilation hoods over all cooking equipment, minute amounts of greasy vapor still have the potential to escape and adhere to other surfaces. Typically cleaning these other exhaust hoods once per year is sufficient.

Find the Right Cleaning Schedule for Your Kitchen

Of course, the 30-day and 90-day guidelines are just starting points. Your particular kitchen may need more or less frequent cleaning. As long as you keep grease buildup within the level that is considered safe and remain in compliance with your local fire safety codes, you have the freedom to stray from the general guidelines.

At Flue Steam, we can help you establish a cost-effective schedule for your exhaust hood and duct cleaning needs. We do this by using a special industry-approved comb to measure grease deposits on interior hood and duct surfaces. This helps us establish the rate at which grease is being deposited which then determines the frequency at which it needs to be removed.

Learn about the many benefits of trusting Flue Steam with your kitchen exhaust duct cleaning.

Every commercial kitchen needs periodic exhaust duct cleaning service. You may have many options for contractors to provide this service, but here at Flue Steam we believe we can provide superior service. Here are the top 5 benefits of working with us to keep your exhaust ducts clean using a combination of hand scraping and steam cleaning techniques.

We Keep Your Business Open

First and foremost, the most important benefit of kitchen exhaust duct cleaning is it enables your business to stay open. Without routine cleanings, your kitchen would quickly become in violation of local fire and safety codes. Getting your kitchen exhaust duct cleaning from Flue Steam is a particularly smart choice because we provide convenient proof-of-service stickers that make record-keeping easy.

We Help Reduce the Risk of Fire

The reason commercial kitchens are required to get exhaust duct cleaning is that it helps reduce the risk of a fire in the ventilation system. Without cleaning, grease vapor produced during cooking would build up inside the exhaust hood and ductwork. This greasy buildup could then ignite if heated to a high temperature and easily spread through the ductwork to every corner of the building. By simply removing this grease, you eliminate a potential fire’s fuel source and help keep it from spreading. At Flue Steam, we can provide extremely thorough grease removal using steam cleaning equipment.

We Help Promote Cleaner Indoor Air

Dirty exhaust systems can actually begin to interfere with proper airflow over time. This results in issues with smoke, odors, and heat in the kitchen as the system is no longer able to facilitate adequate ventilation. Eventually this dirty air may begin to make its way to other parts of the building where it may affect the comfort of diners as well as your cooking staff. Fortunately, by getting an exhaust system cleaning from Flue Steam you can promote good ventilation and clean air. Our technicians can clean and service your swamp cooler as well as your exhaust system to ensure a good balance between incoming and outgoing air.

We Clean When It’s Convenient For You

One particular advantage of working with Flue Steam is that our services are available at the times that suit your business needs. We offer emergency service 24/7, and we can also offer early morning or late night cleaning so that you can get service without having to alter your kitchen’s hours of operation.

We Offer Grease Filter Exchange Service

If all the above benefits haven’t convinced you to get service from Flue Steam, remember that we offer grease filter exchange service too. This service is the most convenient way to ensure your grease filters stay in good condition. High-quality grease filters can help make your exhaust duct cleanings last longer by capturing more grease before it can enter the ductwork, so kitchen exhaust cleaning with grease filter exchange from Flue Steam can really deliver a great value.

Make sure your staff knows what to do in case of a grease fire in the commercial kitchen.

When cooking oil or grease from animal fat gets too hot, it will catch on fire. For vegetable oils, this will happen around 450°F, while lard and other animal fats will combust around 375°F. In a commercial kitchen, a fire on the cooktop is actually the least of your worries. The situation will be much more dangerous if the fire begins in or manages to spread to the interior of your exhaust hood or ductwork, as it can easily travel to other parts of the building from there.

Grease fire prevention is absolutely essential in a commercial kitchen, and indeed local Fire Codes demand that commercial kitchen operators comply with specific safety guidelines in this area including proper cleaning and maintenance for their exhaust duct systems. However, despite having all relevant safety measures in place you will also want to make sure your kitchen staff knows these do’s and don’ts for putting out a grease fire.

Do…

…Turn Off the Unit: In the event of a grease fire on the cooktop, the first thing to do is immediately turn off the heat so that any new splashes of grease or oil will not be heated to combustion point.

…Cover the Pot: If the fire is occurring within a pot or skillet, covering the pot can help smother the flames.

…Use Baking Soda: If grease has splattered outside the pot or the pot cannot be smothered, pouring baking soda over the flames will also put out the fire. This is a good alternative for minor cooktop flareups as baking soda will not damage the cooktop or contaminate the kitchen with chemicals.

…Grab a Portable Fire Extinguisher: In case of a large fire or one that is in or on the exhaust hood, a portable fire extinguisher may be used. Commercial kitchens must have portable fire extinguishers on hand, and the best kind to have is a Class K extinguisher that will release a mist instead of a spray to help extinguish the fire without risk of splashing burning grease to other surfaces.

…Activate the Automatic Fire Suppression System: In the event of a large grease fire, the automatic fire suppression system should activate and release a mist of chemicals to extinguish the fire. However, if for some reason the system does not kick on, employees should activate it manually.

Don’t

…Use Water: Water will not put out a grease fire effectively. Instead, it can either splash the burning grease around or vaporize on contact and carry grease particles to other locations, either of which scenarios can lead to another fire.

…Move Burning Materials: Moving the pot or item that is on fire is another way to accidentally make matters worse, as grease could splatter and cause injury or additional fires.

…Endanger Yourself: If the fire cannot be controlled immediately, or if the warning alarm for the automatic fire suppression system goes off, everyone should leave the kitchen immediately for their own safety.

Avoid comfort and efficiency issues with swamp cooler service from Flue Steam.

In any building, it is essential to maintain a balance in the air flowing in and out of different rooms in order to avoid creating negative pressure that interferes with comfort and energy efficiency. In most applications, balance can be achieved simply by installing air vents and return registers in every room. However, in the case of a commercial kitchen, this method does not work, because air that becomes hot and greasy from proximity to cooking surfaces cannot be safely or comfortably recirculated in the building. Instead, this air must be sucked into the kitchen exhaust system and vented from the building. For fresh, cool, new air, commercial kitchens must rely on makeup air handlers, typically in the form of a swamp cooler.

Key Signs of a Makeup Air Problem

If you’re not sure if your commercial kitchen is getting sufficient makeup air, check for the following scenarios:

Slamming Doors: When negative pressure is created within the building, this vacuum effect can actually cause doors to slam.

Hot Dining Area: Another effect of negative pressure is more outside air getting drawn into the building, making it more difficult to keep spaces cool.

Sweaty AC System: When the AC system begins working overtime to cool a hot space, this can result in humidity problems, increased condensation on the ducts, and potential water damage to ceilings.

New Cooking Equipment Added: When your kitchen was first designed, the plans should have ensured a proper balance of air leaving and entering the kitchen. However, if you have added new cooking equipment since then the balance may have changed. One easy way to check is to add up the exhaust flow rates for all your exhaust hoods and compare that total to the output of your swamp cooler or other makeup air equipment. If the exhaust rate is higher than the output, you need more makeup air.

Solving Makeup Air Problems

As a first step to solving makeup air problems, your best bet is to check that your current system is actually producing the amount of cooled air it is supposed to. At Flue Steam, we offer expert swamp cooler service to help detect and correct air flow problems. Often, a small repair can restore your swamp cooler’s output to solve the air imbalance issue. However, in some cases you may need a replacement unit, a supplemental unit, or a larger unit to achieve proper air exchange. You can rely on us to tell you what you need honestly.