U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 7,410 structure fires per year in eating and drinking establishments between 2010 and 2014. These fires caused average annual losses of three civilian deaths, 110 civilian injuries, and $165 million in direct property damage each year.
Hood cleaning is the process of removing grease out of a commercial kitchen exhaust system or restaurant kitchen exhaust system, must be done by a professional and knowledgeable company following the local fire codes, NFPA 96, ANSI, and IKECA.
Many cities have different fire codes and are important to be compliant to avoid fines or even closing the facility for a period of time.
The kitchen exhaust system is composed of different sections; the exhaust fan is normally located on the roof, sometimes on the side of the building, and on a few occasions it is located inside the facility but this type of fan is known as Pollution Control Unit (PCU).
Next is the Ductwork (duct system) it normally runs from the roof in a vertical position down to the hood system, many time it may also run horizontally with an access panel (access door) every 12 ft, and sometimes it runs in a combination of vertical, horizontal and even in angles down to the hood system.
Next is the plenum, this is the area behind the hood filters (baffle filters or vent filters), it accumulates the grease-laden vapors and the grease continues up to the ductwork.
Next are the Grease Filters, which are the devices that are installed in the exhaust hood. Grease Filters are designed to remove grease from the exhausted air by entrapment, impingement, adhesion, or other similar mean and allow it to drain into a grease trap.
Grease Drip Catch is a containment normally located inside at the end of the hood system.
Hood System is an air intake device connected to an exhaust ventilation system for the collection and removal of cooking effluents which contain grease, vapors, fumes, smoke, heat, and odors created by cooking equipment. The hood system is located above the kitchen cooking equipment.
Yes, we have a 1-year contract as well as a service-to-service agreement.
Generally, it is advisable to clean the hood every three months (Quarterly), but it varies by the type of fuel used to cook, for example, if the restaurant uses wood-burning or charcoal-burning stoves it may require to be cleaned as often as every two weeks.
Here is the schedule of inspection for Grease Buildup within a commercial ventilation system:
While cleaning your hood may sound simple, there is a professional way to do it, not just by simply cleaning the actual hood, but by cleaning the entire system, including the exhaust fan, ductwork (vertical and horizontal), plenum area, and hood system.
In Other words it must be cleaned by professionals, which requires having the knowledge to do it accordingly and following the local and national fire codes.
In 2022 our prices start at $600 but vary by multiple factors including the hood size, number of hood systems, number of exhaust fans (or Pollution Control Unit), if it is a horizontal or vertical duct system, the roof type, the number of floors to get to the exhaust fan.
Yes! the kitchen vents or hood filters must be cleaned more often than the hood system. It is recommended to be cleaned at least once per week, some restaurants that use solid fuel must clean the hood filters daily.
available from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Address 717 Green Valley Road, Greensboro, North Carolina 27408
Email team@elitehoodservice.com