Common Problems with Restaurant Ventilation Systems kitchen.services/common-problems-with-restaurant-ventilation-systems/ October 20, 2021
Restaurant Ventilation systems are very important for the whole functionality of a commercial cooking area. Without having a proper exhaust system, a lot of different kinds of problems can arise, and the results would be unfortunate. Regardless of their basic requirements and needs, some systems are installed in a very bad way, and this then becomes a danger to building residents. They do not only become fire hazards, but they can fail drastically to successfully eliminate airborne grease as well. Not many people realize that restaurant ventilation system cost is way less than the cost of repairing a damaged building, or even worse if you have to replace it completely. Every kitchen exhaust system is not constructed according to the authenticated practices. Regrettably, many of these are built without even appropriate access doors and are also very close to heat sources or any other flammable materials, or they may have more than one connection from multiple heat sources as well. Any of these bad setups can cause troubles in terms of fire. In order to protect your building, your staff, and your customers as well, it is very important to make sure that your restaurant ventilation systems do not have any of such issues in them. It could ruin your establishment completely. Being a restaurant owner, you possibly have a lot to worry about. For most of the part, commercial exhaust fans may probably not be at the top of your head. But it is very critical that you at least pay attention to your exhaust systems and commercial fans that are there in your building though because in case you ignore the repair that your
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appliances need, you could end up having some serious problems with your restaurant. These problems can directly impact your restaurant’s comfort, functionality, and even the safety of your workers and customers. For this reason, you must address any exhaust hood issues as soon as you can.
Problems in Restaurant Ventilation Systems
In case you would like to learn more about the list of possible problems, we are providing you with the proper list. This article will discuss some commonly faced problems involving exhaust hoods and other aspects of your restaurant ventilation systems. CALL FOR VENTILATION SYSTEM INSTALLATION
Access Door Arrangement All of your panels must be appropriately sized in order to allow them for duct cleaning purposes. Moreover, they should be present in all the directional changes of the duct. In case it fails to execute these regulations prohibits the essential cleaning and maintenance of your exhaust system. Although in the worst-case scenario it might become a serious fire threat and haphazard for the people present in that locality. Shortage of cleaning, inspections, and maintenance of your exhaust fans will produce excess grease and oil, which can also cause your kitchen to become surrounded by fires. All the horizontal ducts should have access panels every 12 feet and within three feet on both sides of the fan. Always remember that the access panels should always be grease-tight and should be constructed of the same material and thickness as the ductwork is constructed. In case your system does not have a sufficient number of access panels for your kitchen exhaust
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system, then your system is likely not cleaned and maintained in a proper way. This may also expose you to a massive fire safety hazard. Access panels should also always be big enough to conduct a proper cleaning job.
Sanitation When we talk about cleanliness, sanitation is considered as one of the most valuable attributes of any commercial kitchen, and this importance surely continues to your commercial kitchen’s exhaust techniques. Because they work as an air filter, no proper cleaning will leave your whole kitchen adding up to some horrible hazards. With that being said, all the problems caused by no proper cleaning not only become inconvenient but also a health hazard for all the people that are working inside your commercial kitchens. Professionals always suggest that cleaning should take place every 90 days, at the minimum. Along with it, if you observe any sort of nasty and unpleasant smell escaping from the exhaust system, you can always talk about it with professional cleaners.
Motors You may sometimes notice a weird noise that is coming from your kitchen’s exhaust system, in that case, there are high chances that your exhaust fan has a problem with its motor. Any sort of weird sounds like these usually indicates that your exhaust fan needs replacement. In case you do not replace it, your whole system could break down and it can also cause a lot more problems. Every so often this noise may seem minor but could indicate terrible damage in the future. Also, this noise might be loud at some times, but it only requires some minor maintenance and not the whole replacement. In either case, checking with a professional inspector is the best course of action.
Moisture Infiltration As condensation is produced by exhaust systems, so this can cause a lot of problems for your commercial kitchens. In order to check for surplus moisture, you should remove your exhaust fan’s cover and detect if there are any signs of excess moisture. There is always going to be some moisture, but excessive moisture is usually not a good sign. So, a lot of problems can occur if the moisture builds up and get into your kitchen. This can cause germs, an unhygienic cooking space, and mold growth as well. Excess moisture can ruin the whole kitchen and has already ruined many restaurants in the past. To check for excessive moisture buildup and infiltration you can power off the exhaust system and also you can take the fan cover off.
Power Failure One of the other main problems that your restaurant ventilation systems may have, is the loss of power supply. This can happen due to system failure, or any other faulty power supply. In both of these cases, it must be examined as soon as you can. We all know that any functional kitchen cannot be completed without the proper exhaust system in it. One of the major reasons for this problem is a tripped circuit breaker, this is typically caused
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by the exhaust fan. A simple spin of the switch might be all it takes to get the system back up into its functioning state. However, non-professionals should never handle electrical equipment by themselves. Consulting your local commercial HVAC engineer to take a look is best. Causes include:
Grease Removal Device Too Close to Heat Source Do you know that the majority of fires in your commercial kitchens are usually caused by accidental flare-ups from your stovetop? When any explosion source is installed very close to any grease removal device, there are high chances that it can turn a flare up into an explosive fire within the kitchen exhaust hood and ductwork. There should always be at least 18 inches between the grease removal device and the cooking surface. If it is a charcoal type of broiler, then it must be at least four feet away from it. It is very essential to always protect your grease removal devices from burning gases and from any direct flames for true fire safety.
Split Maintenance Responsibilities
In case you have a commercial kitchen in a split maintenance facility or in any multi-level building, there are high chances that there will be a shared responsibility in order to manage the exhaust system and related ductwork. A building owner and other building residents will have shared responsibilities for the system’s upkeep and cleaning. This is especially true of wood-fired ovens and charcoal heaters. There is an additional ignition risk when using solid fuels (wood or charcoal-based fuel). These types of cooking operations MUST have independent ventilation systems. Generally, the kitchen exhaust hoods and filters are located near the tenancy, whereas the exhaust duct and fan are located in the core building area. Under these conditions, it is very important to properly organize and communicate successfully with any of the scheduled maintenance programs. Eventually, it always has to be the building owner that holds the main responsibility for fire safety at the properties. For the safety of your commercial kitchen
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and for the safety of everyone that is around you in whatever way, it is very important to properly understand the possible issues your kitchen exhaust system may have. It is very important to properly understand all the different components and mechanical systems that are involved, but you must also frequently check on your grease buildup within your system.
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