Restaurant hood cleaning is an important service to ensure the safety and quality of food in your restaurant. Besides preventing the outbreak of fires in your kitchen, regular hood cleaning can also improve the air quality in your building. It also helps keep your employees safe.
When you hire a cleaning company to clean your hood, they will disassemble the vent hood to remove any debris. They will also wipe down the walls and floor of your kitchen. During this process, they will apply stickers stating that the system has been cleaned. This ensures compliance with the local fire codes. These cleaning technicians also use non-toxic techniques to minimize any harm to the elderly or others in the building.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has set minimum standards for the kitchen exhaust cleaning industry. This standard, known as NFPA-96, requires that most commercial hoods be cleaned at least quarterly. Depending on the type of cooking you do and the volume of grease laden vapors drawn up through the hood plenum, your hood may need to be cleaned more or less frequently.
In addition to the NFPA 96 requirements, you should also follow your kitchen’s owner’s policies on kitchen hood cleaning. Typical policies include removing all food debris, wiping down any exposed surfaces, and ensuring that your fans are operating properly. Having a reputable cleaning service check the fans is another key step.
Your kitchen hood should also be polished on both the inside and outside. This will make it appear cleaner and prevent greasy buildup. Also, be sure to install grease traps on each side of the hood. Grease will eventually collect and block the drains. You can use hot water to rinse off any residue from the cleaning process.
Hood cleaning companies are equipped with pressure washers and specialized equipment that are used to remove excess grease from your vent hood. After the hood is cleaned, it will be wrapped in heavy-duty tarps. The runoff from the cleaning process will be collected in a container.
After the hood is cleaned, a certification sticker is placed on the system. This Hood Cleaning sticker is visible to fire marshals and other fire officials. Additionally, the date on the sticker will indicate the next scheduled cleaning. A health department will require the sticker for inspections of your hood.
Restaurant hood cleaning should be done at least once a year. Most casual dining establishments, churches, and other places of worship should also have their hoods cleaned at least quarterly. If your kitchen has a wood burning stove, it should be cleaned monthly.
When you are choosing a hood cleaning company, it is important to choose a company that offers quality services and uses only safe, non-toxic methods to maintain a grease-free exhaust system. Some hood cleaners will also install a grease containment system in your kitchen.
Before selecting a hood cleaning company, ask them about their qualifications, experience, and cleaning process. If you choose a professional hood cleaning service, you can rest assured that your kitchen hood and exhaust system will be in great shape.