Know How Often You Should Clean Your Kitchen Hoods.
It’s a well-known fact that all commercial kitchens – from hospital cafeterias to five-star restaurants – are required by law to regularly go through inspection to ensure they are up to code for fire safety. What many people in the industry don’t know is that inspection schedules are determined by many factors – each kitchen is different and requires special attention to ensure that it is operating safely and according to NFPA regulations.
So what are these factors? Where does your kitchen fit into the NFPA’s recommended cleaning schedules? Have no fear – BARE METAL STANDARD of Portland is here to help!
Hood Cleaning Factors
Ingredients: The wonderful thing about Portland is that it’s a hub for foodies and good grub – from Sunday brunch to happy hour, Portland is home to some incredible and diverse cuisine. This also means that each restaurant and kitchen cooks with all kinds of different ingredients, and this is a large factor in how often you should clean your exhaust system. Consider the following when determining your exhaust cleaning schedule:
Do you cook with lots of grease or oils? If so, consider cleaning your exhaust system more often. Grease buildup is a serious fire hazard in commercial kitchens that often goes unnoticed. Keep in mind that cooking with ingredients that produce lots of grease – such as meats deep-fried foods – also cause dangerous buildup in exhaust systems.
Do you cook over an open flame or with a wok? Open flames or cooking equipment that requires higher temperatures have a higher risk of fire. Cleaning your hoods and ductwork decreases this risk exponentially.
Quantities: Another major factor in determining an exhaust cleaning schedule is the quantity of food you cook. Are you a kitchen that is only open for brunch on the weekends? What if you’re a 24-hour fast food facility? Indeed, the amount of people you serve in a certain period of time greatly affects how quickly your exhaust system gets dirty.
For your convenience, the NFPA has created a kitchen exhaust cleaning schedule guide. Be sure to use this when you’re creating a schedule of your own:
Our Inspection Services Can Help You Make a Reliable Schedule
BARE METAL STANDARD of Portland always provides FREE safety inspections for commercial kitchens in the Portland Metro Area. Our technicians are highly trained and experienced to advise you in how to best move forward with creating a fully customized cleaning program that fits your kitchen to a tee.
If you’re looking for an expert kitchen exhaust cleaner that will help you pass safety inspections with flying colors, look no further. BARE METAL STANDARD can help you from initial cleaning scheduling to completely removing all debris inside your system. Give us a call and schedule your FREE inspection today!
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