The exhaust system is one of the most critical components in a commercial kitchen. It is not just responsible for removing smoke, odours, and heat. Your exhaust system plays a major role in preventing fires. Whether you are a homeowner or a restaurant owner in Brisbane, you should focus on cleaning it regularly. Then you can minimise the risk of a fire burning down your property. On top of that, you can maintain a safe and efficient kitchen environment. From this article, we will share details on how often you should attend kitchen exhaust cleaning.
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What is the ideal exhaust cleaning frequency?
You need to think about cleaning your kitchen exhaust at least two to three times a year. Neglecting this can lead to severe consequences. Grease buildup will take place in the kitchen exhaust along with time. This is one of the biggest risk factors for triggering a kitchen fire. Such an accident will cause extensive property damage and even loss of life.
Clogged exhaust systems can disrupt indoor air quality as well. This will reduce the overall efficiency of cooking equipment. On top of that, your staff will have to deal with harmful fumes. Anyone concerned about restaurant kitchen maintenance should do it without thinking twice. Alongside, you should take appropriate measures for grease buildup prevention. It will ensure your overall fire safety compliance.
Understanding the local and national regulations
Accidents in the kitchen can be disastrous. That’s why you should be familiar with local and national regulations for commercial kitchen cleaning. In Australia, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) outlines the standards for fire protection and ventilation control. It is as popular as the NFPA 96 standards. According to this standard, exhaust systems should undergo a thorough cleaning and inspection at least once every six months. However, you should do it more frequently if necessary.
You can also get in touch with the local authorities and see the laws for exhaust system inspection and cleaning. That’s because some of the municipalities may have stricter guidelines. It all varies depending on the type of kitchen and the volume of cooking operations. For example, high-volume kitchens would need to have a more frequent hood cleaning schedule. It is applicable for kitchens that use solid fuels such as wood and charcoal. If you are not too sure, you can get in touch with professional cleaning services for it.
Factors that affect kitchen cleaning frequency
While NFPA 96 standards provide the baseline, a few other factors can influence how often you should clean your commercial kitchen. It will ensure overall kitchen ventilation maintenance. Let’s take a look at a few of the most prominent factors.
Type of cooking equipment you have
If you have grills, charbroilers, and other solid fuel appliances, you are generating more grease. Along with that, you also generate a considerable amount of particulate matter. This is why you should focus more on frequent cleaning and kitchen ventilation maintenance.
The volume of food you produce
High-volume kitchens are obviously producing more grease. Such kitchens should think about more frequent kitchen exhaust cleaning. They include large restaurants, hotels, and catering facilities. It will ensure proper airflow optimisation and cooking equipment efficiency. Hence, having more duct cleaning intervals would never be a waste of money.
Type of cuisines you prepare
Kitchens that specialise in cuisines that involve extensive frying or grilling would require more frequent cleaning. This is mainly applicable to the fast food and barbecue establishments. Otherwise, they cannot adhere to health department regulations.
Hours of operation
If your restaurant or commercial kitchen is open for extended hours, you are producing more grease. This is another reason to proceed with more frequent exhaust cleaning. Increased usage is a direct factor in generating more buildup.
Insurance policy requirements
Some insurance companies have more specific requirements for exhaust cleaning. If you are not clear about it, you can get in touch with the insurance company. Then you can inquire more about the frequency that you need to stick to. If you fail to adhere to the hood cleaning requirements of your insurance policy, you will not be able to get any insurance claims. To overcome any confusion, get a guide from the insurance provider and make sure that you document everything.
Age and condition of the exhaust system
The condition and age of your exhaust system will also determine how often you need to schedule duct system cleaning. If you have an older exhaust system, you need to focus on more frequent cleanups. This is applicable for the exhaust systems that were not properly maintained before as well.
Working with professional cleaning services
Exhaust system cleaning is not something that you can do on your own. It is something risky even to attempt. That’s why you need to hand over the job to a professional cleaning service. These companies have the necessary equipment, expertise, and expertise to properly clean your exhaust system. They do it while following a checklist. As a result, you can ensure that they don’t miss out on anything. Moreover, they will also inspect the entire exhaust system. With that, they can access hard-to-reach areas and other components effectively.
If you have any questions, you can get in touch with the professional cleaners and clarify them. They will always follow the best practices during their cleaning procedures. As a result, you can get a clean and fresh kitchen to breathe and work on.
Final Words
As you can see, kitchen exhaust cleaning is something that you shouldn’t take any chances on. Depending on the nature of your kitchen, you need to proceed with frequent cleaning. If you are looking for an expert in Brisbane to do it, you may contact us at Eco Cleaning Brisbane. Our experts will come to your location and offer our cleaning services. You just need to let us take care of your kitchen exhaust cleaning work on a regular basis. Then you don’t need to worry about any risks linked with it.
