Keeping your kitchen hood clean is important. It prevents your restaurant from distributing contaminated food to your customers. This prevents fire hazards and other potential safety risks. Getting your hood cleaned regularly will also help you maintain the efficiency of your equipment. You can hire a hood cleaning service to do the work for you or you can perform the job yourself.
The frequency of a hood cleaning depends on a variety of factors. For example, if you use wood burning stoves, you may have to have them cleaned monthly. On the other hand, if you have a very small kitchen, you might only need to have your hood cleaned once or twice a week. In general, the more time the hood spends in use, the more it needs to be cleaned.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed a standard, NFPA 96, that mandates the need for regular hood cleaning. Typically, this involves cleaning the exhaust fan, baffle filter, and plenum. Depending on the type of food you are cooking, you may need to clean the hood more frequently. A standard hood cleaning process will take about three to four hours.
To begin, you’ll need to remove all of the fans and baffle filters from the hood. You’ll also need to clean the base of the hood or the wall mount fan. If the hood doesn’t have hinge kits, you’ll need to remove them to access the duct work.
You’ll also need to prepare a solution of warm water and liquid degreaser. Mix the solution with a soft-bristle scrub brush and wipe the hood’s interior and exterior surfaces. Use a separate towel to dry the interior of the hood. Afterward, rinse with hot water.
After the hood has been thoroughly cleaned, you will need to polish the interior and exterior of the hood. This will remove any dirt or other residue. While the hood is being polished, you can place a plastic cover on the vent hood to prevent grease from accumulating.
During the cleaning process, the technician will inspect all areas where the work was performed. He’ll also check to ensure the fans are operating correctly. Ideally, you’ll find a hood cleaning service that Hood Cleaning can provide these services at any time of the day or night. Your hood cleaning professional will apply a decal to your hood canopy that indicates the date it was cleaned and the next scheduled cleaning. This is so that your insurance agents and health department can verify that you’re meeting your hood cleaning requirements.
Typically, a hood cleaning service will clean the exhaust system and all ductwork. They’ll also remove any debris or other flammable buildup. Their technicians will then vacuum, steam, or hand-clean the hood, which includes the plenum, the baffle filter, and the blower. These services are provided by experienced professionals who know how to use non-toxic cleaning methods to make sure your hood is safe and functional.
Whether you’re a small restaurant or a large food service operation, hood cleaning is an important part of ensuring the safety of your employees and your business. Restaurants should invest in a hood cleaning company to keep their hoods and their cooking stations running properly. Having your hoods professionally cleaned will increase the effectiveness of your kitchen and reduce the risk of a fire.