Maintaining our equipment and devices will help us provide better service to our customers, it will help us extend the lifetime of said equipment, and it will help us keep our employees safe.
Commercial kitchens deal with a lot of different devices and upkeeping them can be hectic, especially if we don’t know when we need to do that, or how. In this article, we are going to tell you how often you should clean your hood system, and we will also help you learn more about the benefits of it, as well as the risks if you don’t do it on time.
Why should you do it?
Let’s start by telling you why this system needs to be maintained and how it is going to benefit you if you do it timely and properly. The first reason is that you are going to provide a better working environment for your employees and you are going to help them get the work done with ease.
We all know how hot kitchens can get, and we are all aware of the different smells and fumes that can make getting the job done far more difficult. When you clean these systems, the airflow will improve, and the quality of air will be better as well.
There will be more fresh air, fewer fumes, and overall, less moisture. The space will not be as humid, and this will also protect your other equipment.
Know that exhaust systems that are not kept well and that are dirty are going to use far more electricity to work properly, and they are still not going to do the things they are supposed to.
Remember that you will need to invest a lot more money if you don’t maintain them, and they are far more likely to get damaged and need to be replaced or fixed. Another thing is that cleaning the hood will take less time than fixing or replacing it, and you can do it after everyone has gone home and when your commercial kitchen is closed.
In addition to this, when you do this on time, you will prevent possible fire hazards, and the grease buildup will be removed before it poses any threat. With this, you will prevent a lot of potential risks as well as damage that could happen because of the fire.
How often?
The answer to this question is a bit complex, and it mainly depends on the type of business you have. Depending on where the hood is positioned and the volume of food that is being prepared every month, you may do this process once per month, or just annually.
As you can see on websites like oahuhoodcleaning.com, a professional service can help you determine this, and they can also help you get the job done correctly.
You should visually inspect the system, see if it looks like it is not working properly, or like it is getting too dirty. As we mentioned before, when this device is not in mint condition, it is going to waste a lot more power, and you will see a difference in your bills as well.
To make sure you understand how often you need to do this, you should pay attention to the warning signs, and you should also ask for advice from a trusted service.
Experts suggest, that if you are new in this business, and if you are still getting used to the system, the best thing you can do is have the exhaust inspected once every two to three months, and act depending on how things are going.
What happens if you don’t?
Finally, let’s see what will happen if you choose not to do this and if you tend to skip on getting the exhaust cleaned on time. The biggest risks are going to be fires, because, as you already know, when grease builds up, it is extremely easy to catch on fire.
This can happen not only because of the high heat in the kitchen, but also because the vent is going to be dirty and clogged, and a spark can easily appear that will lead to flames. In addition to this, no matter how fast you react, the fire will spread really fast just because of that built-up grease that is stuck everywhere inside and around your equipment.
The next thing is the insurance. When something bad or unpredicted happens in our restaurants, we are all insured, and we know that we are not going to lose a lot of money.
If you are insured, and if you don’t have your exhaust system cleaned, chances are, you will not get any money from the company. They are going to see this as your fault completely, and you will just spend a lot of time and additional money trying to prove your case in court.
Note that even if these things don’t happen, and even if your kitchen works perfectly by some miracle when inspection comes, you are going to get in trouble. This is seen as an unsafe and unsanitary environment, so you are either going to get fined, or in the worst-case scenario, you are going to lose your license. It is not worth it to risk all these things just because you did not want to do this task several times per year.
You will also notice the difference in the environment, there are going to be a lot harsher smells, there are going to be a lot more fumes, and the place will be more humid.
This will cause problems not only with your employees but with your customers as well. You will start losing loyal clients because they will not be comfortable spending time near your commercial kitchen.
As you can see, the maintenance will defer depending on the type of business you have, and the overall habits. It also depends on the type of system you have, and some will need to be cleaned more frequently than others. Make sure you know how to do it correctly, and for the best results, collaborate with good service.
