As a restaurant owner or property manager, you’ve probably wondered whether or not hiring a professional vent hood cleaning company is really necessary. However, to ensure you’re in compliance with municipal and industry codes as well as meeting your insurance provider’s requirements, it is strongly recommended that you work with a company certified to clean kitchen exhaust systems
Here are a few important reasons:
- Fire Code Requirements: As we discussed in a previous blog post, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has established a set of codes and standards for ventilation control and fire protection of commercial cooking operations – specifically NFPA 96. In fact, NFPA 96 is followed by most city fire marshals, who ultimately decide whether or not your business is safe for patrons. Professional hood cleaning companies are well-versed in fire codes and will ensure your system is in compliance.
- Time and Effort: Cleaning a vent hood can be messy, difficult and take up to several hours, not to mention involves taking apart the entire system to remove grease and build-up. Kitchen hoods are very intricate and someone who does not know how they operate can overlook important areas while cleaning. A professional cleaner knows the system like the back of his hand and can take it apart and put it back together correctly and quickly.
- Repair Issues: If you aren’t familiar with kitchen exhaust systems, it’s difficult to tell if certain parts are properly working. Additionally, you could inadvertently set yourself up for expensive repairs due to mishandling parts. When you run a commercial kitchen, a faulty exhaust system could cause employee injuries, loss of revenue and closures.
Ultimately, the small amount of money saved from doing it yourself does not outweigh the risks of not properly and thoroughly cleaning your vent hood system. Hiring a professional hood cleaning company gives you peace of mind and keeps your restaurant operations running smoothly.
