Do you want to avoid FOGgy problems in your restaurant or industrial kitchen? FOG stands for Fats, Oils, and Greases, and they are inevitable by-products of cooking and preparing food. However, they can also wreak havoc on your plumbing system, the environment, and public health if they are not handled properly or recycled. That’s why you need APS hoods, the experts in FOG Disposal and commercial kitchen cleaning.
In this article you will learn where FOG comes from, why it poses problems for your plumbing system, the environment, and public health, how you can prevent and handle FOG issues in your restaurant or industrial kitchen, and who you can contact for professional FOG management and commercial kitchen cleaning services.
FOG is bad news for your kitchen and the planet. But APS hoods can handle your FOG disposal with ease in Denver, CO. You’ll save time, money, and hassle, and enjoy a spotless, secure, and smooth-running kitchen. Don’t miss out on a free quote from APS hoods.
What is FOG?
FOG stands for fats, oils, and greases, which are inevitable by-products of food preparation and cooking in restaurants and industrial kitchens. It can build up in grease traps, which require regular cleaning and pumping to avoid blocking the plumbing system and contaminating the sewer system. FOG disposal can also involve converting it into valuable products, such as biodiesel, by collaborating with an environmental services company.
Common Sources of FOG in Your Kitchen
Most restaurants have a lot of fats, oils, and greases in their kitchens — from the cooking oil that drips on the floor to the sauces that remain on the dishes, and even the burger grease that flies up to the vent hood. Some common sources of FOG in your kitchen are:
• Cooking oil, lard, shortening, butter, margarine, and other fats used for frying, baking, or sautéing
• Dairy products, such as milk, cream, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream
• Meat fats, such as bacon grease, chicken fat, beef fat, and pork fat
• Sauces, dressings, gravy, mayonnaise, and other condiments that contain oil or fat
• Food scraps, especially from greasy or oily foods, such as fried chicken, pizza, burgers, fries, etc.
The Environmental and Financial Risks of Improper FOG Disposal
FOGs, or fats, oils, and greases, are a major threat to your wastewater system if they are disposed of improperly. Because it can harden and accumulate in the sewer pipes, obstructing the water flow and leading to blockages. This can cause sanitaryseweroverflows (SSOs), which are incidents of sewage spilling over your premises, the streets, or the storm drains. SSOs can damage the environment, produce unpleasant smells, and endanger public health by polluting water sources and transmitting bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Moreover, it can also be expensive to remediate, and you may incur fines or business closures if you are liable for them.
How to Manage FOG in Your Restaurant
To prevent the mentioned problems, you should follow some best practices for FOG management, such as:
• Wiping off dishes, pots, pans, and utensils with a paper towel before washing them
• Collecting waste cooking oil in a container and disposing of it in the trash or recycling it at a designated facility
• Installing a grease trap or interceptor to capture FOG before it reaches the sewer line
• Cleaning and maintaining your grease trap or interceptor regularly
• Hiring a professional collection service to remove and dispose of your FOG waste in a safe and environmentally friendly manner
By following these best practices, you can protect your pipes and the environment, save money, and avoid fines or business closures.
The Benefits of Proper FOG Disposal
Proper FOG disposal can benefit your restaurant and the community in many ways. By preventing blockages in sewer lines, you can avoid backups, overflows, and costly repairs that can damage your property and the environment. By avoiding FOG contamination of storm drains or waterways, you can protect aquatic life and water quality. In addition to this, by avoiding foul odors, pest infestation, and health hazards caused by FOG accumulation in your kitchen or sewer system, you can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. Moreover, by complying with local ordinances and regulations on FOG management, you can save money and avoid fines or business closures that can harm your reputation and profitability. And also by recycling waste cooking oil into biodiesel or other products, you can generate revenue and support sustainability.
How to Reduce FOG Generation in Your Kitchen
To reduce the amount of FOG, or fats, oils, and grease, you can follow some simple steps:
Step 1
Use less oil or fat when cooking, and choose oils with high smoke points, such as canola, corn, sunflower, safflower, and grapeseed oil. So it will be easier to clean up the FOG that is left behind.
Step 2
Use a strainer or a skimmer to remove excess oil or fat from food before serving or storing it. This will prevent FOG from entering your dishes, pots, pans, and utensils, and reduce the amount of FOG that goes down the drain.
Step 3
Use a spatula or a scraper to remove oil or fat from cookware and utensils before washing them. It will reduce the amount of FOG that is washed into the sink or the dishwasher, and make it easier to wipe off the remaining FOG with a paper towel.
Step 4
Use cold water to rinse dishes, pots, pans, and utensils before putting them in the dishwasher or the sink. Since cold water prevents FOG from melting and sticking to the surfaces.
Step 5
Use a grease trap or interceptor to capture FOG before it reaches the sewer line, and clean and maintain it regularly. Because it prevents FOG from clogging your pipes and causing sewer problems and also helps you comply with local ordinances and regulations on FOG management.
Step 6
Hood and vent systems reduce grease levels in your kitchen by removing airborne grease and pollutants from cooking. Also, regular cleaning and inspection of hood and vent systems can ensure compliance with fire and health codes and efficiency, which prevents fire risks, improves air quality, and lowers FOG (fats, oils, and grease) in sewer pipes.
Step 7
Collect waste cooking oil in a container and dispose of it in the trash or recycle it at a designated facility. This will prevent FOG from entering your sewer system and also help you generate revenue and support sustainability by recycling waste cooking oil into biodiesel or other products.
FOG Disposal: How Thick Layers of Restaurant Grease Are Cleaned
Cleaning services such as APS-hoods take several steps for FOG disposal and grease management:
Step 1: Fan Inspection And Cleaning
We remove the cover and check the blades, the motor, and the belt of the fan on the roof. Then, we scrape off any grease on the fan and dispose of it properly.
Step 2: Duct Cleaning
We use a scraper to remove the solidified grease from the walls of the duct. Then, we collect the grease in a bucket and dispose of it properly. After that, we use a power washer to spray hot water and degreaser on the duct. The pressure and the temperature will be adjusted depending on the amount of grease. Then we use a vacuum to suck up the excess water and grease from the duct and we repeat the process until the duct is shiny and clean.
Step 3: Grease Filter Cleaning
We remove the filters and place them in a soaking tank filled with hot water and degreaser. Then, we let the filters soak for about 15 minutes, and after that rinse them with the power washer.
Step 4: Oven Hood Cleaning
We spray the hood with a degreaser and wipe it with a cloth. Then the lights, the switches, and the pipes are also cleaned.
Step 5: System Testing
Finally, we put everything back in place and then we will test the fan to make sure it’s working properly.
APS-hoods follows the local regulations and guidelines for FOG disposal and help you prevent fires and protect lives. Call us now for a free quote and a consultation.
For more information, watch the procedures of FOG disposal here.
The Inspection and Enforcement Procedures for FOG Disposal
To ensure FSEs (Food Service Establishment) follow the FOG control rules, local authorities or sewer operators inspect and enforce FOG disposal in commercial kitchens. These procedures may differ by FSEs’ location and jurisdiction, but they usually include:
Inspection:
They check FSEs’ FOG equipment, practices, records, and reports regularly. The inspection details depend on FSEs’ risk, violation, and resource factors. They use tools to record their findings and suggestions.
Enforcement:
They take action against FSEs who break the FOG control rules. The actions’ kinds and levels depend on the violation’s type and size, the sewer and environmental harm, and the non-compliance record. The actions may include notices, fines, penalties, orders, injunctions, or permit cancellation.
Regulations and Compliance for FOG Disposal
FOG management is vital for reducing the environmental and public health hazards of FOG discharges into sewers. And it is governed by various laws and standards, depending on the FSEs’ jurisdiction and location. Hence, FSEs should check with their local authorities before disposing of their FOG waste. Some of the common regulations and compliance for FOG disposal are:
Environmental Protection Act
General Permit for the Discharge of Wastewater Associated with FSE
FOG Legislation
FOG Best Management Practices Manual
The Common Violations and Penalties for FOG Disposal
Common FOG disposal violations and penalties are:
• Discharging FOG that harms the sewer or POTW (Publicly Owned Treatment Works)
• Failing to use or keep grease control devices as per local rules
• Failing to keep FOG records, such as cleaning, invoices, manifests, and reports
• Lying or hiding FOG information
The consequences of these violations can range from notices, fines, penalties, orders, injunctions, or permit loss to criminal charges under RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act).
FAQs About FOG Disposal
How Can I Collect and Store FOG Safely and Efficiently in FOG Disposal?
To collect and store FOG safely and efficiently, use a labeled container with a lid, store it in a cool, dry, and secure place, then contact a licensed FOG hauler or recycler regularly, and do not pour FOG down the drain.
How Can I Dispose Of Grease And Meat Grease From Dishes And Utensils?
You can dispose of grease and meat grease from dishes and utensils by scraping or wiping them off with a paper towel or a balm cleansing product before washing them. Also, you can use a sink strainer to catch any food scraps or solids that may contain grease and throw them in the trash or compost bin.
How Can I Get Rid of Bacon Grease or Cooking Oil in My Kitchen?
Don’t drain FOG. Instead, cool and solidify it. Then scrape or wipe it off with a paper towel or a balm cleanser. After that use a sealable container and trash to collect it or recycle it. You can also reuse it for cooking.
FOG Disposal: How to Select a Trustworthy and Accredited FOG Hauler
FOG disposal, or grease waste disposal, is an important aspect of running a restaurant or industrial kitchen. It affects not only your plumbing system but also the environment and public health. By following the best practices, regulations, and compliance for FOG management and disposal, you can avoid problems such as sewer blockages, overflows, fines, and business closures. You can also benefit from recycling waste cooking oil into biodiesel or other products. APS hoods can help you with FOG disposal and management and commercial kitchen cleaning, so you can focus on your core business. Contact us today for a free quote and see how we can make your kitchen cleaner, safer, and more efficient.
Commercial kitchens use a wide range of heavy-duty cooking equipment and appliances that create plenty of heat and smoke. Unlike regular kitchens, these kitchens are designs in accordance with the current fire safety and building codes and strict sanitary standards. One of the key requirements for setting up and smoothly running a large restaurant kitchen is proper ventilation. If you already run a commercial or community kitchen, you should pay serious attention to its proper maintenance and cleaning by trained professionals. If your cooking facility is well-ventilated, you will be able to create a safe, comfortable and healthy environment for employees to work and guests to have a wonderful dining experience.
As a responsible restaurant owner and cooking facility manager, you should understand the importance of proper commercial kitchen ventilation and make sure the entire space remains free from heat, smoke and odor.
Inside a commercial kitchen, the air often gets contaminated with smoke, grease and other pollutants. Particularly, contaminants are produced when the kitchen fuel continues to burn for hours on end. That is exactly why every large, commercial kitchen requires a high quality HVAC system. The role of kitchen exhaust systems is to keep the indoor air fresh and contaminant-free.
The success of a restaurant or dining center depends on the kind of environment it provides for workers and guests. Cleanliness is extremely important for a commercial kitchen to function in a proper manner. If you keep the kitchen well-ventilated, you will keep the entire area free from contaminated air. If the contaminants are not removed and the indoor air is not fresh, this kind of environment is going to create potential safety hazards for everyone in the facility. You need to install a ventilation system in order to improve kitchen air quality. A proper ventilation system will regularly function to make the kitchen environment suitable for workers.
Installing a ventilation system will not just improve the air quality in the kitchen, but it will also keep the environment of the dining area fresh and free from different kinds of odors and smells. If you have a restaurant, cooking facility or cafeteria in Denver, CO, you should reach out to one of our specialists at APS Hoods and find out more about local health codes and regulations.
Dangers of Poor Ventilation
Poor ventilation will take a toll on people and business. If you run a restaurant, cafeteria or community kitchen, you should definitely remain fully aware of the dangers of poor quality ventilation. Let us take you through the health and safety risks associated with poor kitchen ventilation.
Health Risks
Commercial cooking facilities produce so much smoke, heat and grease that the indoor kitchen air becomes contaminated. If the indoor air quality continues to be poor, it is going to pose health risks to workers.
Continued exposure to commercial kitchen contaminants can lead to a wide range of health problems for workers. Headaches, dizziness, eye irritation and respiratory illnesses are some of the problems contaminated indoor air can cause. It is your obligation to provide complete safety and protection to your employees as well as diners. Increased health risks will ultimately affect the operational efficiency of your restaurant business and your bottomline.
Fire Hazards
One of the major dangers of ineffective commercial kitchen ventilation is the risk of fire hazards. Without proper exhaust hood cleaning and maintenance, grease and other air-borne contaminants will continue to deposit inside the hood filters and the ductwork of the HVAC system. This grease build up is one big reason for the origin and spread of kitchen fire, causing loss of property and even human lives. Therefore, it is crucial that you build and maintain your restaurant and commercial kitchen as per the fire safety codes and regulations in your area.
Legal and Financial Consequences
Not staying code-compliant can bring a lot of trouble for restaurant and commercial kitchen businesses. It is mandatory to adhere to all the fire safety codes and building codes applicable for the area where you have the facility. If it is found during inspections that you are up to code, you may find yourself caught up in legal tangles, which can drain your energy, time and money.
In the worst case, you may have to pay a heavy penalty for violating the necessary code or even close your business altogether.
If you are in search of a company that specializes in restaurant hood installation and kitchen ventilation maintenance, head over to APS Hoods in Denver, CO. Our experts will answer all your questions with full clarity so that you are fully aware of the dangers and take the right steps to avoid them.
Benefits of Proper Ventilation
There are several advantages of a well-ventilated restaurant kitchen. But you need to invest in a high quality ventilation system that is ideal for the day-to-day needs of the type of restaurant you have. You need to consider some essential factors before you make a decision on getting a vent hood system installed in your facility. For this, you need to have an expert by your side or rely on a company that specializes in creating various types of kitchen ventilation design.
Odor Control
Owing to a wide variety of cooking and food preparation, the kitchen gets filled with smells and odors. In the absence of a high quality HVAC system, the odor will linger inside the kitchen and travel outside as workers come in and go out. As a result of this, the odors will reach the dining area as well.
If you plan to provide guests with an unforgettable experience, you should not just create a wonderful ambiance, but you should also keep the dining area free from all kinds of food odor and smells. That is exactly where the role of a right type of and properly installed vent hood system comes into play. HVAC systems for restaurants can be custom-designed as per your specific requirements. If you are in search of a kitchen hood design company, you should reach out to APS Hoods, which caters to the needs of restaurant facilities all over Denver, CO.
Improved Air Quality
Maintaining proper ventilation throughout the kitchen area and the entire restaurant is essential for improved air quality. HVAC systems for restaurants are designed to perform exactly that function.
Installation of an HVAC system is a surefire way to circulating proper ventilation through all the areas of the restaurant, cafeteria or community kitchen. The role of an HVAC system is a crucial one, as it doesn’t just keep the commercial kitchen and all the other rooms well-ventilated, but it actually promotes air circulation and keeps the temperature under control. But when it comes to building a commercial kitchen ventilation system that is a perfect match for your needs. Whether it is the installation of the pollution control units, kitchen exhaust systems or restaurant hood installation, you should get it all done by seasoned professionals. Having experts by your side means the project will be done right first time and completed within the given timeframe, while abiding by all the local codes, terms and regulations.
Increased Energy Efficiency
There are multiple reasons for high energy bills. If your energy consumption is failing to stop, poor kitchen ventilation can be a major reason. To reduce energy bills, you should definitely reach out to a kitchen hood installation company and have their experts custom-design an HVAC system for your restaurant and commercial kitchen according to your specific needs.
Enhanced Kitchen Efficiency and Productivity
Work productivity is of utmost importance, no matter what type of business. When you are running a large, commercial kitchen, you should make sure the productivity levels of your employees are high.
For enhanced productivity, you must give your kitchen workers a safe and comfortable environment to work in. This further stresses the need for installing a proper commercial kitchen ventilation system. Fitted with a top quality and highly efficient HVAC system, your facility will make working for employees easy and fast. This will boost their productivity levels.
Compliance with Local Codes
One of the key benefits of maintaining proper ventilation in your restaurant means you will remain code-compliant.
Adherence to local health codes and regulations is crucial in order to operate a large kitchen or restaurant in a hassle-free manner. First, you need to familiarize yourself with all the local building and fire safety codes and then get your kitchen ventilation design developed in accordance with the same.
Key Components of Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Systems
A commercial kitchen ventilation system is made up of several components. When it comes to developing an exhaust hood system, professionals will work on each of the key components and assemble them together in an accurate manner so as to deliver the best performance on a daily basis.
Essential ventilation system components include:
Exhaust Fans
Range Hoods
Hood Filters
Make Up Air Systems
Ductwork
Before investing in a ventilation system, you should evaluate the exact needs of your commercial kitchen or community kitchen in a proper manner. Your system will be up to par only when it is ideal for your needs and has been designed by seasoned engineers such as those from APS Hoods.
Choosing the Right Ventilation System for Your Kitchen
If you are not an expert yourself, selecting the right kind of kitchen ventilation design and restaurant fire suppression systems can prove to be quite daunting. This is where you will need the help of a professional.
All ventilation systems installed in kitchens and dining centers are not the same in design, features and quality. Based on your needs, you will need to invest in the right kind of system as well as get it installed by expertly trained technicians. Whether it is the exhaust hood systems, hood design, rooftop equipment or the fire protection system, you need to choose it all correctly.
For expert advice on which HVAC system to install, reach out to one of our specialists. Our professionals will equip you with genuine and unbiased advice to help you make the right decision.
Maintenance and Cleaning of Ventilation Systems
All ventilation systems required regular cleaning and maintenance, no matter what type or size a system is. When you get a vent hood system professionally installed, the technician will explain every crucial detail, so that its cleaning and maintenance is never ignored or delayed. Timely ventilation system maintenance, repair and replacement will not only keep the entire system functioning in a smooth manner, but it will also extend the lifespan of all the components. In any case, don’t forget to ask the technician for some valuable maintenance tips. Following some simple but effective tips will help you a great deal in maintaining the kitchen systems.
At APS Hoods, we provide commercial kitchen ventilation installation as well as expert cleaning and maintenance of the system. If you have a question in this connection, feel free to get in touch with us.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you have by now understood the importance of having proper ventilation in the commercial kitchen and throughout the dining rooms and other areas of the restaurant. It is crucial to invest in a high quality and ideal type of vent hood system in order to remove steam, heat, smoke and odor from the kitchen in a proper manner and create a fresh and healthy environment for employees and guests. If you are in search of ventilation design specialists in Denver, CO, APS Hoods is the ideal destination to fulfill all your installation needs. Plus, we have highly trained technicians to carry out fast repairs and replacements of the equipment. Our aim is to help you have the best ventilation design for your exact needs.
Our range of commercial kitchen services include installation of HVAC systems for restaurants, ductwork installation, exhaust hood cleaning, range hood repair and replacement, vent hood system maintenance, fan service etc. For your free consultation, you should give our office a phone call or write us an email using the contact form given on our website.
One of the most crucial responsibilities of a restaurant owner or building manager is to pay attention to the proper functioning of the HVAC systems. A commercial HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system is made up of various elements and components. If any of these parts of a unit has an issue, it can affect the efficiency of the entire system and can even lead to total failure. This, in turn, can disrupt business and drive clients away. If you operate a restaurant, commercial kitchen or a food service center, you should always make sure your HVAC system functions to its fullest potential. But how exactly do you keep HVAC machines in good health? In this article, we will discuss that and a lot more.
Being a commercial HVAC system specialist, we at APS Hoods possess an in-depth knowledge of how these systems function and how you should care for the units to keep getting the best results. Our services also include hood exhaust cleaning, grease trap cleaning, HVAC installation, HVAC repair etc.
When running a restaurant or large kitchen, you constantly need to maintain better indoor air quality and regulate the indoor temperature. Composed of heating units, ventilation system and air-conditioning units, the HVAC performs a crucial role by providing a safe and comfortable environment to both kitchen employees and guests in the dining area. HVAC systems are complex machines, designed to keep large areas well-ventilated and fresh. That is why you should seek the help of trained professionals for HVAC installation, service and repair.
Every restaurant or cooking facility is different, and it requires custom-made HVAC machines for high efficiency and use on a regular basis. Some of the key benefits of these machines and units are as follows.
Control and regulate indoor temperature
Improve indoor air quality
Reduce energy consumption
Improve work environment
Avoid extreme temperature fluctuations
When running a restaurant, it is your first priority as the owner or the manager to give workers a safe and comfortable work environment. By installing commercial HVAC systems, you will protect your employees against different kinds of health hazards and increase their productivity levels. Once you have these machines installed in a proper manner, you should give them proper maintenance in a timely manner to avoid any kind of major issues or sudden system failure.
At APS Hoods in Denver, CO, we specialize in HVAC installation, HVAC repair, HVAC make up air and HVAC balancing as well as in commercial kitchen cleaning and restaurant hood cleaning among others. To find out more about our services, get in touch with one of our professionals.
How to Keep the Efficiency of Your HVAC Units at Maximum Levels
Maintaining HVAC systems properly can be difficult. Equipped with some useful tips, you can ensure the HVAC machines installed in your restaurant kitchen functions at their peak efficiency levels. Here are some proven tips to help you get the most out of your heating, ventilation and AC units.
#1. Be Proactive about Maintenance
After the installation of your HVAC machine, you should create a proper schedule for its regular maintenance. Many restaurant owners seek HVAC services for maintenance only when an issue arises. However, this is not the right approach, if you plan to get the best results from your heating and air conditioning system. A proactive approach is always the best advice in this regard.
Instead of waiting for a problem to come up and then get the maintenance done, you should give your HVAC units proactive maintenance. This means you should plan a maintenance schedule as soon as you get the units installed in your restaurant kitchen or commercial building. Regular maintenance brings facility managers a number of benefits such as keeping your energy costs down as well as avoiding unexpected failures or outages. Most of all, scheduled maintenance will help you avoid major problems and expensive repairs as a result.
Here is a quick look at what regular HVAC maintenance includes:
Checking and cleaning blower assembly
Replacing filters
Replacing fan belts
Cleaning combustion blower housing
Hood exhaust cleaning
Grease trap cleaning
Trash chute cleaning
Vent hood and duct cleaning
Cleaning condenser coils
Cleaning drain lines
Cleaning fan blades
Cleaning burner assembly
HVAC make up air
HVAC balancing
These are part of a routine preventative maintenance. Every HVAC unit requires proper attention and maintenance. Since these are complex machines, you should get its repair and maintenance carried out only by highly trained and experienced technicians such as those from APS Hoods in Denver, CO. Professionals carry deep knowledge and expertise in cleaning and maintaining each key element of components of the heating, ventilation and AC units. Right from cleaning and inspecting to testing and lubricating all components, our technicians will carry out the entire maintenance in a careful and detailed manner.
#2. Keep a Watch on Energy Consumption
One of the key tips to keep your HVAC machines in good health is to monitor the consumption of energy on a regular basis. If you struggle with constantly increasing energy bills, you should take it as a warning sign and find out if your HVAC system has problems, as soon as possible.
Every system requires regular upkeep and maintenance. Your HVAC machines are no different. Even if you have installed the high quality units, the system will stop giving peak performance without regular maintenance. Just by getting regular upkeep by professionals, you can save up to 20% on your energy bills. Trained technicians conduct a thorough inspection of each element of the HVAC system and understand exactly how much energy the system is consuming. Finally, the technicians find out the issues and carry out maintenance and repair in order to increase energy efficiency. As a result, your energy bills go down.
Therefore, never let your energy bills rise simply because of poor or delayed HVAC maintenance. As soon as you see energy consumption go up, reach out to us for an inspection of the units in your facility.
#3. Conduct Regular HVAC Inspections
One of the best ways to ensure highly efficient functioning of your HVAC is to conduct inspections on a regular basis. Most of all, regular audits or inspections will keep costly repairs away. Since these machines are made up of several intricate components, the inspection will help you find out if there is anything wrong with these parts and fix them before major problems can arise.
During a routine inspection, the technician will take a closer and detailed look at the inner workings of the HVAC system.
Checking HVAC controls
Checking refrigerant levels
Checking electrical connections
Checking thermostat
Inspecting wiring
Cleaning condensation drains
Cleaning drip pans
Checking motors and switches
In fact, the technician will inspect each and every key component of the HVAC system including both the indoor and outdoor units. Usually, the technician also cleans and replaces HVAC coils during the audit.
How frequently you should get the inspections done depends on exactly what size and type of commercial HVAC you use. It is ideal to get it done at the interval of every three months. If you are not sure about your exact needs, you should definitely consult one of our HVAC system specialists at APS Hoods in Denver, CO. Based on your specific needs, our professionals will recommend the best frequency and schedule for carrying out the inspections of your systems.
#4. Create a Predictive Maintenance Plan
It is always smart to address problems before they happen. If you plan to maintain the peak health of your heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, you should create and execute a predictive maintenance plan.
Predictive maintenance planning is one of the most effective tips for restaurant owners to follow. This kind of maintenance means you will get advanced maintenance in order to detect components that might stop functioning. Predictive maintenance will give you adequate time to order the parts that need replacement. In this way, you will be able to avoid a number of serious safety hazards and keep your commercial kitchen workers safe as well. To do this, you can use an HVAC health tool to conduct diagnostic tests on your units and systems. Such a diagnosis will immediately make you aware of what might happen to the HVAC or any of its parts in the near future. The tool will also help you troubleshoot the problems.
Based on the results of the HVAC diagnosis tests, you can schedule the inspection and maintenance without any delay.
#5. Use an Energy Management System (EMS)
Run by computer-aided tools, an EMS or energy management system is a highly useful tool to monitor the performance of a wide range of commercial and industrial machines. If you want to keep a close watch on the performance and efficiency of the HVAC system in your facility, using an EMS is a great idea. The system is based on the latest AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology. Using this technology, the energy management system gathers valuable data about your systems including its use of energy and system issues. You can use this data to identify issues ahead of time and schedule HVAC repair and maintenance.
The use of an EMS helps you avoid costly repairs while ensuring your heating and ventilation systems perform with maximum efficiency continuously. Plus, this enables you to prolong the life of the equipment.
If your energy bills are constantly rising, using an EMS is an excellent idea to monitor the consumption of energy by your HVAC units and then reduce high consumption by taking the necessary steps. In fact, one of the major roles of an energy management system is to immediately increase cost savings. Using these advanced AI systems can help you bring down energy bills by up to 30%. Most of all, you will be able to keep your HVAC units at peak health as a result.
#6. Beware of Commercial HVAC Problems
It is a good idea to make yourself aware of the common issues that arise with a heating and ventilation system in a commercial facility. If you spot these problems and take remedial measures immediately, you will be able to turn them into major problems. Often, many facility and building managers ignore many of the common problems and deal with expensive repairs later.
Some of the common HVAC problems include short cycling, leaking refrigerant, dirty filters, dirty condenser coils, squeaking motor sound, unbalanced fan vibration, rattling sound from the blower etc.
Apart from these, there are many other common problems that can arise with your heating and air conditioning system from time to time. While you cannot avoid these minor issues, it is crucial to address them immediately. Preventative and predictive maintenance is a surefire way to keep most of these problems from happening and keep your HVAC units working at its maximum efficiency. To find out more about common commercial HVAC problems, feel free to get in touch with our expertly trained professionals at APS Hoods in Denver, CO.
#7. Seek the Help of a Professional
When it is about maintaining the health of your HVAC units, you should rely only on highly trained and experienced professionals. After reviewing your machines and units, professionals will assess the size and complexity of your commercial heating and air conditioning system and then suggest an ideal frequency for the regular and predictive maintenance. With an in-depth and customized maintenance plan, you will ensure that your HVAC system works at peak efficiency levels while you save costs and bring down your energy bills in a significant manner.
Many commercial kitchen owners and building managers wait for issues to arise and take action after something has happened. Instead of being one of them, you should plan good HVAC health in advance.
Talk to a Commercial HVAC Technician
Now that you have understood that commercial HVAC machines are robust, complex and sophisticated structures, you should make sure you give them proper attention and maintenance on a regular basis. If you operate a restaurant, commercial kitchen or food preparation facility in Denver, CO, you should head over to APS Hoods for all kinds of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning needs including HVAC installation, HVAC repair, HVAC maintenance, exhaust system cleaning, duct cleaning, vent hood cleaning, hood installation, restaurant kitchen cleaning etc.
For your free consultation, you should give our Denver office a phone call or write us an email using the contact form on our website.
Restaurants and commercial kitchens can’t operate without exhaust hoods. Exhaust or range hoods are an essential part of the kitchen setup. Since a restaurant produces a lot of grease, you need to install an exhaust hood system that is designed to fulfill your everyday needs. While the range hoods keep your restaurant safe and comfortable, it is crucial for you to clean and maintain the commercial kitchen hoods in a proper manner. By keeping your kitchen hoods clean, you will keep the restaurant running in a smooth manner and remain code-compliant.
At APS Hoods in Denver, CO, we specialize in commercial kitchen and equipment cleaning. If you are unfamiliar with it, let us help you understand how commercial kitchen hood cleaning is carried out.
Why Commercial Kitchen Hoods Need Cleaning
Being a restaurant owner, you should know the importance of cleaning. But you should also remain fully aware of what could happen, if you do not clean and maintain your kitchen exhaust hoods on a regular basis. Given below are some of the key reasons why exhaust system cleaning is essential.
Fire Prevention: Restaurant fires can be very dangerous. Improper cleaning or failure to clean the exhaust hoods is one of key reasons behind restaurant fires. When range hoods are left uncleaned, they gather grease and grime, which increases the risk of fire in the kitchen manifolds. Greasy fires are difficult to control and can spread very fast. That is why the first step you should take is to prevent this fire from happening by keeping the kitchen hoods clean.
Insurance Liability: If the due date of your exhaust system inspection passes and the cleaning is not done, you will be solely responsible for any kind of damage that occurs due to fire breakout. The insurance company will not cover the losses caused due to the fire. If you plan to avoid this situation, you should get the inspection conducted by professionals in a timely manner.
Productivity: Vent hood cleaning is an essential part of the overall commercial kitchen maintenance procedure. If you keep the hoods clean, the maintenance task becomes easier. As a result, the kitchen remains free from heat, smoke and contaminated air, improving the indoor air quality. Most of all, clean range hoods mean your restaurant will have maximized function and the efficiency and productivity of the kitchen employees will increase as well.
Regular hood exhaust cleaning and grease trap cleaning will keep your restaurant functioning without any hassles or interruptions. You will keep both your employees safe, healthy and happy.
What are the Components of a Commercial Kitchen Hood?
A commercial kitchen hood consists of three main parts including Type I or Type II hood, the grease ductwork and an exhaust fan. The hoods are installed over the restaurant equipment to collect and remove grease.
The process of commercial hood cleaning is an elaborate one. A trained professional starts the procedure while following each step in a proper and safe manner. If an amateur or an untrained person performs the cleaning, he will expose himself to various types of hazards and might end up causing damage to the expensive kitchen equipment and appliances in the process. That is exactly why you should rely only on specialists for the job and get all the cleaning done correctly. Every part of the exhaust hood needs to be cleaned separately.
Restaurant hood cleaning involves exhaust hood cleaning, grease trap cleaning, hood filter cleaning, hood fan cleaning, grease duct cleaning and trash chute cleaning. If you have a question in this regard, feel free to talk to one of our experts at APS Hoods, which operates in Denver, CO.
Restaurant Hood Cleaning Procedure
Following the step-by-step process of hood cleaning ensures your restaurant remains free from different kinds of safety and fire hazards. The cleaning should be conducted exactly as per NFPA standards.
Exhaust Hood Cleaning
The function of an exhaust hood is to throw contaminated air out of the kitchen. If not cleaned and removed, the contaminants deposit in the vent hood system, resulting in poor ventilation and risk of fire.
In order to clean the range hoods, the technician first removes all the components. So, he will uninstall parts such as the grease traps, hood filters, exhaust fans etc. This ensures that the cleaning of every single component is done separately and in a proper and effective manner.
The technician prepares a cleaning solution by mixing the liquid degreaser and warm water in a bucket. Then, the cleaning of the hood interior starts. After scrubbing and wiping the interior, the professional starts cleaning the exteriors of the range hoods. In order to deliver a thorough clean, kitchen cleaning companies use a wide range of methods and tools during the process. At APS Hoods, we regularly perform commercial restaurant cleaning and vent hood cleaning and understand the varying needs of every cooking facility with absolute clarity. With our certified and trained technicians by your side, you can feel confident that the exhaust hood cleaning of your restaurant facility will be conducted with full professionalism.
Grease Trap Cleaning
Grease traps are installed in order to prevent greasy substances from getting into the ventilation and the sewage system.
There are different sizes of grease traps. So, the frequency of these devices depends on their actual size installed in a restaurant, cafeteria, dining center etc. If you neglect grease trap cleaning, these devices will start to overflow. This, in turn, will take a toll on the entire exhaust hood system.
In order to clean the grease trap, the technician first uninstalls it or removes it from the range hood. Then, the scrubbing and degreasing of this device is conducted. It is crucial to not let the removed grease deposit pass through the drain. In fact, all the greasy material should be collected in a container. After scrubbing, the grease traps are placed into a solution. After 10-15 minutes, the devices are taken out of the solution and then air-dried before reinstallation.
Kitchen Hood Filter Cleaning
Hood filters are a crucial part of the exhaust hood system. The role of these filters is to filter the air that is pushed through the hood system. In the absence or failure of these filters, grease will deposit inside the air ducts. This, in turn, could become a potential fire hazard creating risk for everyone working inside the kitchen as well as the visitors who come to dine in the restaurant.
Since hood filters catch and remove the particulate matter in the air, they need proper cleaning on a regular basis. When it comes to cleaning the kitchen hood filters, the technician will first uninstall the component from the range hood. Once separated from the unit, it becomes easy to clean the filters. Once the degreasing solution is ready, the technician puts the filters into it. Based on specific needs, the filters can be left to soak in the solution for several hours. After removal from the solution, the hood filters get scrubbed and rinsing until fully clean.
Before the filters are ready to reinstall, the technician makes sure the component is fully dry. Giving hood filters a thorough clean in a timely manner keeps the entire kitchen exhaust hood system in good shape.
Hood Fan Cleaning
Located inside the range hood, the exhaust hood fan pulls the air through the filter. So, the device plays a crucial role in getting rid of the heat, steam or smells from the commercial kitchen. It is due to these fans that the distribution and flow of the air in the kitchen remains balanced. Based on the type of exhaust hood system you have installed in your cooking facility, there may be a few or more fans inside the hood. It is very important to keep the hood fans clean, just like other components of the kitchen exhaust or range hood system.
To clean the hood fan, the professional uninstalls the device first. Once the fans are separated from the hood system, it becomes much easier to clean and degrease them in a proper manner.
After the fan blade covers are removed, the technician gets access to each one of the fan blades. Now, the fan blades are detached as well. In this way, the technician can clean each fan blade individually. If your hood system has several fans, it will be important to not fix up all the blades with one another. The technician leaves all the blades in the cleaning solution to soak. After soaking has been done, the fan blades are taken out the solution and left to dry. Once fully dried, the technician starts to reattach the hood fan blades, one after another.
Finally, the blower is put back into the kitchen hood for reinstallation. This is how the hood cleaning procedure is completed.
Kitchen Hood Duct Cleaning
All the hood ducts need thorough cleaning to function with maximum efficiency. Those docs that lie out of the range will be easy to clean. To properly clean all the ducts, you will need the help of experienced professionals. Trained technicians will clean all the ducts including the easily reachable ones as well as those that are hard to reach. Using the cleaning solution, the interiors and the exteriors of the hood ducts will be scrubbed and washed and cleaned.
Once duct cleaning has been completed, the ducts will be left to dry. To know more about the hood ducts and the methods used to clean them, get in touch with one of our professionals at APS Hoods in Denver, CO.
How Often Should Commercial Kitchen Hoods be Cleaned?
The frequency of hood cleaning varies from one type of restaurant to another. Many restaurants are required to carry out the exhaust hood cleaning at the interval of every three months. To find out the exact frequency, three key factors play a crucial role including the menu items, amount of cooking and the type of cooking equipment and appliances you use in the kitchen.
A monthly hood inspection is required for those restaurants that use solid fuel for cooking operations. Likewise, you may need to set up a monthly, quarterly, semi annual or annual hood cleaning schedule.
To find out more about the frequency of restaurant hood vent cleaning, reach out to one of our commercial cleanup experts. At APS Hoods, we will first evaluate the specific cleaning needs of your restaurant, bar, hotel, dining center, cooking facility etc. Then our experts will develop the most ideal cleaning schedule for your business to eliminate potential safety hazards and stay compliant to the fire safety codes as outlined by the National Fire Protection Association.
Commercial Kitchen Cleaning Services
A restaurant’s kitchen hood cleaning is different from general cleaning. If you lack the knowledge and experience to do the exhaust system cleaning yourself, you should seek the help of professional bar and restaurant cleaning services. Trained professionals specialize in commercial kitchen hood cleaning and carry out the procedure while abiding by all the necessary codes and regulations. Professionals will use the right set of tools as well as correct methods to properly clean every component of the exhaust hood system installed in your kitchen.
In addition to cleaning, you can hire a restaurant cleaning company for the inspection and maintenance of hood systems too. To get more details on these services, get in touch with one of our specialists.
Still Have a Question?
If you are a restaurant owner, you should never ignore or delay the inspection and cleaning of your exhaust hood system. Uncleaned hoods create serious safety hazards, putting the safety and health of your employees and guests at risk and putting you in violation of the essential codes. If you have an additional question or want to schedule restaurant hood cleaning in Denver, CO, reach out to APS Hoods. Our bar and restaurant cleaning services are designed to help you run your business smoothly by eliminating potential risks of fire hazards.
For your free consultation, you can reach our Denver office via a phone call or write to us an email using the contact form.
Along with APS Hoods, we also run Hood Builder and Nationwide Fire Protection to bring you all the restaurant design-related services in one place. For your free consultation with one of our specialists, you can either call our office phone number or write to us using the contact form.
The overall design of a restaurant and large kitchen has a massive impact on the staff and guests as well as the restaurant’s profitability. A great deal of planning goes behind how exactly all the cooking appliances and equipment will be arranged in the available space in order to make the kitchen both safe and comfortable for the employees to work in. During the construction of a restaurant, professionals pay serious attention and adhere to all the building and fire safety codes as prescribed by the local authorities. Whether it is the cooking appliances, water supply, drainage, heating and ventilation systems, every part and component of all the systems and units must be designed in a highly effective and accurate manner.
If you plan to build a new restaurant or remodel an existing one, you should reach out to APS Hoods in Denver, CO, a highly trusted company that specializes in commercial kitchen design, exhaust hood installation, HVAC installation, kitchen equipment cleaning, restaurant hood repair, duct repair etc.
Over the last one decade, the restaurant industry has evolved and come a long way. This is to keep pace with the changing demands of the customers as well as the changing codes, laws and regulations.
When you start designing and building a kitchen, the first thing you should do is to familiarize yourself with the recent developments in the restaurant and commercial kitchen industry. If you are up-to-date, it will become easier to build a restaurant and commercial kitchen that caters to the specific needs of the modern-day guests and keep the employees happy. Right from investing in the right type of commercial cooking appliances to the methods of installation, you should carry out every project with a focus on the changing needs. Food safety, food handling practices and waste management should be paid serious attention.
Not just design and construction, but the maintenance of all cooking appliances and equipment in the commercial kitchen is an important concern. That is exactly why it is crucial to work with those professionals who have deep expertise in building a large kitchen from the scratch level.
Designing a Restaurant Floor Plan
A restaurant floor plan contains all the details about the physical arrangement of the cooking appliances and equipment and all other components including refrigerators, stoves, ovens, freezers, mixers, slicers, range hoods, sinks, fire suppression systems, tables, chairs, entrance area, waiting area, windows, doors, emergency exits and a lot more. If you plan to design and construct a large kitchen, the planning stage is of utmost importance. Here, it is extremely important to understand that one size does not fit all, particularly when it comes to designing restaurants and commercial kitchens. Every floor is different and unique.
It is the job of experts to create an ideal floor plan for a restaurant based on the specific needs of that restaurant. Design engineers and professionals are quite well-versed as to how the space can be maximized and made functional and practical for a hassle-free working experience in the kitchen.
Most importantly, the floor plan should be designed in accordance with the building and safety codes. A commercial kitchen is designed for employees in the first place and the dining area for guests in the first place. When a restaurant is designed and constructed, the focus should remain on the needs of the average customer. Apart from APS Hoods, we operate two other sister companies including the Hood Builder and Nationwide Fire Protection to provide clients with a one-stop shop where they can get all services for building a commercial kitchen, completing all the technician works and installation and maintenance of all cooking appliances.
To find out more about what exactly a restaurant and commercial kitchen floor plan will be designed and what it will include, reach out to one of our highly trained professionals at APS Hoods in Denver, CO.
What Equipment You Need in a Commercial Kitchen
The kitchen is the core part of a restaurant. It is the kitchen where all the different types of foods are prepared and dishes are cooked. A commercial kitchen has a wide range of cooking appliances and equipment to perform different functions for proper cooking and food preparation. The actual selection of the kitchen equipment depends on what kind of menu you have for guests.
Here is a list of some of the most important appliances and equipment you will need in your large, commercial kitchen.
Ovens
The moment you think about a restaurant kitchen, oven is the first word that comes to your mind. Before you choose ovens, you should be clear about exactly what type of restaurant you plan to operate. There are both specific ovens as well as multipurpose ovens. It is important to understand that ovens occupy a lot of space inside a kitchen. That is why you need to pick the right size and quality of commercial oven. It is always best to go through online reviews and testimonials before you invest in the right type and brand of commercial ovens. Always go for oven brands that have a solid reputation for providing top quality for years.
With our professionals by your side, you will find it easy to select the right type, size and quality of ovens for your commercial kitchen.
Exhaust Hoods
The air inside a commercial kitchen becomes contaminated and polluted due to the production of a large amount of heat and smoke. The function of exhaust hoods is to throw the contaminated air out in order to maintain better air quality inside the kitchen. There are two main types of kitchen hoods including Type I and Type II. Based on what type of cooking will be done in your commercial kitchen, you will need to select either the Type I or Type II exhaust hoods.
Range hoods or exhaust hoods are one of the most crucial pieces of commercial kitchen equipment. Experts will custom-design exhaust foods to fit the exact needs and size of the cooking station.
Heating and Air Conditioning
A perfect commercial kitchen offers a fully safe and comfortable working environment for employees. Without proper heating and air-conditioning, working inside the kitchen will be extremely difficult and unsafe.
No matter what season or weather it is, a properly installed heating and air-conditioning system will create a safe working environment. However, setting up this entire system requires planning. The heating and air-conditioning system is designed as per the size and type of your kitchen. While correct installation is essential, it is also important to give the system regular maintenance.
Ventilation
Like you design and plan for everything else, you should also plan for kitchen ventilation in a proper manner. Since a lot of people work inside the kitchen, it becomes crowded as well as sweaty.
Using a high quality HVAC system, you will be able to take care of each including heating, ventilation and air-conditioning together. If your kitchen is well-ventilated, the indoor air quality will improve and offer employees a cool and comfortable working environment for the staff. When it comes to the ventilation hood installation, it is very important to carry out the entire project while following all codes and safety regulations. The vent hoods should also be powerful enough to pull out contaminated air and pull in fresh air without any hassle.
HVAC makeup air and ventilation air volume are important considerations during the design and installation of the vent hood system. At APS Hoods in Denver, CO, we possess sound expertise in designing ventilation hood systems as well as provide HVAC service, HVAC repair and HVAC balancing. Feel free to get in touch with one of our experts to get more information.
Food Processors
Food processors are one of the most useful equipment placed in a restaurant kitchen. Whether it is chopping, slicing or blending, food processors make all these tasks feel like a breeze. When looking for these appliances, you will come across different types and varieties. Based on your exact needs, you should purchase the right type of food processors for your commercial kitchen. Some popular types of these processors include Batch bowl food processors, Continuous feed food processors, buffalo choppers etc. Over the years, the design of food processors has also evolved to maximize functions. When looking for these appliances, you should definitely take a look at the products’ horsepower ratings.
Slicers
When it comes to the selection of food slicers, you should take your menu into account. Without having slicers, the staff will have a hard time prepping food. You should always select the most ideal type of food slicers for your commercial kitchen. Slicers are available with different horsepower capacities. If you will do a great deal of slicing in your kitchen, go for high HP slicers.
Freezers and Refrigerators
Refrigerators are essential equipment for storing foods and ingredients. You will need a highly efficient refrigeration system both for storing food as well as managing your inventory. Freezers and refrigerators used in a large kitchen are commercial-grade. These refrigerators are designed to fulfill the specific needs of a commercial kitchen on an everyday basis. Depending on what type of restaurant you plan to build, you can choose either reach-in or walk-in refrigerators.
Walk-in refrigerators are custom-designed to suit the specific needs of large restaurant kitchens. To find out more about what type of refrigeration system will be best for your kitchen, you should seek the help of experts.
Commercial Kitchen Cleaning and Maintenance
Building a large, commercial kitchen is a big investment. That is exactly why you need to pay serious attention to the proper cleaning and maintenance of every area, part and component of the restaurant kitchen.
Giving your commercial kitchen proper maintenance will extend the life of all the appliances, equipment and units. While you may want to do some general cleaning on your own, you should always call in professionals to clean all the commercial-grade equipment and cooking appliances. Without proper training, cleaning these appliances can be unsafe and dangerous. Plus, you may even end up damaging the expensive equipment in the process. Cleaning and maintenance of ovens, refrigeration system, exhaust hood system, cold rooms and fryers requires training and certification. At APS Hoods, we specialize exhaust system cleaning, grease trap cleaning, trash chute cleaning, kitchen equipment cleaning, range hood cleaning and duct cleaning as well as wall and floor cleaning.
Timely cleaning of kitchen equipment and appliances will help you boost efficiency and avoid costly repairs. Our company has a well-defined procedure in place for restaurant hood cleaning. Our professional cleaning includes degreasing the hoods, removal of grease deposits from other components and cleaning the duct work as well as repairing the exhaust hood fan belts.
Why You Should Work with Us
Whether it is the design and construction of a commercial kitchen or its proper cleaning and maintenance, we are your one-stop solution to all the needs. In addition to APS Hoods, we run two other companies to provide you all restaurant-related services under one umbrella. With our expertly trained professionals, you will be able to design and build the restaurant and commercial kitchen of your dreams while staying compliant to all the codes, laws and regulations.
Our track record for accomplishing restaurant building projects is well-proven. We cater to the needs of restaurants, hotels, food establishments, cafeteria, coffee shops and cooking facilities all across Denver, CO.
Talk to a Commercial Kitchen Design Specialist
Do you plan to launch your new restaurant and commercial kitchen soon? Whether you want to open a new one or remodel an existing one, head over to APS Hoods in Denver, CO. Being a restaurant construction and design company, we provide complete restaurant building services including the entire design, construction and maintenance as well as all the technical work. Our professionals will help you set up a restaurant, commercial kitchen, cafeteria, dining establishment or cooking facility while abiding by all the essential codes and regulations.
Along with APS Hoods, we also run Hood Builder and Nationwide Fire Protection to bring you all the restaurant design-related services in one place. For your free consultation with one of our specialists, you can either call our office phone number or write to us using the contact form.
If you plan to run your commercial restaurant in a smooth manner, you should always pay attention to the proper functioning of the kitchen ventilation system. If the ventilation hood system does not work with full efficiency, all kinds of problems will continue to arise while interrupting business. You may have to deal with poor indoor air quality and increased risks of fire and safety hazards. That is why it is crucial to keep a close watch on how the kitchen ventilation system works and address every issue as quickly as you spot it. Accurate troubleshooting is essential not just to address various problems but also prevent them in the future.
Let our experts at the APS Hoods in Denver, Colorado, help you with some of the most useful troubleshooting tips for your commercial restaurant ventilation system. Our company specializes in the installation, repair and maintenance of HVAC systems for a range of commercial kitchens.
Why Proper Kitchen Ventilation is Crucial!
Before food is ready to serve, everything happens in the kitchen. A large commercial kitchen generates a great deal of heat, smoke and odor on a regular basis. If all of this is not handled in a proper manner, it can become really hard for the staff to work in the kitchen. Not just the workers, but the uncomfortable and unsafe kitchen environment takes its toll on the guests too.
Installation of a high-grade ventilation system is essential in a commercial kitchen. The system is specially designed to maintain better air quality inside the kitchen and ensure a comfortable working condition. All the heat and smoke that is generated in the kitchen on a daily basis makes the indoor air impure and contaminated. Poor indoor quality affects the health of the workers. Deposits of grease in the range hoods enhances the risk of kitchen fire. Proper ventilation is a proven way to deal with all these issues and ensure smooth running of the kitchen as well as the restaurant. Though it is important to invest in the right type of HVAC system, it is also essential to give the system proper attention and maintenance. Timely inspection, repair and maintenance will also extend the life of your commercial ventilation system.
Different types of problems can arise with any commercial restaurant ventilation system. What is important is that you get the problems solved without any delay. Ignoring even some minor issues can worsen the situation further and affect the entire ventilation system and reduce its lifespan.
Useful Troubleshooting Tips for Your Kitchen Vent Hoods
It is a good idea to have some knowledge of how a typical ventilation system in a large or commercial kitchen works. While you may come across various types of problems with the commercial vent hoods, there are some issues that you can troubleshoot yourself. Using some troubleshooting tips means you will be able to fix problems fast without affecting the business.
Given below are some of the most useful troubleshooting tips you can use the next time your ventilation system is not working.
Ventilation System Doesn’t Turn On
If you turn on your kitchen ventilation system but it won’t start, you will certainly feel concerned. When it happens, you may also think that the entire system has been damaged. However, you should not worry much and do some troubleshooting to find out what exactly is the reason for it.
When an issue arises with your vent hood system, many things will come to your mind. But unless you find out the exact reason, you can never be sure what has caused a specific problem. If your ventilation system fails to start, you should first take a look at the breakers and the wiring. The problem may arise due to the failure of a power-related component in the vent hood. You may be able to troubleshoot the commercial vent hoods in this case and fix it quickly. In case you are unable to detect the problem, the best idea is to seek professional help.
For more details on this problem and how to fix it, feel free to talk to one of our HVAC repair specialists at APS Hoods.
Rattling Sound Comes from the Vent Hood System
One problem that may arise with a commercial kitchen ventilation system is a rattling sound heard when the system starts.
If you hear rattling noises coming from the vent hood system, this means one or more components are loose. The components that make the noises may be located either in the external or internal part of the system. It can be easy to take a closer look at all the external parts and see if there is anything loose. But finding a loose component inside the system will be difficult. In such cases, it is important to locate the component that is producing the noise. Any delay in this regard can worsen the problem and the system can sustain costly damages.
If you cannot find a loose component you can fix yourself, you should immediately reach out to a trained technician or a kitchen hood installation specialist in or near your location. If your restaurant is located in Denver, CO, APS Hoods is an ideal destination to hire highly trained technicians.
Breaker Needs Constant Resetting
Do you have to reset the breaker of your ventilation system? You may come across this issue when running the system. While you would think that it is the fuse that is the culprit, the cause may be something else.
It is not always the fuse that requires you to repeatedly reset the breaker of the kitchen vent hood system. Many times, it happens because the HVAC motor is faulty. Apart from checking whether the motor is damaged, you should also have a look at the motor starters, located on the back side of the access panel. Both the trip button and the reset button are located inside the access panel of the vent hood system. If you find that you have to push the trip button over and over again, this means you need to replace the vent hood motor with a new one.
The problem in question may arise due to other causes. It is for a highly trained HVAC technician to troubleshoot the restaurant ventilation system and find out the exact cause and fix it in a proper manner.
Kitchen Air is Smokier than Usual
Heat and smoke are common in a commercial kitchen. But if you find that the level of smoke is higher than usual, it is troubleshooting time. Another problem with a smokier kitchen is that the indoor air temperature rises too. When a problem like this arises, you will certainly be worried.
The environment inside a commercial kitchen should always remain comfortable and healthy. Too much smoke and heat will make it hard for workers to do their job in a proper and effective manner. That is why you should take action as soon as you see your kitchen atmosphere is smokier than usual. One common culprit behind this problem is greasy vent hoods. Over time, the range hoods collect a lot of grease and this is how more smoke is formed. In particular, you should take a look at the vent hood, exhaust hood filters and exhaust fan.
While you may be able to handle minor problems on your own, it is always best to take the help of an experienced technician. At APS Hoods in Denver, CO, we specialize in exhaust system cleaning, vent hood cleaning, grease trap cleaning, duct cleaning, trash chute cleaning etc. For more information, reach out to one of our highly trained and skilled vent system specialists.
A professional will perform vent hood cleaning in an effective manner as well as replace the damaged hood filters, if required.
Kitchen is Infiltrated by Excessive Moisture
If a lot of moisture infiltrates your kitchen, it can cause health and hygiene issues. To find out whether you have this problem or not, the quickest tip is to take off the exhaust hood fan’s cover after shutting off power.
You will always see some amount of moisture, which is not a problem. But if the amount of moisture crosses limits and it infiltrates your commercial restaurant kitchen, you should be concerned. As a result of excessive moisture, you will face sanitation issues as well as mold growth. If the problem is not taken care of in a timely manner, your restaurant will be badly affected.
Reach out to a professional for an inspection of the kitchen exhaust system and get the necessary repair and maintenance done.
Excessive Heat in Restaurant
When you have a problem with your ventilation hood system, it is not just the kitchen that is affected. In fact, the entire restaurant as well as the building can get affected as a result of that. If your restaurant feels hot, it is definitely time to take a closer look at how your vent hood system is functioning.
Too much heat in a restaurant is an even bigger problem during summer months. The reason for excessive heat is negative pressure created by the exhaust hood system you have installed. As the ventilation system operates, it throws out hot and contaminated indoor air and draws in fresh air. There has to be a certain balance between the two for your kitchen and restaurant to remain cool and comfortable. If the vent hood fan stops to perform its function in an efficient manner, the air inside the kitchen becomes hot and it gradually heats up the entire restaurant.
The solution to this problem is air balancing. If you are in search of a company that specializes in commercial air test and balancing, head over to APS Hoods that operates in and near Denver, Colorado.
Prevent Problems with Regular Vent Hood Maintenance
At all times, you should ensure the ventilation system of your commercial kitchen runs in a hassle-free manner. While problems with the system may arise from time to time due to various reasons, you should never ignore any of the problems – even if it appears to be a minor one. In fact, you should try to understand how the commercial vent hoods in your restaurant work as well as know how to find out when the system is not working in a completely efficient manner. As soon as you spot an issue, you should wear your troubleshooting hat or seek the help of an expert to address the vent hood problem in a fast and efficient manner.
Hopefully, the troubleshooting tips above will help you solve a number of problems in a speedy manner. One surefire way to prevent vent hood problems is to give the system timely repair and proper maintenance.
When you run a commercial restaurant, your goal is to pull as many visitors as possible and increase the bottomline. That is why it is extremely important to provide both your kitchen workers and guests a safe, healthy and comfortable environment. When diners feel great comfort, they will visit your establishment over and over again while also spreading the word about it. So, always take proper care of your vent hood system and ensure it runs efficiently and smoothly.
Talk to a Commercial Vent Hood System Specialist
Ventilation hoods serve a crucial role in a restaurant’s kitchen. As a restaurant owner, you definitely have a number of things to handle. But you should never ignore the regular maintenance of the vent hood system. When it comes to troubleshooting, inspecting and cleaning the system, you should always remain proactive. If you spot ventilation hood problems you can’t handle on your own, you should reach out to an expert for an ideal solution. At APS Hoods in Denver, CO, we provide professional commercial hood services, kitchen equipment cleaning, vent hood cleaning, grease trap cleaning, exhaust fan services etc.
For your free consultation, you can give our office a quick phone call or write an email using the contact form on our website.
The HVAC is an essential system, which is required by every commercial restaurant or facility to have a safe and healthy work environment. Failure of this system will disrupt the business operations, affecting the bottomline. As a responsible facility manager, you should always keep a close watch on the motors in the HVAC system. If the efficiency of the motor decreases, the entire HVAC system will not give the best output and the working environment will deteriorate. From time to time, you may need to repair or replace the motor altogether to restore the efficiency of the HVAC system in your large restaurant or commercial kitchen.
A worn out motor will take a toll on the HVAC unit and you may need to invest in a new HVAC system as a result. If you plan to avoid this situation and save money, you should keep the motor in great shape.
What Does an HVAC Motor Do?
The HVAC motor or the blower motor is the main component, which conditions air and then helps the cool air circulate throughout the entire space of your kitchen or other commercial facility. The motor spins the fan which moves the air through ducts and vents for proper ventilation.
Even if it is a small size motor, it has enough potential or power to carry a large amount of conditioned air. Modern motors are a lot more powerful than their earlier versions. But their efficiency can still reduce over time. If your facility is outfitted with an HVAC system, you need to focus on the performance of the motor to have the entire unit functioning with maximum efficiency. The motor has a critical role to function to keep the temperature at the correct level, as stated by the thermostat. A well-maintained motor translates to energy bill savings.
Broadly speaking, HVAC motors can be categorized into: Single-speed Motor and Variable-speed Motor. As the name suggests, a single-speed motor operates at just one speed whereas a variable-speed motor has the efficiency to operate at multiple speeds including both lower and higher.
When Your HVAC Motor Needs a Repair
No matter how powerful the motor of your facility’s HVAC system is, it will experience wear and tear as time passes. If your heating, ventilation and air conditioning is not working properly, the motor is often the culprit. If the motor is faulty, technicians can look into the issue and repair it.
Before a motor gets worn out or fails, it gives some signs through which you can identify there is something wrong with your HVAC unit.
Key signs of a faulty HVAC motor include:
Weak airflow from the vents
No airflow comes out of the vents at all
Excessively high energy consumption
Unusual sounds from the HVAC
Overheating the motor
A faulty or worn out motor has a hard time doing its job. So, the first sign of the problem is little or no airflow at all from the vents. This often happens when the quality of the motor has deteriorated or the accumulation of dirt and dust inside. If the HVAC system of your facility makes some unusual or strange sounds, there can be a problem with the motor. It is also common for a faulty motor to get overheated. An experienced technician will conduct an inspection to diagnose the exact problem with the motor and then fix it, if the motor parts are repairable.
At APS Hoods, we have a highly competent team of technicians who specialize in the troubleshooting and repair of a wide range of HVAC motors. We offer effective solutions to restore the efficiency of the motor.
When to Replace Your HVAC Motor
Even when most problems in the blower motor can be fixed with a repair, it may not always be the best solution.
Even if you have the HVAC motor repaired by a technician, problems can still arise in the future. Imagine if the blower motor malfunctions over and over again and how it will affect your overall business operations. That is why going for a replacement is a sensible decision in many cases.
If you have issues with your HVAC motor, you should first reach out to our highly skilled team at APS Hoods and schedule an inspection. Our technicians will get to the root of the problem and then suggest the most ideal solution to resolve the problem. If the issue is repairable and the option is feasible too, our professionals will repair the faulty blower motor in a proper manner. If a repair does not look feasible, you will need to replace the old motor with a new one.
You Should Rely Only on Qualified HVAC Technicians
Whether it is a repair or a replacement, you should always hire an HVAC contractor which has a solid reputation and extensive experience in fixing all types and models of commercial HVAC motors.
That is where the role of APS Hoods gains importance. Our company has specialization in motor seal, repair and replacement. Also, we deal in superior quality blower motors manufactured by reputed brands. Our professionals have expertise in the selection of the right model and size of motor to suit the specific needs of your HVAC system. We employ the latest tools and up-to-the-minute technology to evaluate the efficiency of the motor and can accurately point out which parts have a problem. After an assessment of your facility’s needs, our specialists will provide you the most ideal solution to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs.
Talk to an HVAC Motor Technician
Commercial HVAC systems consume a high amount of emergency and impact the cost of operation in a considerable way. Timely repair and replacement of the blower motor is a surefire way of reducing these expenses.
If you have noticed problems with your facility’s HVAC system, chances are there are faults in the motor. Talk to one of our highly skilled and qualified HVAC technicians to get an inspection and find the most effective solution to the problem. Our motor seal, repair and replacement services are aimed at bringing down your facility’s operating costs and increase the bottomline. Also, we have a range of top quality, branded HVAC blower motors on sale. You can reach out to us via a quick phone call or write us an email using the contact form.
No restaurant owner would want their customers to get sick. But this can happen if you don’t pay serious attention to keeping your restaurant squeaky clean at all times. The foodservice industry follows very high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. If you run a restaurant facility or a large commercial kitchen, you should follow a proper cleaning routine on a regular basis. It is not just the health department that wants you to keep the restaurant facility neat, clean, and hygienic. All your employees and your customers look for a healthy and safe environment as well. If your restaurant and the cooking facilities are poorly maintained, you will come across a range of issues. In fact, many of such issues can put you in great trouble and your overall business can be negatively impacted. As the responsible owner of a restaurant, you should offer a safe working environment for workers and a superior dining experience for guests. At American Professional Services (APS-Hoods), we specialize in the professional cleaning of restaurants and commercial kitchens. With the help of our professionals, we have prepared this guide to proper cleaning of restaurant facilities. Read on to find out the details of proper restaurant cleaning.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
All restaurant and commercial kitchen owners are legally obliged to follow the food safety hygiene standards as stated by the CDC and health departments. In a large commercial kitchen, the volume of cooking is not only high but these activities go on for several hours in a row, on a regular basis. That is why it is extremely important to carry out proper cleaning procedures and keep the kitchen, all the cooking equipment and appliances, and the entire restaurant well-maintained. Proper cleaning of the restaurant facility will eliminate the risk of cross-contamination and food poisoning as well as the risk of getting different types of allergies and infections. According to the CDC, four crucial steps to food safety include Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. Health departments in every state conduct regular hygienic inspections to make sure all restaurants, cooking facilities, and food preparation services remain food code compliant. In the event of failing an inspection by the health department, your restaurant can run the risk of being closed altogether – until you address the problems. The health inspector may also revoke your food license as a result of non-compliance with the food safety code. From day one of opening your restaurant, you should adopt thorough and stringent cleaning practices.
Cooking Appliances and Equipment
A large, commercial kitchen remains fitted with a wide range of cooking appliances and equipment. When it comes to keeping the restaurant facility healthy and safe, the kitchen area is the space that requires the most attention. That is why maintaining it in a proper manner is an essential part of the cleaning procedure. Given below is a list of each item that should be cleaned.
Ovens:
All the ovens in a restaurant should be cleaned after each shift. Wiping up these areas regularly will prevent the buildup of grease and grime. The interior of the oven also needs proper cleaning. In the market, you will find specific cleaning products to clean the ovens. Use the right type of cleaning products to remove spillages, grease, and grime from the ovens. If you operate a commercial kitchen, you should seek the help of professional restaurant cleaners.
Refrigeration:
Maintaining proper fridge hygiene is an essential part of adhering to the food safety code. If you want to enhance food quality and safety, you should wipe and sanitize the refrigerators in a proper manner. This cleaning routine should be carried out between every shift. Most importantly, you need to focus on the interiors of the fridges and give them a thorough cleaning. Deep cleaning of refrigerators should be performed by professionals once a week.
Coffee Machines:
While following a cleaning routine, you should not miss out on the Expresso and other coffee machines. Use a special fluid to carry out the cleaning of these machines in a proper manner.
Microwaves:
Spills require instant cleaning between every shift. Apart from this, you should clean the interiors of the appliance once a week. One good method is to place a non-metallic microwave-safe bowl, filled with water, inside the appliance and leave it there for one minute. You should either put it at a high temperature or let it sit there until it steams. In any case, don’t forget to clean the doors of the microwave while performing the overall cleaning of the appliance.
Kettles:
Every large commercial kitchen uses kettles and water boilers for preparing hot drinks on a daily basis. These appliances should also be cleaned and descaled in a thorough manner at least once a month. If the frequency of hot drinks preparation in your restaurant is high, you should clean the appliances more often to stay compliant with food safety standards. Hoods, Vents, and Exhausts: The air quality of the restaurant kitchen should always be maintained in order to provide a safe environment to the workers and create an odor-free environment in the restaurant. A poorly maintained or clogged ventilation system will lead to multiple issues over time. The unhygienic build-up of grease and grime is very common in hoods, exhaust fans, vents, and ducts. If the build-up is ignored or it is not cleaned in time, the quality of air in the kitchen will continue to deteriorate. So, exhaust hood and vent cleaning should always be an essential part of the overall cleaning procedure. At the APS Hoods in Denver, CO, we offer professional exhaust system cleaning, vent hood cleaning, and duct cleaning for large commercial restaurants. Our goal is to offer a comfortable and healthy working environment to the kitchen employees.
Storage Area
Many restaurant owners don’t pay serious attention to the deep cleaning of the storage areas. In addition to maintaining the commercial kitchen, you should thoroughly clean and sanitize every storage area. At the APS Hoods, our commercial kitchen cleaning service also involves taking good care of all the storage areas. Whether it is the racks, shelves, or cabinets, our skilled cleaners will reach every bit of these spaces and remove the dirt, dust, and lose debris in an effective manner. The problem with dirty storage areas is that they can easily attract different types of pests. Once you have an entry of pests inside, they can multiply very fast and infest the entire facility. So, storage area deep cleaning is important both in terms of cleanliness and pest control.
Sinks and Washing Stations
To maintain a commercial kitchen, you should keep every surface and area inside it neat and hygienic. Sinks and washing stations are some of the areas that are often missed out or ignored by restaurant owners.
Sinks and Taps:
Make it a routine to clean and sanitize these areas of the kitchen between every shift. The sinks, taps, and draining boards require frequent cleaning like other surfaces of the commercial kitchen.
Grease Traps:
It is a legal requirement to install grease traps in every commercial kitchen as per the official regulations. Due to the high volume of cooking and frying, a great deal of waste oil and grease is produced in a large kitchen. If these wastes are not removed, they will cause plumbing issues or clog the sewer system. Since grease traps filter out fats and oils, they need thorough cleaning on a periodical basis. If they are cleaned and emptied with the right frequency, the machine will function in a highly efficient manner.
Kitchen Drains:
The sinks and the plumbing in the kitchen will function properly when the kitchen’s drains are clear. Blockages in the drains will cause sink issues, affecting the overall hygiene of the kitchen. Therefore, hire a professional to thoroughly clean the drains every 2-3 weeks.
Dishwashers:
Just because it is a cleaning appliance doesn’t mean it should not be cleaned. The dishwashers in the kitchen also need proper cleaning and sanitization. Use an anti-bacterial cleaner to turn the dishwasher into a spotlessly clean appliance. Likewise, the cutlery and the glassware cleaners should also be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis for the best results.
Waste Disposal Units:
Tough buildup in the waste disposal unit in the kitchen doesn’t just create blockages but also releases foul smells. This can take a toll on the air quality inside the kitchen and the restaurant as a whole. There are specific cleaning products that you can use to remove the stubborn buildup in the disposal units and have the entire drainage system work efficiently as a result. Seek the help of professionals to choose the right cleaning products.
Grease buildup, grime, and food crumbs are not limited to kitchen equipment and cooking appliances alone. If you have been operating a restaurant for a couple of years now, you will know how unhygienic floors, walls, and ceilings of the kitchen can become over time. If such buildup is ignored or not cleaned properly, it can release unpleasant smells to linger around and become a breeding ground for disease-causing bacteria and harmful germs. If you don’t want your workers and visitors to fall sick due to this unhygienic environment, you should make cleaning the walls, floors, hard surfaces, and ceilings a crucial part of the cleaning routine. While you may have been sweeping and mopping the walls and floors, stains from spills and grease buildup will not go away easily. For effective deep cleaning and sanitization, you will need to hire a restaurant cleaning service. If your restaurant is located in Denver, CO, you can always rely on APS Hoods for proper cleaning of all the walls, floors, and ceilings in the facility. Whether it is the cleaning of walls, floors, ceilings, or any other hard surfaces, our skilled professionals will use the right cleaning product and leave it after application to sit there for a few minutes. This will allow the product to work effectively and disinfect the surface in a proper manner. After the deep cleaning is complete, you will have all surfaces free from bacteria and germs, and the entire restaurant facility will smell fresh and present a truly welcoming environment for guests.
How to Create a Restaurant Cleaning Routine
From day one of opening your restaurant, you should set up a well-defined cleaning routine. Apart from promoting a cleanliness culture among kitchen workers and the staff, you should come up with a cleaning schedule, which is specific and clearly defines what exactly needs to be cleaned and when. You will need to categorize various cleaning tasks on the basis of how frequently they are needed for a healthy and safe environment in the restaurant. Some cleaning tasks will need to be carried out more frequently than others. Make sure your cleaning routine outlines each task in clear detail. Of course, creating a restaurant cleaning checklist will prove to be highly effective. You can outline regular and more frequent tasks that should be carried out between every shift. If you run a large commercial kitchen, you should work with an experienced restaurant cleaning company in or near your location to develop a customized cleaning schedule for each area of your facility.
Do You Need Professional Restaurant Cleaning?
It is difficult to maintain cleanliness in a big restaurant or a large commercial kitchen solely with the help of the staff. At the American Professional Services (APS-Hoods), we specialize in the cleaning of kitchen appliances, cooking equipment, exhaust hood, vents, and ducts as well as all the floors, walls, ceilings, and hard surfaces of a restaurant facility. If you are a restaurant proprietor, we can be your most ideal cleaning partner for creating a fresh, welcoming, and healthy environment for your employees and guests. In addition to these, we also offer commercial hood installation, hood repair, HVAC repair, and fire protection system installation, etc. Our goal is to keep your restaurant squeaky clean, healthy, and safe all year round. Feel free to reach out to our Denver, CO, office via a phone call or an email for your free consultation for restaurant cleaning. Some related post:
As you know, deep cleaning your restaurant and the commercial kitchen does not just give it a beautiful, sparkling appearance, it also keeps your customers and employees safe! During the COVID-19 pandemic, this level of safety is more important than ever.
The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new reality for the restaurant industry: social distancing, altered operating standards, and the need for intense cleaning. Keeping your kitchen sanitary will help keep your customers both safe and happy, as well as more likely to return to your establishment.
Having a professionally cleaned restaurant implies a high level of care for your customers. So here is all you need to know about maintaining your commercial kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic, straight from the professionals themselves.
Cleaning During COVID-19
Why is it so important to keep your kitchen clean and sanitized during the COVID-19 pandemic? The viral outbreak caused by COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. With over 4.5 million cases worldwide, and over 350,000 reported deaths due to the virus, it has caused devastation on a global scale.
COVID-19 can cause severe respiratory problems including trouble breathing, fever, loss of smell and taste, and even blood clots. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has had a major impact on the restaurant industry, with restaurants either forced to close or operate at a lower capacity. It has been connected to incidents at many restaurants, eateries, and coffee shops, including Starbucks, Panera, and Waffle House.
Gaining customer trust as restaurant limitations are raised depends on more than just handling food safely. Having your restaurant cleaned and sanitized by a professional company is a prime way to show your customers that you are taking this seriously. This entails cleaning your kitchen appliances, walls, floors, dumpsters, ceilings, vents, grease ducts, hoods, and fans.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your pressure washing, ventilation, sanitizing, or vent/duct/hood needs.
Both the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Food Industry Association have put out special guidelines on how to proactively clean your restaurant during this time. These include a front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house cleaning checklist.
Front of the House
The front of the house gives off the first impression that your customers will get of your restaurant. Taking the following steps will ensure that their first impression is a good one and that you are taking the sanitization of your restaurant seriously.
Sanitizing tables, countertops, registers, floors, walls, and bathrooms. This will mitigate the risk of transmitting or contracting COVID-19. The virus can live on surfaces for hours. Wiping down surfaces and continually participating in restaurant cleaning help stop the spread of the virus.
Make sure you are using cleaning solutions that are proven to eliminate COVID-19. Not all cleaning solutions are effective in killing the COVID-19 virus. Make sure you use cleaning solutions that are certified to be effective in eliminating COVID-19.
Back of the House
The back of the house is where you are making the magic happen! Because there is so much going on, the back of the house also gets dirty. Food is being made; dishes are being taken out, and messy plates are being brought back in. Even now, while many restaurants are not fully open, the back of the house remains busy. Below are some steps that your restaurant can take for the back of the house cleanliness.
Sanitizing countertops, prep areas, cooking equipment, refrigerators, walk-in coolers, food storage areas, sink areas, floors, walls, and ceilings. These are the areas and surfaces where food is handled and prepared. It is imperative that they clean and sanitized regularly, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ensure there is soap, clean towels (or paper towels), and accessible sinks. Your staff is working hard to make sure that your restaurant stays open, safe, and profitable. Make sure that they also have the tools needed to stay safe in the kitchen!
Cleaning with EPA-approved disinfectants.
At APS-Hoods, we can make this process easy and less time consuming for you by providing you with complete kitchen cleaning. This would include all kitchen items and surfaces mentioned above.
Your Kitchen Exhaust and Fire Protection Needs During COVID-19
Having your kitchen hood exhaust system professionally cleaned is something that is of the highest importance when it comes to maintaining your restaurant. Not only does it help keep your restaurant clean, but it also helps to prevent kitchen fires. Not having a properly cleaned hood system is one of the leading causes of commercial kitchen fires. At APS-Hoods we take this very seriously, and our goal is to make sure that your hood exhaust system is thoroughly cleaned if grease and other fire hazardous build. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the danger posed by the build-up of fire hazardous grease is still very much present.
Having your hood professionally cleaned is also a way to keep in line with fire protection codes and regulations. It is also required by insurance companies. Allow us to help you remain compliant with your local fire department, as well as your insurance company. We will clean your hood exhaust system from the atmosphere to the atmosphere. This includes the hood, filters, all areas of the grease duct (including opening any access panels), and the exhaust fan. We will make sure that the fire hazardous grease is cleaned out of your hood system.
Contact Us
APS-Hoods: Time-Tested Experts
We understand that deep cleaning your restaurant takes a lot of time and effort. With COVID-19 continuing to spread, taking on this endeavor can be even more nerve-wracking. So leave the complete commercial kitchen and restaurant deep cleaning to the professionals.
APS-Hoods are the experts when it comes to sanitizing, cleaning, and disinfecting your commercial kitchen during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have 20 years of experience providing restaurant kitchen cleaning, complete restaurant cleaning, and hood exhaust system cleaning. We are also National Fire Protection Agency affiliated, fully insured, bonded, and service Colorado and the surrounding states with our quality guarantee.
When you work with APS-Hoods, you work with a team that will go above and beyond to proactively address any of your commercial kitchen and hood exhaust system needs, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. You focus on your customers; we’ll focus on the rest. Whether you’re looking for pressure washing, kitchen cleaning, hood exhaust system cleaning, or anything in between, we are here for you.
Are you ready to build customer trust and keep the health inspectors, fire departments, and insurance carriers happy? Contact APS-Hoods today for a free in-town quote for all your hood cleaning, grease duct, kitchen sanitization/cleaning, disinfecting, and restaurant cleaning needs.
There is no obligation when you call APS-Hoods for a quote on your commercial restaurant kitchen and hood exhaust system cleaning needs. We are here to give you the resources and information you need to make the best decisions for your business. So contact us today for help maintaining your commercial kitchen through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Getting your restaurant professionally cleaned is important to uphold the level of professionalism you hope to convey to your loyal customers. A clean restaurant tells new customers that the owners take pride in exceptional presentation. When a restaurant is clean, customers tend to trust that the food is of the highest quality and that every effort has been made to appease customers with a sanitized environment.
Without pressure washing, you may inadvertently send a negative message to your customer base about your food quality and services, forcing them to choose elsewhere for their dining needs. Pressure washing gives the right message that your restaurant is always open and available for a fine dining experience.
Pressure washing offers a range of benefits for restaurant owners. A pressure washing team can begin with the exterior of the building, helping to clean gum and stains from the sidewalks and patio. If there are grease and oil spills, those defects will quickly become a thing of the past, no matter how old they happen to be.
Your building exterior can be cleaned of dirt and grime, breathing new life into your exceptional curb appeal, and the roof and windows can be sprayed until they look as good as new. Exterior cleaning can also include a deep-water scrub of your parking lot, awnings, entryways, and patio furniture.
One of the most important aspects of exterior cleaning is to ensure that your signage is always viewable and presentable. Pressure washers use a telescoping wand to reach ultra-high signs for enhanced customer attraction.
Only when the outside of your restaurant is completely cleaned will the team move to the interior of your building. Inside, the pressure washers can clean your kitchen appliances, ovens, and other equipment. All that built-up grease that occurs after numerous busy kitchen shifts can be easily scrubbed clean, making your kitchen much cleaner and less susceptible to dangerous fires. Finally, pressure washing can help to clean the walls and floors of food particles, grease, and caked-on dirt for a spotless kitchen the health inspector will love.
If your restaurant has experienced vandalism such as graffiti, pressure washing can take care of those pesky marks as if they were nothing but chalk on cement. The pressure washing team can even sanitize your dumpster areas and corrals for a thorough job well done.
Not only can pressure washing give your restaurant a sanitized appearance, but the environment will be healthier for your staff and customers. Pressure washing services can be used to clean your kitchen exhaust systems and other ductwork. Your kitchen exhaust collects all the hot air and grease that builds up during a typical kitchen shift. Over time, your exhaust system and connecting duct systems can become covered with old grease deposits. Not only can all that grease lead to the outbreak of fire, but it can also contaminate your food and the air your staff and customers breathe.
Another reason you will want to have your duct system cleaned is to rid your ventilation system of all signs of mold and mildew. Over time, mold and mildew can make your staff and customers sick, leading to horrible reviews, fines from the health inspector, and a potential shutdown.
Pressure washing your exhaust and duct systems improves your air quality and food purity while keeping your staff and customers safe. When it comes to cleaning your exhaust and duct systems, the pressure washers will focus on all your kitchen hoods, ducts, filters, and fans, ensuring they are free of grease and other particles for long-term safety and cleanliness.
Pressure Washing for a Safer Restaurant
An employee heading to the dumpster with a container of grease and oil can easily cause a spill on the sidewalk, setting the stage for a potential disaster. A customer slipping and falling could open your business to expensive lawsuits, making pressure washing an excellent investment.
Pressure washing can rid your restaurant of all sorts of risks, like fire caused by grease buildup, and accidents caused by slick food waste. With high-pressure water scrubs and superior cleaning agents that are designed for restaurant use, you can feel assured that your customers are safe, and your business protected, every time you order a pressure washing job.
Types of Pressure Washers Available
There are a variety of pressure washers on the market that can be used to sanitize your establishment. Gas-powered pressure washers are heavy-duty and used to clean a restaurant’s outdoor areas, including the awnings, patios, and the exterior of the building. You only want to use these washers outside as they produce carbon monoxide gas that can pose a danger to staff and customers. Electric power washers don’t produce carbon monoxide and thus can be used for indoor use, such as in the kitchen area. While not as powerful as gas washers, electric power washers generally have enough oomph to handle most grease-covered restaurant messes.
Contact Us
DIY Pressure Washing vs. a Professional Pressure Washing Service
You may be tempted to pressure wash your restaurant all on your own. You should know that the cost of renting a pressure washer may be lower than hiring a professional, but cleaning a restaurant isn’t so easy. You may find that there is a learning curve that goes along with using the pressure washer correctly. This may make the cleaning of the interior and exterior of your business more trouble than it’s worth.
Furthermore, you are required to clean the pressure washer all on your own before returning it. By the time you are finished, the time expenditure and frustration may make you wish you hired a professional pressure washing service, to begin with. We recommend focusing on what you do best, which is to run your restaurant while producing exceptional food. Leave the pressure washing to the professionals instead.
Professional pressure washers have years of experience and know how to use the equipment efficiently so that there is less of a mess and more cleanliness all around. Professionals are also well-versed in safety, which means there is a lowered likelihood of accidents and damage to your valuable equipment.
Finally, commercial equipment tends to be stronger than rented equipment, which means you may not get as much cleanliness out of a rental as you will when hiring professional cleaners. When you let professional power washers handle the job, you can ensure a clean restaurant without any of the hassles that can come with trying to pressure wash your restaurant all on your own.
Professional Restaurant Waste Removal
Attempting to power wash your restaurant on your own means you are responsible for grease disposal. Collecting grease is a messy job, and so is disposing of it. Furthermore, you need to ensure that you dispose of grease properly. The EPA has strict rules for disposing of restaurant grease. If these protocols aren’t followed, you leave yourself open to hefty fines by the health inspector if you are ever discovered. A professional service can not only get your kitchen free of grease but any grease that is removed will be properly thrown away. Professional power washers use commercial grease disposal equipment and law-mandated processes that keep your restaurant clean and keep your business health code compliant.
How to Prepare for Power Washing
When you hire a crew to pressure wash your restaurant, the technicians will prepare the interior of your building and your equipment before the cleaning begins.
Each appliance will be covered with quarter-inch heat boards to protect the cooking equipment from the high-pressure water. The appliances will also be covered with plastic to provide extra protection. The crew will shut off the power to your vent hoods, hood lights, and exhaust fans before removing all the grease filters, trays, and cups. If there are any electrical wires, outlets, or boxes nearby, these areas will be covered with tape. The exhaust system will be enclosed in a watertight film and draped in plastic to channel the water into a wastewater container.
The roof exhaust fan will be disassembled, with the crew being very careful with the electrical wiring. To aid in the cleaning of the exhaust fan, duct, and vent hoods, many teams will apply a degreasing chemical to each component before pressure washing begins.
Regular Pressure Washing Ensures Health Code Compliance
A professional pressure washing team can accommodate your schedule so that the cleanup-job offers minimal disruption to your business. With recurring pressure washing, your restaurant can remain sanitized while getting the professional maintenance your business needs.
A professional pressure washing service also knows what your restaurant needs to comply with all health and safety regulations. With commercial-grade equipment and powerful solutions that are safe to use around food, a pressure washing service can help you maintain a sanitary and health compliant business.
Qualities to Look for in a Commercial Power Washing Service
When it comes to cleaning your restaurant, you only want the best in your area. This means the service must demonstrate the following qualities.
Commercial-Grade Equipment:
When interviewing restaurant power washing services near you, find out what kind of equipment they use. Are the components gas or electric-powered, and how well do they cut through grease and grime? A professional service near you will have the very best equipment money can buy.
Quality Service:
The cleaning crew you hire should have excellent reviews from other business owners. Read through the reviews and look for phrases describing the quality of the cleaning job and the cleanliness of the restaurant after the power washing is done. An inexperienced crew might be able to cut through grease, but they might also leave water everywhere for you to clean up. A professional service will get everything clean and leave you with a spotless and dry interior and exterior.
Professionalism:
Start grading the power washers near you from the very first encounter, even if that meeting occurs over the phone. Are you treated with respect? Are all of your questions answered promptly and thoroughly? Professional power washers prioritize customer service. From the very first phone call to the time when the technicians show up to perform a quality job, you should feel confident at all times that you have found the right power washing service for your budget and needs.
Honest Quotes:
When it comes to giving you an estimate for professional power washing, ensure that your quote includes all the fees you can expect. You don’t want hidden fees or other surprises when it comes time to pay the bill. Make sure there is transparency at all times, whether you are discussing the work to be done or the amount you have to pay. A professional power washing service holds honesty as a primary tenet, giving you the ultimate peace of mind.
Power Washing on Your Schedule:
The act of power washing your restaurant doesn’t have to disrupt your normal operations. The power washing company you select should be able to work during times when customers are scarce, allowing for the proper cleaning before you open or after you close. A professional service should also be able to schedule consistent cleaning, such as monthly or bi-yearly, to keep your restaurant looking attractive for customers all the year through.
Schedule Power Washing for Your Restaurant Today
How clean is your restaurant, really? If your exterior shows caked-on dirt and your kitchen equipment is getting a little greasy, a power washing is just what your business needs. With a full-power washing of your parking lot, patio, entranceway, kitchen, vent hoods, and ventilation ducts, you’ll have no trouble maintaining a positive reputation your customers are sure to love. Schedule a free estimate by calling APS-Hoods, now serving restaurant owners like you in Denver, Colorado. For power washing that’s always done right, APS-Hoods has you covered.
Restaurant Equipment – Denver, CO: Commercial kitchen restaurants should be cleaned and inspected regularly, which includes appliances. For best results, a schedule should be devised so that all stoves, fridges, deep fryers, ovens, and ventilation hoods are assessed for defects and damages. Those appliances should also be put on a regular cleaning schedule. This keeps your commercial kitchen operating as it should, no matter how busy you get. All it takes is for one component to shutting down or malfunction and you could have a big and expensive mess on your hands. Restaurants that have a plan in place for repairs, for example, tend to spend half as much as other restaurant owners who don’t plan ahead. To help you save, we’ve devised a list of ten things to think about when determining how often to maintain and clean your commercial kitchen appliances.
1- Make Cleaning a Priority
If your commercial kitchen isn’t cleaned adequately, your staff could get sick, customers could fall ill, and pests could pose as unwanted guests. While your staff may do most of your cleaning, especially during their night closing duties, it is very easy to forget about cleaning a deep fryer or meat slicer. For this, we recommend hiring a professional commercial kitchen company like APS-Hoods, which can ensure every appliance is adequately cleaned for bacteria and virus removal. And so that you can remain in the health inspector’s good graces.
Monthly cleaning would ensure that your kitchen appliances always remain sanitized for when the health inspector rolls through. Even quarterly deep cleaning services can keep grease from building up and appliances from getting too overloaded to work efficiently. At most, you should schedule a professional appliance cleaning service to come once yearly, as doing so will keep your restaurant and all your appliances in tip-top shape.
3- Hire a Cleaning Staff to Assess Appliance Damage & Defects
If you manage to hire a commercial kitchen appliance cleaning company, have that same company check your equipment for any and all problems. A wire that appears frayed on a vent hood fan, for instance, could cause acrid smoke to fill your restaurant, which can, in turn, taint your food and put your customers off. By having your cleaning crew also provide regular inspections, you can keep your appliance maintenance ongoing while saving money on costly repairs.
4- Wipe Down Your Appliances Nightly
All of your kitchen equipment should be wiped down inside and outside. Make sure you use a powerful degreaser that cuts down on any films left behind. Any amount of grease can cause a fire, so pay special attention to your ventilation hoods and other components that tend to collect grease over time. Make sure you get up any moisture around the sinks and faucets by using a soft, dry rag, as that will prevent rust from collecting on your kitchen appliances. While you’re at it, unassembled your beverage machine faucets and soak them to prevent buildup. Finally, make sure you get up any grease from off the floor. While this isn’t technically appliance cleanup, it can also help prevent deadly fires.
5- Check All Equipment Monthly
Every month, you and your staff should check the refrigerators and freezers for cold air leaks, as well as cracks or punctures. You will also want to check your refrigerators, as well as your ovens, for any cracks or leaks. Check the hinges on your cooler and freezer doors, as well as your ovens, and test the suction on your ventilation hoods to ensure they are pulling the right amount of bad air out of your kitchen. While you’re at it, ensure you clean all the fan blades, including your make-up air fans, vent fans, and any others your restaurant employs. A commercial kitchen can use tons of fans, and each one should be cleaned and inspected at least monthly to ensure all components are working as they should.
6- Outsource Your Restaurant Equipment Maintenance & Repairs
At least once a quarter, we recommend hiring a company like APS-Hoods to come to your restaurant and inspect your vent hoods, ovens, refrigerators, and all other commercial kitchen equipment. This inspection will check your components for wear, which can be an indication that they may need to be replaced. Regular maintenance of your equipment will extend its life, but sometimes replacements do become necessary. A professional commercial kitchen cleaning and repair service like APS-Hoods can ensure you are always notified when equipment is faulty and needs to be switched out with the latest brand.
7- Schedule Service & Repair at Least Every Two Years
If you don’t opt for monthly or quarterly commercial kitchen equipment cleaning and maintenance, consider having a service arrive on your property at least every two years. This check can be as thorough as you prefer, including inspecting all your HVAC systems and ducting to ensure it’s free of grease and debris, as well as taking apart your ice makers and cleaning every internal component. These checks, once again, can save you loads in future replacement costs.
8- Get Replacements Based on Professional Recommendations
For a restaurant that runs optimally, you never want to base your equipment replacements on the look of an appliance or the cost. Instead, get a professional’s opinion based on your kitchen layout, your normal levels of business, and other important factors.
9- Replace Your Ventilation System Exhaust Belt Each Year
So that your commercial kitchen is always clean and fresh smelling, ensure you change out the exhaust belts of your ventilation system every year. This is a minor investment that can save you loads in the future.
10- Call APS-Hoods for Regular Equipment Maintenance & Repairs
If you operate a commercial kitchen, you may not know where to turn for monthly, quarterly, or annual cleaning and maintenance of all your appliances. Aps-Hoods is the qualified leader in commercial kitchen cleaning and repairs, and we serve both Denver, Colorado, for your convenience. Call now to schedule a free consultation.
A commercial kitchen needs powerful equipment to vent smoke, heat, grease, and food particles away from food and personnel so that they are out of harm’s way. Too much smoke can make the air unbreathable and can lead to poor food quality. Your customers also won’t want to stick around if there is too much soot in the air. Likewise, too much grease and oil can lead to a breakout of fire. This makes a ventilation hood a wise investment for commercial kitchen owners.
Not only is a commercial hood system necessary for safety and health, but you need the proper ventilation equipment to comply with National Fire Protection Association Standard #96, otherwise known as NFPA #96). That’s because commercial vent hood systems are one of your first lines of defense against deadly fire.
Here is all you have to know about how commercial hood systems work so you can remain up-to-code and protected from fire and poor air quality.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
The primary use of a commercial kitchen vent hood is to remove the foul air and replace it with good, breathable air. The hood itself is located above the cooking appliance. As the appliance does its thing cooking the food, powerful fans will waft all that smoke and debris up through the hood and into the shaft. That is where the magic happens.
From Hood to Fan and Back Again
Every commercial hood system has a powerful exhaust fan that helps to remove the bad air and effluent, which is a fancy word for smoke, grease, heat, and cooking by-products.
The type of fan you have will depend on the appliance you are using, the type of food you cook, and the position of your cooking appliance. Most hoods are positioned overhead, but they can also be wall-mounted. Ask your ventilation system installation team for details on the type of hood system that is ideal for your commercial kitchen layout.
When the exhaust fan removes the air away from the building, a return air fan will be used to supply make-up air. This is the air that replaces all the cooking effluent so that the air stays breathable, balanced, and safe for customers and staff alike.
As you can imagine, the fans you use have to be powerful enough to remove and replace the air at the proper volumes. Not only that, but your commercial hood system, fans, and ducts help your HVAC system work more easily. After all, can you imagine how much power would be required to force your heating and air conditioning system to fight against grease and smoke to keep your restaurant cool or warm?
All these fans and ducts and your commercial vent hood must work together to keep grease and harmful vapors at bay. As you can imagine, these systems can become soiled and overloaded with grease over time. Most hoods contain grease traps on either side of the hood, and these filters must be cleaned regularly.
You must also ensure that your commercial hood and the vents connected to your hoods and fans are cleaned regularly. Not cleaning your commercial vent hood components can lead to buildup and, eventually, malfunction.
Do you leave the cleaning up to your commercial kitchen staff and possibly your wait staff, as well? You can and many restaurant owners do. However, it is recommended that you combine your staff’s cleaning with professional commercial hood cleaning services. Only then can you be assured that the proper degreasing solutions and equipment will be used to keep your equipment clean and working as it should for years to come.
The Necessity of Commercial Hood Cleaning
You will know that your commercial vent hood system is backed up or not functioning normally when you see more smoke in the air than normal. You may smell foul odors from outside the building, and your HVAC system may seem to be on the fritz.
If you are keeping your restaurant’s grease trap clean, that can help against backups. But make sure you are also keeping your vent hood traps clean. Clean all fan components and use a powerful degreaser on the equipment and in all the interconnecting ducts.
If the front door of your vent hood opens easily without a suction feeling, that is an indication that your commercial hood system is clogged with grease or other debris. Or that your fans aren’t working properly. Either way, it may be time to contact a commercial kitchen vent hood service, who can repair your components and provide you with a full cleaning job, whichever you prefer.
Benefits of Professional Vent Hood Cleaning
Not only will cleaning your commercial hood system keep your kitchen safe and air breathable-clean, but you will save money. An efficient vent hood system uses less energy than one that is clogged and forced to work overtime.
Therefore, to save time, money, and future frustration, contact APS-Hoods, now serving commercial kitchen owners throughout Denver, Colorado. Using the proper equipment and years of experience, we can keep your vent hood system working optimally and cleaned professionally.
Your customers will thank you and you will remain health code and fire code compliant. When your air is pure, the food is untainted and tastes terrific, and you are able to show code inspectors that you have been keeping up with all the necessary ventilation protocols, you’ll be doing yourself a great service for your restaurant’s success.
Are you ready to keep your kitchen safe and the health inspector at bay? Contact us today to receive a free quote in Denver.
Restaurant Cleaning Services: Most commercial kitchens resemble a shimmering chrome wonderland on opening day. All that equipment like your vent hoods gleaming in the fluorescent lighting invoke mouth-watering images of all the delicious meals set to be prepared for years to come.
However, it only takes a single busy shift for all your commercial kitchen equipment to become covered in grease, grime, soot, and debris. In some cases, scrubbing your kitchen equipment, and especially your ventilation hoods might seem like a useless act. The chrome will only get tarnished with every new lunch or dinner rush.
You might want to make the appearance of your commercial kitchen a priority, however, and particularly with regard to keeping a pristine exhaust hood finish. The finish of your vent hood matters, and not only for cleanliness.
Here are ten reasons why the finish of your vent hoods is of the utmost importance, and how to keep your commercial kitchen spotless and constantly performing for your loyal customers.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
As a rule, you should strive to keep your exhaust hood finish and all associated equipment looking as clean as the day it was initially installed. The alternative is to allow your equipment to become caked with grease and other flammable materials, which could cause dangerous and expensive problems later.
There are two rules: First, after each shift, train your employees to protect their hoods, stoves, and other appliances from any contamination. This may require some elbow fat, but your equipment will be more durable and therefore perform better. The second rule is to use restaurant cleaning services periodically, which can improve the performance of your equipment, such as the opening day.
2. The Proper Chemicals & Cleaning Equipment
Ensure your staff is using the proper grease-cutting equipment that is safe to use on your equipment. Harsh chemicals and even abrasive equipment could cause scratches in your exhaust hood finish. While that sounds like more of an aesthetic issue, marring the finish can strip your hoods of any protective layers they were issued during the fabrication process. Speak to your vent hood manufacturers to determine which cleaners and equipment you should be using to keep your commercial kitchen clean.
3. Keep Your Exhaust Hoods Grease-Free
The finish on your commercial exhaust hood may look great, but looks can be deceiving. Ensure your staff consistently checks the grease filters and trap to keep your restaurant protected from back-ups and deadly fire. While keeping your exhaust hood finish gleaming is a priority, always check “under the hood” and keep the grease to a minimum.
4. Check the Drip Tray
While you are checking filters and your grease trap, make sure the drip tray isn’t overflowing. That drip, drip, drip could end up on the floor and in the unlikeliest of nooks and crannies. Errant grease can cause slips, falls, and fires. This is another vent hood cleaning component you must be mindful of when keeping your chrome equipment always looking its best.
5. Check the Exhaust Fans
Commercial kitchens need clean air in addition to grease and soot removal. Exhaust fans carry out both and need to work optimally in order to keep your staff safe and all prepared meals tasting delicious. While you are keeping the exhaust hood finish so clean you can see yourself in it, ensure your fans are working properly. Test the fans and call in a kitchen fan maintenance crew at the first sign of slow down, strange noises, or other issues. These are all indicators that your fans are not working properly, much to the detriment of your air quality.
6. Pressure Wash Vent Hood Exteriors
Your employees do not have to clean the air conditioning hoods to reduce grease. High-pressure hoses can be used to wash all food, oils, and fats (FOG) so that your system is thoroughly clean and suitable for inspectors. Many Restaurant Cleaning Services offer vent hood pressure washing services because nothing is more effective in contaminating your equipment.
7. Your Exhaust Hood Finish Matters to Inspectors
Speaking of inspectors, both the fire and health department professionals will be very interested in just how clean your exhaust hood finish happens to be. Of course, inspectors will also check the grease traps, ducts, and the cleanliness of your grease filters. This should serve as another reminder to keep your hood finish clean along with all components attached and underneath.
8. Test the Lighting & Wiring
Commercial vent hood cleaning should always involve a check of the associated electrical components. We mentioned checking your exhaust fans, but what about the wiring that keeps those fans operational? What about the lighting? Lighting that is out or bad lighting can also contribute to staff members missing grease or debris in out-of-reach places. Inspect the lights and wires while keeping your exhaust hood finish spotless to ensure optimal function, even during the busiest of times.
9. When the Finish Goes, Consider Replacement
In some cases, no matter how hard you scrub your ventilation hoods, nothing will get them clean. When that happens, it might be a good sign that you are due to a complete commercial ventilation hood replacement. Venting out the bad air is critical, as is keeping your kitchen free of grease and other flammable materials. A vent hood installation service can give your kitchen equipment the immense gleam you remember from opening day.
10. Maintaining Your Fire Protection System
Fire will tarnish your exhaust hood finish more than anything else. That is why you should always test your fire suppression equipment while you are engaged in kitchen exhaust cleaning. Whether you have an Ansul fire protection system, wet or chemical fire suppression equipment, you want to ensure that the slightest spark will be extinguished. With your fire suppression in good working order, you will keep your staff and customers safe and your business under constant protection.
How is the work done on your exhaust hood? You can trust Aps-Hoods for restaurant cleaning services, where you will always receive exhaust hood cleaning, installation, and fan hood services that you can trust throughout Denver, Colorado. Call to get a free offer.
Hood Exhaust Cleaning – Denver: Every restaurant owner strives to maintain a clean restaurant, but this task becomes even more difficult the busier your eatery gets. Keeping your HVAC system clean is a significant aspect of restaurant cleanliness, and this holds especially true for your commercial kitchen exhaust hood system.
Having proper ventilation in your restaurant’s kitchen is critical for employee and customer health, but also food sanitation. When grease, soot, and debris are ventilated safely from the kitchen and out of harm’s way, the results are myriad: Lower utility bills, increased employee productivity, and even calmer employees and customers. Food quality will also be improved, leading to a restaurant that is always highly reviewed and visited.
The Dangers Posed by a Dirty Vent Hood System
A poorly ventilated kitchen, on the other hand, poses numerous risks to personnel and customer health, and it can hinder foot traffic. After all, who wants to spend time in a restaurant where the air is arid, unhealthy, and stinky? Few, if anyone, will want to spend time in a bistro, café, or another type of restaurant with that type of air quality. Let your HVAC and vent hood exhaust system go uncleaned and unmaintained for too long, and your local health inspector might just penalize you or shut-down your restaurant entirely.
How to Clean & Maintain Your Exhaust Hood System to Improve Restaurant Quality
Scrub Your Vent Hoods & Ducts
Your vent hoods and ducts are responsible for whisking away all the impurities produced by the heavy cooking your kitchen is accustomed to engaging in daily. To properly clean the vent hoods and all the ductwork they’re attached to, it helps to disassemble the system as much as you can. This lets you get to the minuscule parts for a thorough and detailed cleaning. Whatever you do, make sure you unplug all equipment before cleaning. This helps you prevent any surprises, such as a dangerous electric shock, during the cleaning process. Once the power source is disconnected, remove the grease receptacles on either side of each hood, as well as the filters. Soak the receptacles and filters in hot water that has been treated with a degreasing agent and leave them to soak while the cleaning process is ongoing. Apply the same degreasing agent to a soft cloth and give the vent hoods themselves a good scrubbing. You may have to spend some time getting the vent hoods and ducts free of all grease and debris. However, this meticulous job is necessary if you want a clean vent hood system that’s free of grease and safe from the outbreak of fire.
Degrease the Exhaust Fans
When we refer to exhaust fans, we’re talking about any fans that are responsible for directing grease and debris away from your kitchen, which includes all fans on the rooftop. The fan blades and motors that power those blades must be treated with the same attention-to-detail that you used on the ventilation hoods. Any grease that’s left behind on the fan blades themselves or within the motor casing can cause a potential shutdown in the future. At the very least, your system can run inefficiently with caked up grease on the blades and motors, leading to more expensive energy costs and the deadly risk of fire. Don’t take the risk. Instead, spend lots of time ensuring the fan blades and motors are spotless before continuing on to the next stage of proper vent hood cleaning and maintenance.
Clean Your Grease Trap
A busy kitchen is never without a full grease trap. For optimal results and to prevent the outbreak of fire, it’s best to clean your grease trap every four to six weeks. If you let your grease trap go too long between cleanings, not only can grease and food particles clog the sewer or septic system, causing an inconvenient and very expensive shut-down, but the grease trap can overflow, leading to sewer backup and a very messy commercial kitchen cleanup job. Proper grease trap cleaning requires the necessary equipment. All personnel should wear a gas mask, coveralls, or at least clothing that covers the skin, and rubber gloves. In order to clean a grease trap, it helps to understand how they work. The baffles inside the trap effectively separate the flow of wastewater from fats, oils, and grease (otherwise referred to as FOG). The FOG rises to the top of the tank, which allows the cleaner water to pass through the trap before it enters the sewer system. Now that you know how the grease trap works, you’re ready to begin cleaning. First, empty the water from the 3-compartment sink or automatic dishwasher and wait for the water inside the grease trap to cool, which usually takes around ten minutes. Next, remove the lid, which in most cases involves a crowbar. In some cases, a wrench will be necessary to remove the bolts in order to open the grease trap so that the inside can be emptied and cleaned. Using a scraper, begin removing the grease sludge from the top of the tank. This layer can grow to be up to two inches thick in some cases. Once all the sludge has been removed, the remaining contents of the grease trap must be bailed out. A shop-vac can be used to clean out the remaining sludge in the bottom of the trap, then do your best to clean all grease and debris from the pipes within the trap.
Once cleaned, the lid can be replaced, and normal activity can resume. The sludge will need to be thrown away properly. In some cases, this requires a double garbage bag and kitty litter to solidify the material before disposal.
Perform a Deep Fat Fryer Inspection
If your restaurant uses a deep fat fryer, a thorough inspection should be made to ensure your unit is performing optimally. As a general rule, you should inspect and deep clean your fryer every three to six months. The cleaning of a deep fryer is referred to as a “Boil out,” which is the term for emptying out and replacing the old oil with fresh, new oil.
To begin, drain the deep fryer and discard all the oil, grease, and fat into an oil caddy or pre-approved oil discharge container. A fryer cleaning rod can then be used to remove any remaining debris from the drain line. Before refilling the fryer, rinse the fryer with hot water to remove the excess undrained oil and fat.
Fill the fryer with cool water to ¾” from the top. Next, add a deep fryer cleaning agent, which will work to scrub the rest of the fat away. Boil the solution for twenty minutes, then drain the fryer slowly. Once the water has completely drained, use a long-handled brush to clean the sides, top, and each of the heating elements. Rinse the fryer thoroughly to remove any oil residue, then add your new oil. While you’re at it, add fry powder or oil stabilizer to the fresh oil, which will help the solution last longer between cleanings.
Clean the Floors, Walls & Ceiling
FOG can also land on the floor, where it can hide in all the nooks and crannies. It can splatter on the walls and even get onto the ceiling tiles. Most restaurants have specific cleaning protocols for staff to follow at night. The same establishments may have cleaning crews that come and do a regular and more thorough job. Still, it pays to be vigilant to keep your restaurant and personnel safe, as well as to keep the health and fire inspectors at bay. It is important to instruct staff and your cleaning crews to use a degreasing agent on the floors, walls & ceiling, along with their usual cleaning solutions. Any emulsified grease that results from this cleaning should be squeegeed down the drain. A professional commercial kitchen cleaning team may repeat this process five to seven times, depending on how much grease is produced by the degreasing process.
Maintain Your Equipment to Keep Your Restaurant Clean & Safe
In addition to making sure your kitchen is debris and grease-free, it helps to check and maintain your commercial kitchen equipment. Inspecting your exhaust hoods, fans, grease trap, and the deep fryer is necessary to prevent malfunctions and downright shutdowns. If parts or entire appliances need to be replaced, you’ll want to discover the fact during one of these checks and not during a lunch or dinner rush. You have been forewarned. When it comes to the installation, maintenance, and cleaning of your exhaust hoods and all associated equipment, you should only trust Aps-Hoods, now serving clients throughout Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, and Centennial. Contact us now for a free estimate and keep your restaurant clean, safe, and busy all year round.
Some business owners avoid searching for professional hood cleaning services because they feel their staff can perform the task better. However, if you truly want to protect your restaurant, and your time and financial investments, you owe it to yourself to hire professionals who can deliver the training, experience, and proper tools to do a thorough and inspection-passing job. There are quite a few reasons why you would be better off searching for restaurant hood cleaning services rather than let your staff perform all the cleaning for you.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
The Importance of Restaurant Hood Cleaning Services
Greater Health Standards:Professional hood cleaners know that you face fire and health inspections and that you’ll be fined heavily if your restaurant isn’t kept up to code. With spotless ventilation hoods, your restaurant will be seen by inspectors and customers alike as having one of the cleanest restaurants in town.
Diminished Risk of Fire:
Ventilation hoods can quickly accumulate oil, grease, and other contaminants. That sludge coating may look harmless, but all it takes is a spark to put your restaurant, staff, and customers in grave danger. Professional vent hood cleaning services are designed to keep your vent hoods free of all fire-causing substances, protecting your business and everyone inside.
Better Air Quality:
The job of your ventilation hood system is to scrub the air of impurities and to provide your staff and customers with clean, breathable air that all good restaurants are known for. When all that oil, grease, soot, and other contaminants are left to accumulate, those particles can get trapped in your HVAC and make-up air systems, filling your restaurant with foul odors and harmful air. Professional vent hood cleaners will ensure your air is always clean and pleasant to breathe for staff and customers alike.
Remain Fire & Health Code Compliant:
Every restaurant faces regular fire and health code inspections. A single violation could cause your business to face heavy fines or even a shut-down until any issues are corrected. Filthy vent hoods are one of those aspects of restaurant safety inspections that can send up major red flags. Dirty air and fire are certainly major risks of an unclean vent hood, but there is also a potential risk of dirty particles getting into your customers’ food. Professional vent hood cleaning services are in the business of making sure you pass all NFPA and health code standard inspections.
More Energy Savings:
Cleaner vent hoods don’t have to work as hard to replace the air in your commercial kitchen environment. This means that your HVAC system and make-up air systems will have an easier time maintaining a healthy environment for staff and customers. When you hire professionals to clean your vent hoods, you’ll begin to notice a decrease in your monthly energy bills. Find the right service, and before long your vent hood cleaning services may just pay for themselves.
A Cleaner Working & Dining Environment:
Every commercial kitchen is going to get some grease and grime on their vent hoods. By remaining vigilant with regular cleaning, however, you can ensure that your staff and customers both have an environment they’ll love to spend time in. To put it simply, hiring professional vent hood cleaning services is simply good for the restaurant business.
The Qualities All Good Vent Hood Cleaning Services Possess
You have a lot of choices when it comes to finding the ideal cleaning services to keep your vent hoods in tip-top and spotless condition.
1. Experienced Technicians
Vent hood cleaning is not for amateurs, which is another reason why you should never let your staff tackle the job. Technicians who work on ventilation hoods know how to clean the hoods of top brands on the market. Using specialized tools and techniques they’ve honed for years, professionals are able to dig down into the tiniest nooks and crannies where grease, oil, and debris like to hide. Furthermore, professional vent hood cleaning services typically employ technicians who can maintain and repair your equipment. While cleaning a vent hood, a technician may notice that a fan has a defective part, for instance. If that’s the case, the technician should be able to identify the problem and troubleshoot the issue to restore the fan to optimal conditions. Many companies not only provide cleaning services but also vent hood and component repairs. These companies work with top brands and can furnish you with any type of part for quick service done right. You could say that these are all-in-one vent hood services, which is what you want when the protection of your business and the success of your restaurant are always firmly on your mind.
2. Known for Keeping Clients NFPA Compliant
When searching for a company for your needs, ask about other restaurants they’ve helped, and make sure those businesses remained compliant with the National Fire Protection Agency. Only restaurants that remain code compliant are able to avoid fees and shut-downs that can cost you big. With referrals from other restaurants around the area, you can ensure that your restaurant will remain compliant long into the future.
3. Works Around Your Schedule
Your ventilation hoods can’t be cleaned during your peak hours when your equipment is heated up and flames are active. Instead, a professional service works around your schedule, ensuring that your business operations are never interrupted as your vent hoods are cleaned. A professional vent hood cleaning service will operate when your kitchen is either shut down for the night or during slow periods if you happen to operate 24/7. This ensures your commercial kitchen remains clean and safe, no matter what hours of operation you keep. For the best results, you are encouraged to ask about monthly cleaning services. This keeps your restaurant as clean as possible, even during the busy seasons. The company of your choice should be able to show up and clean without delaying your normal operations or disturbing your staff and customers. Instead, the best vent hood cleaning services will work in the background, doing a thorough job until your entire commercial kitchen cleaned and maintained just as it should be.
4. Possesses the Necessary Accreditation
A company worthy of your money will have no problem showing you the proper accreditation certificates that prove the organization is authorized to clean vent hoods in your area. You have put too much time and money into your business to trust your vent hoods to anyone who can’t hold or refuses to possess the proper credentials. Ask for accreditation and get proof before hiring the vent hood cleaning services for your needs.
5. Provides Photo Documentation
Not every cleaning service offers photo proof that your vent hoods have been cleaned, but this is a good perk to ask about when searching for a nearby company. The companies that do offer photo proof use this method as a way of going above and beyond, and there are many benefits to having before and after photographs in hand. For one, you get to see just how much grime and gunk were removed from your vent hoods, ducts, and fans. Furthermore, you can show the fire and health inspectors the photographs to prove that proper kitchen cleaning is a priority to your business. For those reasons, it may pay to ask the vent hood cleaners you’re interested in if they offer photo proof, as photographic evidence can help you remain confident that your restaurant kitchen is always as clean as it could be.
6. Offers Preventative Maintenance
A good company will know how to check for faulty fan components, frayed wires, and appliances that aren’t working as well as they should. By hiring a vent hood cleaning service that employs experienced technicians, you can ensure that you’re always getting the most out of your vent hoods and all associated components while they’re being cleaned.
7. Performs a Thorough Job
Professional vent hood cleaners have their reputation on the line when it comes to doing a thorough job. If only one restaurant owner complains about a service online or off, that could damage the company’s ability to drum up a new business. For that reason, search online reviews and ask other businesses in the area to see which vent hood cleaning services are the best nearby. When you find a company with an observable penchant for helping customers like you, you can remain confident that your vent hoods will be cleaned with precision and that your business investment will always be well protected.
8. Charges Affordable Fees
You should be able to have your vent hoods thoroughly cleaned without breaking the bank. Companies that clean vent hoods and other commercial kitchen equipment charge based on a variety of factors. You may be charged based on the number of vent hoods you have, the intricacy of your HVAC and make-up systems, whether or not you also require vent hood maintenance and repairs, and if you have multiple restaurant locations. A company worthy of your business will work with you to ensure you get a fair deal for all hood cleaning services and maintenance, repairs, and whatever other tasks you require.
9. Has the Proper Hood Cleaning Equipment
Vent hood cleaning services require heavy-duty tools and powerful chemical solutions in order to cut through all that grease and grime. Examples of equipment that professional hood cleaners might employ include power washers, chemical degreasing solutions, hand-held scrapers, brushes, and others. These tools and chemicals are specially designed to remove pesky grease, oil, and other contaminants to keep your business protected from fires, foul odors, noxious air, and broken equipment, all of which can bring your business to a standstill. Keep your business always operating at its best by finding vent hood cleaning services that deliver the proper tools to perform any sized job.
10. The Company Guarantees That You’ll Pass Inspection
When searching for a company to clean your vent hoods, ask the representative if the organization guarantees you a passing score for all fire and health inspections. A company that isn’t certain of their ability to have you pass the necessary inspections is not worthy of your business. On the other hand, if the company promises to help you pass, no matter what, an organization like that may be worthy of your contention. Only when you get a guarantee that your restaurant will receive stellar marks the next time the fire and health inspectors come calling will you be able to find the cleaning crew that’s perfect for your needs.
If your restaurant operates in Denver, Colorado, we encourage you to contact APS-Hoods, the local leader in commercial kitchen cleaning services. Our vent hood cleaning services, most specifically, are designed to keep your ventilation, ducts, and fans spotless while protecting your business from a dangerous fire. We only employ the most experienced and well-trained cleaning, maintenance, and repair technicians, which means that we not only do a good job, but we also protect your business investment in several key ways. Our professionals clean with precision, ensuring that all nooks and crannies are free of grease, oil, and other debris. We guarantee that you will pass the necessary fire and health code inspections. When inspectors get a glimpse of our thorough work, they’ll have no choice but to deem your business NFPA and health code compliant. Furthermore, we are able to identify issues and troubleshoot the sources to keep your appliances and vent hood equipment consistently operational and at maximum efficiency. This saves you money in energy costs and keeps the air in your restaurant pure for complete staff and customer satisfaction. We are fully accredited to operate in Denver and bring the necessary tools, training, and experience to finish any sized job. For vent hood cleaning services you can always count on, contact APS-Hoods, your local source in Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Centennial, Colorado for precision hood cleaning done right.
Image Source Like most restaurant owners, you probably have an equipment maintenance checklist that includes checking equipment for failure and ensuring appliances are working efficiently for maximum energy savings. However, if you don’t have a proper cleaning checklist, you should get one fast. Cleaning a commercial kitchen involves a ton of elbow grease and the knowledge to know which areas to clean for proper food and environmental safety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cite commercial kitchens as the source for more than 50% of all foodborne outbreaks. This means that thoroughly cleaning your commercial kitchen can actually help to spread airborne illness. Proper cleaning of a commercial kitchen must involve the countertops and other hard surfaces, all the appliances and other equipment, your exhaust hoods and vents, as well as the floors, walls, and ceilings. Before you finish your list, there is a critical component to commercial kitchen cleaning that we failed to mention: Grease traps. If your kitchen’s grease traps aren’t cleaned on a regular basis, you could find yourself with a mess on your hands, not to mention a major fire hazard.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Commercial Grease Trap Cleaning Services needs.
The Importance of Cleaning Your Commercial Grease Traps
A grease trap that is regularly cleaned is vital to the health of your restaurant business. Grease traps that aren’t cleaned thoroughly can produce foul odors, which can offend even the most laid back of restaurant patrons. Dirty grease traps can also cause you to commit expensive state and federal code violations. For those reasons, you will want to ensure that you put into place a regular grease cleaning schedule that will keep your patrons happy and your restaurant profitable.
What is a Grease Trap?
A grease trap is a plumbing device that is designed to intercept grease and other solids before they have a chance to enter the wastewater disposal system. While some wastewater does contain a small amount of oil, grease traps keep large amounts of oil, fat, and grease from clogging the septic tank and sewer lines. Commercial kitchens produce a ton of oil, fat, and grease, sometimes on a daily basis. When these particles enter the grease trap from the commercial kitchen’s outflow, the solid food particles sink to the bottom while the grease, oils, and fat float to the top. The grease-free water is fed into the septic system, leaving the grease trap accumulating more of the gunk all the time. Since these substances can solidify when cooled, the mixture of them can cause blocked drain pipes. A grease trap also manages to keep the septic and sewer lines cool while preventing a dangerous fire from occurring. However, grease traps can only work effectively when they are cleaned regularly. That’s because a buildup of grease is one of the most dangerous problems you can encounter in a commercial kitchen. When you combine the grease buildup with sparks and flames that regularly occur in a high-pressure kitchen, dangerous and deadly fire can result. The good news is that you will likely be reminded to regularly clean your commercial grease traps, as state and local codes, and even some insurance companies, along with the local fire department, will often have schedule requirements for proper grease exhaust cleaning. Learn more about: All You Need to Know About Restaurant Hood Maintenance to Protect Your Investment
How Frequently Does Your Grease Trap Need to be Cleaned?
The schedule you adhere to for proper grease trap cleaning varies, depending on your restaurant type, size, and other factors, such as your hours of operation. Generally speaking, you should plan to have your commercial grease trap cleaned every thirty-days if your establishment uses wood or charcoal grills, char-broilers, and if your doors are open 24/7. Many hamburger restaurants need a schedule like this due to the high rate of table turnover and cooking production. All those burgers produce a ton of grease, which needs to be cleaned out every month. Every sixty-days is the required commercial grease trap schedule for the average restaurant. This includes cafeterias, hotel kitchens, hospital kitchens, and your local family restaurant. Since the grease traps aren’t overflowing on a monthly basis, every two months might be an acceptable schedule for your needs. Check with the local code authorities to determine if this schedule is right for your restaurant or other commercial kitchen business. Many fast food locations have become very efficient with their grease trapping and cleaning, which means that these types of establishments can often get away with ninety-day grease cleaning schedules. A thorough scrubbing every three months should keep the grease traps clean and the cleaning process affordable for restaurant owners. For pizza restaurants, convalescent hospitals, snack bars, and oven hoods, every 120 days or once every four months should suffice for proper grease trap cleaning.
For best results, you should always hire a professional commercial kitchen cleaning service to thoroughly clean your grease traps. Only a reputable company will have the training, tools, and abilities to clean your grease traps so they are always up to code. If your grease traps aren’t cleaned as well as they could be, you could face a load of problems. For one, your insurance company might revoke your insurance. You also face serious liability and litigation from fires that were caused by you not ensuring that your grease traps were properly cleaned. Hefty fines or a personal injury court case could put you out of the commercial kitchen business entirely. The National Fire Protection Association or NFPA states that the majority of restaurant fires start when cooking appliances flare into the kitchen exhaust system. When you consider that grease fires burn as hot as 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, a grease fire can spread quickly through neglected exhaust systems that are laden with grease. The fire could then travel to the roof, where more business-killing damage can be done, not to mention the threat of injury and loss of life. Nearly 11,000 commercial kitchens are damaged by fire every year, resulting in over $160 million in damages. Make sure yours is not one of them with proper commercial grease trap cleaning and maintenance. Depending on the company you hire, your grease traps will be cleaned with a variety of high-pressure tools and precision techniques. Each team that is hired to clean your kitchen knows there are pipes and ventilation shafts that can become traps for grease, oil, and debris. These areas need to be cleaned just as thoroughly as your grease trap to prevent future problems. Unless your time schedule was specified by fire and other coding authorities, your grease traps should be professionally cleaned at least every four to six weeks. Failure to clean your grease trap can cause all those solids to enter the wastewater, causing blockages that could then flood your restaurant with foul-smelling sewer water. If that does happen, it will take at least two days to sanitize your commercial kitchen establishment, leading to an expensive and unnecessary shutdown. When the professionals show up to clean your commercial grease trap, the first thing they’ll do is assess the type of grease trap you operate. ( Learn More About Grease Trap Service in APS-HOODS ) There are four essential types of commercial grease trap.
Hydromechanical Grease Interceptor (HGI)
A hydromechanical grease interceptor is a small grease trap that is usually located in cabinet space underneath a sink. This type of grease trap provides passive oil trapping and is the least expensive to install. The drawback to the HGI grease trap is that it requires frequent cleaning, which might end up costing you more in cleaning and maintenance costs in the long run.
Automatic Grease Removal System
This type of grease trap features an automatic mechanism for removing grease from the tank, where it’s kept in a separate container. While these systems can be a good alternative for the HGI, they make it a little harder to prove that your commercial kitchen skims FOG (Fat, Oil, and Grease) regularly.
Gravity Grease Interceptors (GGI)
These grease traps separate water, solid waste, along with fat, oil, and grease using the force of gravity. The tanks are constructed of metal, concrete, or a strong plastic and are designed to collect wastewater while separating FOG. When the FOG is collected, it floats to the surface while the solids sink to the bottom. The wastewater flows into the sewer network or the water treatment plant, and the grease is kept in the trap. If your establishment has a GGI, the grease will need to be pumped out regularly, or at least at the point where solids and grease become 25% of the overall tank’s contents. These grease traps are more expensive to install but require less maintenance than HGIs or their automatic system counterparts.
Maximum Retention HGIs
For restaurants that don’t have space for larger, more conventional grease traps, maximum retention HGIs are becoming increasingly popular. These grease traps are on the smaller side, and yet tend to trap more FOG per volume. Some units manage to trap up to 85% of their liquid capacity. The best part is that these systems require far less maintenance than your standard grease trap systems. Depending on the type of grease trap your establishment uses, here are some common ways a commercial cleaning company will keep your restaurant spotless and safe with proper grease trap cleaning.
Proper Cleaning Protocols for Commercial Grease Traps
The company will begin by removing the grease trap lid, typically with a crowbar or a wrench, as some traps are sealed with bolts. The cleaning professionals will need to ensure that the grease trap is completely cool before working on it. Allowing the liquids inside to reach room temperature will also cause the fats, oils, and grease to float to the top, which makes it easier to scoop out. The cleaning crew will first inspect the baffles, which are the parts of the grease trap that separate the flow of wastewater in the grease trap tank. If yours is an outdoor trap, there will be a PVC pipe fitting known as an outlet T. Without this device, the grease trap wouldn’t be able to do its job properly. The outlet T will ensure that the water leaving the grease trap is coming from the middle of the grease trap and that none of the solids are entering the sewer system. Cleaning a grease trap begins with removing the solid FOG that has floated to the top. This usually consists of a two-inch layer of thick sludge. The cleaners will use a scoop for this job until all the fats, oils, and grease have been lifted out of the tank. Only water and leftover food solids will remain after this part of the job is completed. Now comes time to use the heavy-duty grease trap cleaning tools. A powerful shop vac will be used to remove the residual solids and leftover water. During this process, the cleaning crew will need to ensure that the automatic dishwasher is turned off and that the sinks are not in use. Doing so will prevent the grease trap from filling up while the cleaning process is ongoing. Next, the commercial grease trap cleaners will scrape off the baffles, sides of the grease trap, and the lid. All excess grease will need to be removed before the cleaning crew can call it a job well done. Your grease trap will then be flushed-out with soap and a degreasing solution, in most cases, then clean water. By the time the crew is finished, you will be left with a clean and sparkling commercial grease trap. One of the primary reasons that a professional crew is often selected for grease trap cleaning is because these services have the means to safely remove any FOG collected. These services will typically offer grease trap cleaning in addition to vent hood, fans, ductwork, and HVAC cleaning, making sure your restaurant is free of fire-starting grease and other debris.
Want a Free Quote for Professional Grease Trap Cleaning?
If you want your grease trap to remain clean at regular intervals throughout the year, keeping you code compliant and your restaurant safe, you’ll want to call on the commercial kitchen cleaning professionals. Aps-Hoods proudly serves clients throughout Denver, Aurora, Centennial, Lakewood, Colorado. For safe and reliable commercial kitchen cleaning that will save you time and money, contact our grease trap cleaning professionals for a free quote. (image source)
Image SourceDenver, CO –While commercial kitchens always run hotter than dining areas, in the summertime–restaurant kitchens become can become hazardously hot. Furthermore, restaurant owners find that their energy bills–from cooling, fan use, and unbalanced air, etc.–increase dramatically. This ends up leeching resources from their profits. It also makes summer an ideal time to fine-tune and check your commercial kitchen HVAC system professionally. Here are some common problems that may be plaguing your restaurant in the warmer months:
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
Is your air conditioning bill incredibly high, while your establishment always seems inadequately cool? What may be happening is that your cold, conditioned air is being circulated out of your exhaust hood due to a lack of make-up air. Instead of just doing its job of pulling gasses and hot air from above the stove, the exhaust hood can sometimes suck out the desirable air from inside your building. This often creates a vacuum effect in your entire restaurant, where it becomes difficult to open doors without them slamming you upon closing. The solution to this problem is as simple as installing a makeup-air unit.This kind of unit in your kitchen will generate much needed negative air pressure that will disallow unpleasant smells from flowing out into your general building, while also not letting your air-conditioned air to so easily escaping through the vents.
Grease Filters Making Your Ventilation Ineffective
Spring, and especially summer, tend to be the busiest and most profitable month for any restaurant. People are out and about on the town, looking for new eateries to discover. This brings many more people to your establishment than during the harsher seasons of the year. However, the increased amount of cooking also results in clogged grease traps, which may need to be changed out more often than recommended.Clogged grease filters can cause your kitchen to overheat. Then, your air will become unclean, as a dirty filter cannot function at top capacity. This will cause both the kitchen and dining area to become smoky or otherwise unpleasant in odor. Moreover, your air conditioning bill will rise ever higher, while your exhaust fan will need to work harder to compensate for all these issues. This makes for employee health dangers, customer discomfort/dissatisfaction, and higher bills for you!It is easy for even the most disciplined restaurant crew to forget to monitor their grease filters, but it is necessary to keep tabs on the situation to maintain the optimal function of your HVAC system. It is smart to schedule routine filter changes throughout the Spring and Summer when business really picks up. Learn more about: Grease Management Tips for Restaurant Cleanliness & Fire PreventionFor an air balancing test to determine whether your cold air is being cycled out of your establishment or, for grease filter service, call APS Hoods. We will help your restaurant to remain safe and help you to save money on energy bills.Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
Image Source Tile Ceilings – Denver, CO – If you are in the process of building or renovating your restaurant kitchen, many questions are bound to arise about which materials are best to use. It is not just about aesthetic value either, but about fire safety, cleaning efficiency, and ease of repair. Let our experts at APS Hoods advise you on some basic rules of thumb when it comes to commercial kitchen Tile Ceilings. Different states have various regulations about which materials are permissible for use in commercial kitchens. However, the general requirements revolve around the material being safe for its use in a kitchen environment.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
Easy to clean/smooth: No-textured materials are permitted, as it is hard to clean out dust and grime. Vinyl coated tiles are fantastic, and sealed wood or concrete ceilings are acceptable as well.
Non-absorbent: Since steam will rise to the top of your kitchen, an absorbent and porous material will leave your ceiling susceptible to mold. That will present a health hazard and a costly repair in the future.
Other Considerations for Restaurant Ceilings
Ease of Access to Infrastructure: Since you may need to repair above-ceiling pipes or fix electrical wiring, the wisest choice for a ceiling solution is a drop tile grid, not large panels of wood or Sheetrock, This way, all that has to be done for an HVAC or electrician tech to do their inspections or repairs—is popping the individual tile or group of tiles off. Then they can be replaced when the service is over.
Easy Repair: If a part of the ceiling becomes damaged, say—from a leak or fire damage—having a tiled ceiling is a huge advantage since you only need to replace the section that was damaged.
If you’d like a quote for professionally cleaning your restaurant walls, ceilings, floors, or equipment, call the experts on commercial kitchen cleaning, at APS Hoods. Reach us at 1(855) 236-6114. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
Image SourceDenver, CO – The same exhaust fans that are keeping your commercial kitchen comfortable and protecting the area from overheating may also be creating air imbalance problems throughout your establishment. Because the size, design, door, and window placement of every building varies, the mechanism by which the atmosphere of your restaurant can best be corrected is most accurately established by an HVAC professional. They can provide what is called a Makeup Air service, which essentially replaces the air lost through hood fans with a special unit, which avoids some of the problems which present themselves when air from other areas of the home or building replace that lost air.
Call APS-Hoods for a free estimate on your Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning & Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning needs.
If the exhaust fan was not installed/incorrectly installed, or simply, if the makeup air from the fans is not enough to replace the air exiting from the stove area, negative air pressure can occur. Negative air pressure creates a sort of vacuum in your space, where windows and doors can shut suddenly, dust particles can settle fast onto surfaces or food, and whistle-like noises can also persist when air is let out or into space. These are very undesirable conditions for a dining or cooking area because of hygiene reasons as well as the disruption of ambiance this can create.
Draft-back
With negative air pressure sucking everything back into your space, the gasses that are supposed to be going out from your chimney will actually come back in, creating a health hazard. This can set off carbon monoxide detectors and threaten the safety of your patrons and employees.
Inefficiencies in Hoods
The exhaust hood, unaided by the sufficient amount of make-up air, will–in turn–not be able to process the amount of air it was designed to handle. Over time, you will notice a buildup of grease and grime on your kitchen surfaces. Also, unpleasant cooking and other smells will seep into all the space pockets of your building, including the dining areas, where patrons are trying to enjoy their food!
Image SourceKitchen Power Cleaning – Denver, CO: If you own a commercial kitchen for any length of time, chances are– you have probably rented a power washer or have contracted commercial power cleaning professionals. The truth is, this service is almost mandatory, as it not only cosmetically improves the look of your restaurant but also protects your facility from fire and bacteria growth.
What does commercial kitchen power washing involve?
Commercial power cleaning involves a powerful machine that appears similar to a large lawnmower with a hose and several tanks. The tanks are filled with steaming hot water and commercial grade cleaning concentrate. This piece of equipment is then taken inside your kitchen to help wash your tiles, walls, floors, hood and anything that has built up a greasy film. The high pressure (4000 psi) combined with extra heavy-duty degreasers cuts through the worst messes. Then, outside your facility, we spray down the areas around your garbage, where stains and spills often cause bacteria growth and foul odors. Our enzymatic solution will eat through these stains, restoring your exterior to a pleasant state that will never embarrass you in front of inspectors or new staff. Even your roof, where grease collected through the vents will benefit from a good power washing.
Why hire professionals for power washing your restaurant kitchen
Many local companies in each city rent smaller power washers for use in foodservice businesses. However, not many of them can compare to a larger, commercial machine owned by dedicated power washing companies. Here are the benefits to hiring the pros for your next commercial kitchen power washing job:
Stronger pressure in commercial grade machines.
No wasted time on a steep learning curve. Proper and effective use of power washers requires your staff to learn special techniques. Cleaning and washing these devices before returning back to the shop is also a job in itself.
The detergents available on the general market do not compare in strength to what is sold to professional contractors. Even if you do get your hands on a powerful solution, you must take care that it doesn’t get into the public water and get you in trouble with the city.
Not all publicity available washers have the steaming hot water feature necessary to really break down grease, while all professional machines do.
Grease disposal: a professional crew can properly discard any oil harvested from your hood and grease filter with no headache for you.
If you are ready to speak with a representative about restaurant power washing in any of our locations, please call 1(800)842-1583. We provide power washing, hood/vent/duct cleaning, commercial kitchen cleaning, fan servicing and much more in, Denver. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
Image SourceDenver-CO | Busy Commercial Kitchens- The cost of food, equipment, and overhead is enough to cripple many food establishments unless precautions are taken. Restaurant managers should prioritize the lowering of energy costs if the business hopes to remain solvent long into the future. Here are the steps to follow when you want to minimize your energy bills to maximize the success of your commercial kitchen.
Operational Changes:
Keep track of business day-to-day and look for any lulls where you can turn off equipment, such as keeping one oven operational as opposed to all three, for example. The smallest actions can lead to major savings when it comes time to receive the energy bill.
Low-Cost Retrofits:
Vent hood professionals can examine your ventilation system to determine if any parts can be retrofitted for major savings. Going off-brand or refurbished can produce the same efficiency as a brand-new name-brand but get a professional’s opinion before any parts are switched out. This isn’t something you want to “wing,” after all.
HVAC Maintenance:
Your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system accounts for nearly 30% of your overall energy expenses. For that reason, you will want to ensure that all of your system’s components are operating as they should. Regular ventilation cleaning and maintenance can keep your energy costs down and the risk of fire at bay.
Short Pre-Heats:
Many kitchen managers feel that it’s better to pre-heat early, but this can lead to exorbitant natural gas expenditures. Steam tables, grills, and broilers shouldn’t need to be pre-heated much or at all, and ovens should only need 15 minutes tops, depending on the appliance make, model, and age.
Newer Equipment:
While the thought of purchasing all new equipment can fill frugal restaurant managers with dread, those appliances will soon pay for themselves. When you consider that most major commercial food equipment is designed to be Energy Star rated, you can save loads by giving those energy-hog components the old heave-ho. The ventilation and commercial kitchen professionals can help you choose the ideal components for the lowest energy fees possible.
Precook Foods:
Potatoes, chicken, for example, can be cooked in a steamer before they are fried. Steamers are more efficient than fryers, and soon you’ll see the difference on your electric bill.
Proper commercial Kitchen Layout:
Believe it or not, the way you arrange your kitchen can lead to more significant energy costs. If your ovens are places directly next to your refrigerators, your fridges may have to work twice as hard. For best results and lower energy fees, place all your cooking equipment under a single vent hood and away from all cooling equipment.
Regular commercial kitchen Maintenance Can Keep Costs Low
Image SourceDenver, CO – Restaurant Kitchen Deep Clean One of the most important, and most overlooked, parts of running a great restaurant is doing a deep clean. While it’s easy to have regular employees do the dishes, wipe the counters, and mop the floors, it’s harder to make time to do the deep cleaning. Deeper cleaning, like cleaning the exhaust hood, ductwork, rooftop exhaust fans, and other appliances, takes a lot more time and effort. This is especially true if you don’t have the proper tools and cleaning products. So what is the cost of professional cleaning and what is the cost of neglecting a deep clean?
The Cost of Professional Cleaning
Time
Yes. The kitchen will have to be shut down for a professional deep clean. The stoves and fryers must be turned off to cool and some other appliances will need to be turned off for proper cleaning and for the safety of everyone. Cleaning the exhaust hood and ductwork takes an average of 2-5 hours. It depends on the number of hoods and air fans and how long the ductwork happens to be, as well as how easily accessible everything is. The good news: APS-Hoods service times are 24/7, so you can pick a time that you are already closed or if you are open 24/7, a time that you get the least amount of business so that you aren’t missing out on many sales.
Cleaning and Servicing Fees
APS-Hoods offers a number of services beyond just exhaust hood, air fan, and duct cleaning. We also offer:
Ceiling Tile, Wall, And Floor Have your ceiling tile, walls, and/or floor pressure washed, disinfected, and de-greased until it resembles its original condition.
The Exterior Keep your restaurant looking inviting and prevent future damage by having dirt and grease build up steam and pressure washed from your parking lot, dumpster area, sidewalks, roof, and building exterior.
The cost is going to depend on which services you choose and the size of your restaurant. For a free quote from APS-Hoods, click here.
The cost of neglecting the deep cleaning of the restaurant kitchen
Fire Hazard
If you have exhaust hoods and fans in your kitchen that have dust or grease build up, that is a severe fire hazard. You may be able to reach some of the gunk yourself. However, there is even more up in the ductwork or in the fans on the roof that is hard to get to and easy to forget about, since you can’t see it. But just because you can’t see grease and dust, doesn’t mean that it isn’t a danger. This report by the National Fire Protection Association lists “Failure to Clean” as the top cause of fires in eating and drinking establishments. That means that the leading cause, 22%, of fires in restaurants was avoidable. Lower Inspection Grades and Higher Inspection Fees Inspectors are trained to find the violations that most people wouldn’t think about. They are there to make sure that buildings are safe and not a health hazard. A simple oversight can cost hundreds of dollars in fees as well as a lower grade, which might turn off some customers.
Customer Perception
No one likes to be in a dirty place, but especially when they are eating. A customer perception and word of mouth are vital to a business’s reputation and profitability. If a customer sees that a place doesn’t look clean, they will not want to eat there and are likely to warn the people they know as well.
Employee Satisfaction
Just like no one wants to eat somewhere that doesn’t look clean, no one wants to work in a dirty kitchen either. If it gets bad enough, they might seek employment elsewhere. You will then have to replace them and spend the time and money training someone else. Not only that, but you want to have a safe environment for your employees. A satisfied employee is a more productive employee.
The Bottom Line
So is it worth it to spend the money and hours of downtime for professional cleaners? Doing it yourself will cost employee hours and stress. Plus, the end result is likely to not be enough. Your employees likely don’t have the experience or the tools to get the job done properly, much less the time. And is it worth the risk of customer perception, inspection fees, and fire hazards? On the other hand, having professionals come in and do a deep, thorough cleaning will eliminate any of the downsides of not having it done well. Furthermore, cleaning will take less time because professionals are trained for this specifically and they have the proper tools to get the job done well. Plus, APS-Hoods guarantees your satisfaction. It will likely save you money in the long run and will give you peace of mind. For more information about cleaning services and Restaurant Kitchen Deep Clean, contact APS-Hoods for a free estimate at (800) 750-7313 in Denver Colorado, and elsewhere around the country.Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
SourceDenver, CO – Vent Hood Cleaning Services Most restaurant owners understand the importance of engaging in a regular commercial kitchen cleaning schedule. Keeping cooktops and food preparation areas spotless is crucial for hygiene reasons, but it’s equally as important to ensure that kitchen hood fans and filters remain just as clean. Here’s why. Grease and dust can build up in range hood fans and filters quickly, posing a potential fire hazard. Grease is highly combustible, so the risk of it catching alight and sparking a kitchen fire are increased if the residue build-up isn’t removed regularly. The kitchen’s hood and ventilation system provide a layer of protection in eliminating air contaminants and odors caused by cooking. So it’s essential the filters and fans are not just cleaned and maintained regularly so they operate effectively; they also need to be cleaned properly, ideally by a professional hood services company, to minimize health and safety risks. However, even with regular maintenance, there are times when a hood fan or filter will need to be replaced completely. Some signs to look for that could indicate a hood fan or filter may need to be replaced include:
You notice damage on the filter during a routine cleaning
The vent fan no longer draws smoke or cooking smells out of the kitchen as effectively
The exhaust fan makes unusual sounds or stops turning completely
The risk of an exhaust fan failing during operating hours could be devastating to any commercial kitchen operation. The risk of fire is dramatically increased, but there is also the problem of filling the kitchen and dining area with smoke. The specialists at APS-Hoods recommend creating a scheduled routine for cleaning, maintaining and replacing hood filters in every commercial kitchen. The actual length of time between each deep clean, service and replacement will vary, depending on the condition of the individual range hood. A ventilation hood over a busy restaurant kitchen may have filters that need to be replaced every six to eight months. However, that timeframe may shorten if the range hood, duct work and fan are not cleaned and maintained regularly. The majority of commercial kitchen owners simply don’t have the available staff or resources to undertake such a detailed task. In fact, most eateries need their staff to focus on what they do best – cooking great meals and serving satisfied customers. The easiest and most effective way to ensure that any kitchen’s hood, exhaust and ventilation system is operating at its best is to book a complete hood service and duct cleaning. Appointing a professional company to take care of the cleaning allows you to keep your staff focused on their jobs. You also have the peace of mind that the job is done properly and any faulty or damaged parts can be repaired or replaced quickly. To learn more about cleaning the filters in a commercial kitchen, contact Aps-Hoods for a free estimate by calling (800) 750-7313. About Aps-Hoods: Aps-Hoods specializes in services such as complete kitchen cleaning, Vent Hood Cleaning, hood installation, and fire protection services in Denver, Cheyenne, as well as across Colorado, and Wyoming. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
Denver, CO – Fire is always a threat to commercial kitchens. In fact, a single fire outbreak can cost thousands of dollars in damages, not to mention lead to injury and loss of life. As a restaurant manager, owner, or operator, you should know how to fire protection from occurring in your restaurant or foodservice business.
What many do not realize is that fires can be caused by multiple sources, so it is best to be aware of all the bad situations in this area and prevent them, minimizing the risk of fire to your staff and kitchen. Always be safe.
You should always be prepared for a fire breakout. Having a fire-suppression system installed in your kitchen is your first line of defense. There are many systems to choose from, but a professional installer will be able to tell you which system will be best for your kitchen size and level of activity. Remember to have your fire suppression system inspected at least twice yearly to keep response times at optimum levels.
Portable Fire Extinguishers:
You should have a few hand-held fire extinguishers easily accessible from several strategic access points around your kitchen, as well as in the dining area. Be mindful that there are various classes of fire extinguishers, one for each type of fire. ABC fire extinguishers are used for fires involving wood, paper, textiles, and plastic. Class K extinguishers are intended for grease fires only.
Routine Maintenance:
Frequent cleaning and service of your exhaust system and electrical equipment will keep any negative surprises from popping up unexpectedly. Without this, your equipment can become dirty or even malfunction, which happens to be two of the most common reasons for kitchen fires. A certified commercial kitchen cleaning company can help.
Regular Testing of Alarms and Sprinklers:
A professional should inspect your sprinkler and alarm system at least twice yearly to ensure everything is in fine working order. And, just in case, make sure you have backup batteries for your smoke detectors and change them regularly.
Don’t Put Off Repairs:
If a piece of equipment breaks or malfunctions, or there are other changes to your fire protection system, call a professional to fix any issues immediately.
Conduct Regular Fire Safety Checks: Management and the owners should make frequent passes through the kitchen and dining room areas to maintain adequate fire safety. Paper and cardboard should be kept away from heat-making equipment, and flame-retardant material should replace as many cloth items as possible.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) states that grease filters must be constructed of steel or another material approved by the NFPA. To be acceptable, the alternate material must not bend or crush under normal operation and cleaning procedures. The material also cannot be made of mesh. When installing filters, they should be arranged at an angle not less than 45 degrees so that the exhaust air passes through the filter material. The filters you use should be easily accessible and removable for cleaning purposes.
Clean Grease Thoroughly:
Any grease left behind on ducts, walls, or other surfaces is a potential fire hazard. Make sure staff cleans grease from all equipment, walls, floors, and anywhere else that isn’t a designated grease container. Grease traps should also be cleaned regularly to prevent an overflow or potential fire.
Inspect and Clean Your Exhaust System:
An exhaust system that hasn’t been cleaned in some time can lose its efficiency. The clean air you come to expect in your kitchen could become contaminated, creating a greater danger to your staff. A regular cleaning schedule will keep fans and the rest of your HVAC system operating at optimum levels, maintaining a kitchen environment free of debris, smoke, and of course grease.
Preventing Chemical and Electrical Fires
Regular Maintenance of Electrical Equipment:
When checking the electrical equipment around your kitchen, look for frayed cords or wires, as well as cracked or broken switch plates. Some of these may be difficult to spot with an untrained eye, so it pays to have a professional conduct a thorough secondary check. Even if your electrical equipment is working properly, take care that combustible materials are kept away from all power sources.
Store Flammable Liquids Properly:
Flammable liquids should be kept in their proper containers in a well-ventilated space. The space you choose should be far away from stoves or other heat-producing equipment.
Safely Store and Use Chemical Solutions:
Never mix chemicals unless the directions say so, and make sure the directions come from a reputable source. All spills should be cleaned immediately, and a clean-up space should be provided for employees in case of skin exposure.
How Your Staff Can Fires Protection
Have an Emergency Plan:
Train your employees to head for the nearest exits in case a fire does break out. Regular fire drills never hurt, and at least one employee should be designated to call 911 and lead the evacuation protocol.
Teach Employees How to React to Fires:
All staff should be trained to use a fire extinguisher. Teaching employees the PAST acronym
1. Pull the pin
2. Aim at the base of the fire
3. Make a sweeping motion
4. Ten feet from the fire.
will prevent them from panicking when it comes time to fight a fire. All employees should know where the fire extinguishers are located in the kitchen and dining areas, and all emergency exits should be clearly marked for safe evacuation.
No Smoking!
All commercial kitchens produce some sort of smoke, but cigarette smoke is never acceptable. Even if your employees smoke outside, ensure the cigarette butts are disposed of well away from grease or storage areas. These fire protection guidelines can help to protect commercial equipment, staff, and patrons from the risk of fire. To learn more about commercial kitchen fire prevention and the cleaning of all hoods, vents, fans, and exhaust systems, call (800) 750-7313 or email Apps-Hoods today. About Apps-Hoods: For over 20 years, Aps-Hoods has been providing commercial kitchens and foodservice businesses with Fire Protection installation and cleaning. Based in Denver, Colorado, the dependable employees at Aps-Hoods are prepared to service clients across the state, as well as in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Millionairium and Farazandeh are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.
