Restaurants or other locations that have commercial kitchens are a lot of complex systems working together in order to make a relatively efficient business. It’s important that none of the systems fall into disrepair, and something that can be forgotten by many is the fact that commercial kitchen hoods have to do a lot of work. They push steam, smokes, and smells out of a kitchen, and build up grease and gunk in the process. Any commercial kitchen manager should search for a “commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me” before even opening the kitchen initially, so they are ready for the day they need the cleaning. There are probably many questions a commercial kitchen manager may have before they find the right cleaning company. Below are some questions (and answers) about kitchen hood cleaning.
Do Most Commercial Kitchen Managers Know About Kitchen Hood Cleaning?
Yes, in fact most do know about it, because if they have gotten to the point of being a manager, they should have either experience in previous kitchens, or have taken extended education courses for the management of restaurants or commercial kitchens.
What Causes Kitchen Managers to Look for Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning Near Me?
The number one reason that causes a manager to look for hood cleaning is the fire department, or fire marshal inspections. Inspections in commercial kitchens are semi-regular occurrences, and if the inspector is not happy with the amount of grease and grime build up in a kitchen hood, they will immediately inform a manager they need a kitchen hood cleaning, or risk being fined, or shut down.
Hood cleaning will also be required by insurance companies (with proof of paperwork), if the kitchen starts experiencing exhaust issues, or if a property manager requires it regularly.
How do Estimates Work?
Estimates are generally started by calling the commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me service, or filling out an online form on their website. The company will then contact the manager and set up a site inspection, which will result in a cost estimate, and recommendation for cleaning frequency.
What Affects Estimate Pricing?
There are numerous factors that will affect an estimate from a commercial kitchen hood cleaning near me company such as: Size of kitchen hood, and quantity of kitchen hoods. Some locations may only have 10-12 feet of duct, a single fan, and only a few filters, while other locations could have hundreds of feet of ductwork, and dozens of fans and filters.
How Often Should Kitchen Hoods Be Cleaned?
The cleaning company will make recommendations for cleaning schedules. However, at bare minimum for any commercial kitchen, it should be done at least once a year. Insurance companies, fire marshals, local, state, and federal regulations will all factor into the frequency.
What is the Best Time for Kitchen Hood Cleaning?
Ideally kitchen hood cleaning should be done during hours in which the kitchen is not in use. For some places this may mean the morning, while others it’s a specific day of the week they are closed. For businesses open 24/7, the cleaning company will ask for the least busy time of the week, and provide a 3 hour window for the cleaning.
How Long Does a Kitchen Hood Cleaning Take?
The length of time for a hood cleaning depends on the amount of duct work, and number of units that needs to be cleaned. For most restaurants this will be somewhere between 2 and 3 hours for a team of technicians to complete.
What Gets Cleaned During a Kitchen Hood Cleaning?
● The back wall up to the equipment line
● The hood itself
● The canopy of the hood
● The filters
● The plenum
● The duct work
● The exhaust fan
Pictures will often be taken before and after for record keeping purposes.
What is Type-II Hood Cleaning?
Type-II hoods are those that don’t have grease, such as wood burning pizza ovens, but do get covered in soot that can be very easily ignited. These hoods should be cleaned every month by being brushed out.
What is the Manager Provided with After a Hood Cleaning?
From a trustworthy commercial kitchen hood cleaning company, the manager should expect photographic evidence of the cleaning, as well as allowed a visual inspection before the cleaners leave. They will be given a signed tag or sticker with the time and date of cleaning, and when the next cleaning is scheduled for.
Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning Near Me
Commercial kitchen hoods are susceptible to kitchen fires when they get too greasy, as well as causing the backup of exhaust that can be terrible for the air quality of both the kitchen and eating area of a restaurant. It’s imperative that any kitchen manager should have a commercial kitchen hood cleaning company on file and come out at regularly scheduled times to keep the ducts, fans and filters clean and safe.
