Every restaurant owner should know fire code guidelines for their commercial kitchen, especially when it comes to their exhaust system (range hoods). If these are not properly cleaned and inspected on a regular basis, this can result in a serious fire, damaging your entire kitchen and restaurant. If you do not know your state’s commercial kitchen fire codes, just read below (click on the link at the end of the summary to read about it in more detail).

Cleaning Frequency:

(Monthly): Systems serving solid fuel cooking operations.

(Quarterly): Systems serving high-volume cooking operations.

(Semiannually): Systems serving moderate-volume cooking operations.

(Yearly): Systems serving low-volume cooking operations.

Cleaning of Exhaust Systems:

During inspection, if contamination with deposits from grease is found, the entire exhaust system must be cleaned by a trained, qualified, and certified individual.

Hoods, grease removal devices, fans, and ducts must be cleaned to bare metal prior to surfaces becoming heavily contaminated with grease or oils.

At the beginning of the cleaning process, electrical switches that could be activated accidentally must be turned off.

Components of the fire suppression system must not be inoperable during the cleaning process.

Fire-extinguishing systems must be permitted to be inoperable during the cleaning process where serviced by properly trained and qualified persons.

All flammable cleaning aids must not be used.

Cleaning chemicals must not be applied on fusible links or other detection devices or the automatic extinguishing system.

After the exhaust system is cleaned to bare metal, it must not be coated with powder or other substances.

All access doors and cover plates must be replaced.

Dampers and diffusers must be positioned for proper airflow.

When cleaning procedures are completed, all electrical switches and system components must be turned back on.

When a vent cleaning service is used, there must be a certificate showing the date of inspection and cleaning and must be accessible on the premises.

After cleaning is completed, a label showing the date cleaned, name of the servicing company and areas not cleaned must be placed/displayed within the kitchen area.

All interior surfaces of the exhaust system must be accessible for cleaning and inspection purposes.

Grease filters must be arranged so that all exhaust air has to pass through the grease filters.

Solid fuel cooking operations must have spark arresters to minimize the passage of airborne sparks and embers into plenums and ducts.

All solid fuel cooking equipment served by hood and duct systems must be separate from all other exhaust systems.

If airborne sparks and embers can be generated by the solid fuel cooking operation, spark arrester devices must be used prior to the removal of grease to minimize the entrance of these sparks and embers into the grease removal device and into the hood and duct system.

http://www.venthoodcleaningtexas.com/nfpa.php