Restaurant owners understand that there are food and safety standards to which they have to strictly adhere. In the kitchen, every piece of equipment must follow the government-mandated rules. In light of that, do you need a kitchen hood inspection & service?
Part of the mandated rules is that your restaurant or kitchen must have an effective kitchen hood. Your kitchen hood should not only work as an exhaust but should also be outfitted with an effective fire suppression system. Your fire suppression system should also comply with fire code regulations.
These rules are very strict, and they are that way for good reasons. A restaurant is full of flammable materials such as paper, oil, and alcohol. Ultimately, the strict laws regarding kitchen safety will help you avoid fires – they will keep your business safe and possibly, even save lives.
To help you better adhere to the rules regarding kitchen and fire safety, here’s a complete guide on kitchen hood inspection & service.
What Is Kitchen Hood Fire Suppression System?
Kitchen hood inspection & service are vital to safety. More than any business, restaurants with kitchens are one of the most potentially fire hazardous. It is a high-heat environment, and it is specifically built to be well-insulated to keep the heat inside for cooking.
In a kitchen, oil vapor, natural gas, and smoke are continually increasing. All of these factors may cause a fire.
To avoid the worst possible outcome, you need a kitchen hood fire suppression system. So if ever a fire erupts in a kitchen, the following steps will be implemented by the system to put out the fire:
- First, it will automatically cut off the gas supply to prevent a gas explosion.
- Second, it will dispense a solution that will extinguish a fire.
- Finally, the exhaust fan within the kitchen hood will kick in to remove the smoke.
Why A Kitchen Hood Inspection & Service Is Necessary
As effective as fire suppression systems sounds, they are not without flaws. A kitchen is frequently busy from morning to evening. During its operation hours, heat, oil, and gas are always present. As a result, grease and grime accumulate all over the kitchen.
The accumulating grease and grime will present a problem to your kitchen hood fire suppression system. Over time, grease and grime will accumulate and block the sensors and the nozzles that spew out the solution that extinguishes fires. It will severely hamper the system’s ability to put out fires – which is a fire hazard.
That’s why a regular inspection and service is needed for your kitchen hood’s fire suppression system. Though “anyone” can inspect a kitchen hood fire suppression system, you should let professionals do it.
How Frequent Should Your Kitchen Hood Fire Suppression System Be Inspected And Serviced?
According to National Fire Protection Association, your kitchen hood fire suppression systems need to be inspected twice a year. Likewise, the inspections need to be carried out by a licensed professional to ensure that everything is in working order.
You, the restaurant owner, also have a part to play in inspecting the systems. Conduct monthly inspections on your kitchen hood and see if there is anything amiss. Check for issues such as damaged wires, grime build-up, and clogging.
Clean the kitchen hood regularly to assure yourself you have done everything you can to ensure the safety of your restaurant. Getting a professional is still important since they can check the electronics and even change parts if needed.
What Does A Kitchen Hood Inspector Look For In The System?
To have your kitchen inspected, you need to call for a licensed professional. If you are currently looking for someone who can check it for you, why not avail of our services? Here at Protek, we frequently handle fire equipment and systems – that’s our expertise.
For a summary of how experts do kitchen hood inspection & service, check the list below:
- A professional kitchen hood inspector examines the pressure gauges to see if you have the proper PSI for the system to work.
- Experts check if all the electronic systems will work properly or not.
- The inspector checks the kitchen hood’s fans.
- An inspector might do systematic tests to simulate a real fire. It will show if the systems are working properly or not.
- Gas and electrical lines will also be tested to see if they automatically shut off once the fire suppression activates.
- If there are parts that aren’t working as intended, the examiner will let you know about them immediately. If you are getting a kitchen hood service, those parts will be fixed or replaced.
- Professionals will inspect your fire suppression nozzles and nozzle blow-off caps for build-ups or damage.
After the inspection, the inspector should issue you a written Commercial Cooking System Service and Inspection Report. There will be two copies of the report. One report will be sent to your local fire department, and the other is for you to keep.
Submitting an inspection to the local fire department will ensure that you are complying with the fire safety regulations. Also, keep the other paper in a safe place. If ever a fire happens, you can assure the insurance company that you comply with all the regulations.
What Happens If You Miss Your Inspections?
You might wonder, what if you miss your inspections? That is illegal and dangerous. Missing inspections may easily become a habit. Though you may never experience a kitchen fire, ensuring safety is still best for your business, employees, and customers.
On the other hand, what if the worst scenario comes to pass, and a fire started in your restaurant? And what if you knew you were missing your fire inspections? This will become a legal issue on your part.
Most, if not all, insurance companies require a copy of the fire inspections. So if the insurance company or you don’t have the recent fire inspections, they will deny or dispute your insurance claims. To claim your insurance, you might need to go to court, which costs resources.
On top of that, you will be denied to start your business again since you didn’t comply with your previous regulations.
You Need Inspection
Kitchen Hood Inspection & Service might not be the most grandiose inspections. It may not seem much, but it does a lot in helping you keep your possessions safe, and even possibly, save lives.
We at Protek Fire Systems are fully certified to check fire alarms and do inspections. Feel free to contact us anytime if you ever need these services!
