Your Source For Total Restaurant Airflow Management
Welcome to Kitchen Air Inc.
Our Mission Is Simple: To provide the highest level of quality and reliability for equipment, service, and knowledge as it relates to the commercial restaurant HVAC industry.
We understand that when it comes to your kitchen ventilation and heating/cooling system’s operation, the number one most important attribute is that it is fully operational, 100% of the time, followed closely by system performance and efficiency.
This website is designed to be a resource for anyone interested or involved with commercial kitchen ventilation and restaurant heating /cooling applications. This includes and is not limited to restaurant owners, chefs, facility managers, design engineers, service technicians and code officials.
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Whether you are interested in designing and purchasing a brand new hood system, learning about ways to reduce your utility bills, require emergency service, or simply need a new fan belt or set of hood filters, this website has you covered. We invite you to look over our service and product offerings and learn as much as you want to know about commercial kitchen ventilation. If you have any questions, or simply want to talk about anything kitchen ventilation related, we are available anytime: 1-800-524-7352.
Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Installation
When it comes to selecting a kitchen hood installer for your restaurant, it’s important to choose a skilled, well vetted company. As the kitchen ventilation will directly correlate to the efficiency of your restaurant, at Kitchen Air Inc, we aim to make sure your restaurant fans and system are running at peak performance.
Restaurant Hood and Fan Repair
We encourage all restaurants owners to sign up for our preventative maintenance programs, to extend the lifespan of your kitchen exhaust system. If you are currently experience fan or belt failure, or other issues with your system, a repair may be in order. We will be able to assess what the issue is, and provide the best solutions to have your kitchen running efficiently as soon as possible.
Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning
At Kitchen Air Inc, we recommend kitchen hood cleaning to keep your restaurant safe and running at it’s best. Our skilled technicians will provide a detailed restaurant hood cleaning and maintenance, safely removing grease and smoke, and keeping temperatures more comfortable and maintainable. This has been proven to improve the productivity of kitchen staff, as well as the longevity of auxiliary kitchen equipment.
Proper Ventilation is Essential for your Business: Tips from Kitchen Ventilation Issues
It is vital to meet the HVAC requirements for the proper ventilation of your business. If you are out of compliance, you can end up in legal trouble. You may get a fine and have your business shut down for a period of time until you can pass all inspections and it is up to code. If there is a fire or other issue, you may be held liable for neglect. Your insurance provider may not be obligated to cover the cost if negligence can be proven.
It can be challenging though as your restaurant may have different needs in different areas. You need to make sure you are always in compliance. You have a responsibility to your customers and your employees to do so. Plus, being in compliance is going to reduce your energy bills every month. It is always nice when you can reduce your overhead expenses.
Poor ventilation can cause unpleasant odors in your restaurant. This can be embarrassing to employees. It can also be a turn off to customers. The place will be clean, smell amazing, and be a comfortable place for them to come in and enjoy a meal. Proper ventilation will remove odors and it will also eliminate smoke. Restaurant hood cleaning is a vital step to maintaining proper ventilation.
Outside Air in your Establishment
A common area where many restaurants fall short with proper ventilation has to do with enough outside air coming in. This is referred to as makeup air. It is to replace the air that is being taken out via the exhaust system. If there isn’t enough makeup air, it can result in the pressure being too low. Some indicators of this include:
• Combustible gases due to back venting
• Doors that slam closed
• Drafty areas
• Poor air quality
• Reduced energy efficiency
• Stuffy areas
If you have one or more of the above present in your restaurant, you already have compliance issues. Talk to a HVAC professional as soon as possible. Schedule a time when your restaurant isn’t busy for them to come take a look around. They can assess your situation and let you know what can be done for you to obtain more makeup air. They will share all the options with you to put you into compliance.
Restaurant Kitchen Area
In regards to HVAC compliance, the kitchen is the most important area that has to be following all of the regulations. This is also the most important area for proper ventilation to take place. Due to the high temperatures to cook food and even the heat from the dishwasher, the kitchen needs a way for it to cool down. Otherwise, it can get too hot back there when the restaurant is busy and when the temperatures soar outdoors. This is where a commercial kitchen exhaust fan that is properly maintained comes into play.
Keeping the kitchen cooler allows them to work back there faster and easier. It will also help you to reduce your energy bills. If the environment is too hot, your freezers, refrigerators, and compressors are running far more than they should be. A restaurant hood cleaning service like Kitchen Air Inc can keep things humming along!
Separate Thermostats
How do you find that balance? How do you keep the gallery cool enough and still keep the rest of the restaurant warm enough? One way to do this it to have separate thermostats. Your HVAC system may need to be upgraded in order to accomplish this. It depends on what it currently offers and how old it is. You can also install portable cooling units to help keep everyone comfortable in the canteen if you can’t afford to upgrade your thermostat situation at this point in time.
Quality of the Air
No one that works for you or that comes in to eat wants to breathe in fumes or smoke! The quality of the air you offer in the establishment must be safe. This is for their overall well-being. The health department has very strict guidelines in place relating to the ventilation hoods that are in place over the appliances used to cook with in a restaurant.
The specific codes vary based on where you reside. It is your responsibility as a restaurant owner to be aware of those codes and to comply with them. You can even have an inspector come to your location to complete an evaluation. They will check the size, grade, and overall ventilation you have in place with such hoods.
The layout of your kitchen can influence the overall ventilation too. The appliances used to cook with should be as close to the wall as you can get them. This allows the hood to be placed over the entire cooking region. The hood has to be designed to filter grease too if you prepare any types of greasy foods in that kitchen. Kitchen exhaust fan and hood cleaning that is performed regularly will be able to prevent continued issues
Fire Prevention
The building codes are going to require you to take action to prevent fires in the kitchen area. This often requires a suppression system to be in place. Thijs may have dry chemicals or CO2 gas in them that can quickly put out any type of fire that may occur. The vents and hoods need to be cleaned regularly to further reduce the risk of any fire starting. With kitchen exhaust cleaning and regular maintenance you will have a safe working environment.
Other Areas to Ventilate
Your ventilation requirements don’t start and end with the gallery though. All areas of your restaurant need to be carefully looked at. In the area where people eat, there should be a consistent temperature. Areas shouldn’t be hotter or colder in there depending on where they are seated. The air should be clear and free from fumes or smoke coming from the cookery.
If you have an outdoor lobby where people eat, it also needs to have a regulated temperature. Your kitchen exhaust fan needs regular attention. You want to make sure the exhaust taken out from the kitchen isn’t going directly to where your outdoor guests are seated. Even the restrooms need to have a regulated temperature and proper ventilation.
Air Regulation for Restaurant Hood Cleaning Services Near Me
You have the responsibility of regulating the quality of the air in all areas of your restaurant. Don’t wait until you get into trouble during a surprise inspection to make this a priority. Take the time to find out what must be changed now and get it done. Work with a qualified HVAC provider. They are up to date on the codes and they can help you get everything into compliance.
The solution may be as simple as adding an exhaust fan, a heater system, or a cooling system. For an older system, there may be some upgrades that have to be done in order to get it into compliance with current regulations. Such needs can often be done for an affordable cost and it will help you to operate the best possible restaurant environment.
Career Opportunities
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- Service Technician – Philadelphia, PA.
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- Service Technician – Washington, DC.
- Test and Balancing Technician – Philadelphia, PA.