Kitchen Air Inc offers a great amount of flexibility regarding system evaluations. If you have recently taken over a restaurant, new equipment, or an existing system that is not performing properly, we will fully evaluate and identify any deficiencies and offer advice on how to improve your systems performance. We also offer fully certified 3rd-party inspections of hood systems if requested in your code official/AHJ. Please contact us today if you are interested in scheduling an evaluation: 1-800-524-7352.
If you have recently had a new hood system installed or have taken over an existing commercial kitchen, it is important to monitor it’s performance immediately. Upon the first few weeks of operating the kitchen, take time to pay attention to the following things.
- Check smoke and heat capture at the hood under all cooking conditions. Check for small consistent and/or inconsistent smoke rollout. Over time this can cause issues with HVAC and grease accumulation in unwanted areas of the restaurant. The hood should be capturing 100% of the smoke. Don’t ignore the 5% that may be getting out.
- Make sure grease is not leaking from the ductwork or access panels. This may require a quick look above the ceiling tiles. Leaks can be difficult to fix, but are easier to fix when found early.
- Pay attention to and address any concerns your hood cleaner may have while conducting the first cleaning. (Ex: accessibility, fans tilting back properly, leaks in system). Make sure that they can sign off on the fact that they have the ability to clean the entire system. If not, this is a major fire hazard.
- Same thing goes in step 3 for your mechanical preventative maintenance service provider. You don’t want to have system breakdown or lose performance if they don’t have access to change a belt or filters.
- Make sure your system is not cycling on and off thermostatically during after-hours or shutting down automatically based on temperature during cooking operation.
- If your system is equipped with a demand control ventilation system, make sure that it is calibrated right and modulating properly during real time cooking. This is a must for maximum energy savings with these types of systems. Fans should be at full speed during times of maximum cooking.
- Check comfort level in both the kitchen and dining room areas in regards to temperature and humidity. Make sure that the HVAC system is satisfying its setpoint at the thermostats. Check for drafts at the door to the outside. Take the time to ask the customers and chefs. They are the ones that truly know how comfortable their environments are.
- Check cooking appliances and plating area for any disturbances the Makeup-Air could be having on the food preparation. (Ex: Dancing flames on the ranges, cold air cooling down food prior to being served.)
- If applicable, verify that Make-up Air is being heated or cooled properly. Adjust temperature setpoints if necessary. (Note: Adjustments may need to be done on roof at the unit itself.)
- Check your utility bills. If anything seems out of the ordinary, look into it.