Commercial kitchens are at risk for fires from cooking operations. According to the NFPA, there was an estimated 7,410 structure fires in eating and drinking establishments from 2010 to 2014. 61% of these fires were caused by cooking equipment. Due to the many fire hazards present in commercial kitchens, it is especially important that these spaces have the proper fire suppression systems in place.
Why are Kitchen Hoods Needed?
Commercial kitchen hoods offer both fire protection and a more comfortable working environment. Kitchen hoods remove heat, steam, grease, and smoke from the air, creating a more pleasant environment as well as preventing kitchen fires. They are also typically equipped with an automatic wet chemical fire suppression system that are designed to suppress fires and contain them to the point of origin. Hood suppression systems are necessary because they protect the space from many fire hazards including ovens, broilers, fryers, cooking oils and more.
How Do Kitchen Hood Suppression Systems Work?
When the fire suppression system detects a fire in the kitchen, it will trigger the release of wet chemical extinguishing agents that are designed to smother the fire. However, as noted below, the failure to regularly clean the hood affect the ability of the fire suppression system to suppress the fire. The hood will also cut off the gas or energy supply to the appliance to help stop the fire. In a kitchen, water is not usually an effective way to put out a fire since grease fires typically spread when water is added. NFPA 96 requires commercial kitchens to have kitchen hood suppression systems that are equipped to handle grease fires.
Kitchen Hood Installation
Commercial kitchen hood suppression systems need to be installed by a qualified fire protection professional. The size and type of kitchen hood system installed is determined by the hazards present in your kitchen. Commercial kitchen hoods must be installed in accordance with manufacturer specifications and all relevant codes.
How Often Do Kitchen Hoods Need to be Inspected?
- Monthly: On a monthly basis, the building owner or manager should perform a basic visual inspection of the kitchen hood. During this inspection, check for grease and clogs, damage to the nozzle caps and extinguishing lines, or anything that looks damaged.
- Semi-annually: Every 6 months, a licensed fire protection professional must perform an inspection of your kitchen hood suppression system. During this inspection, your fire protection contractor will check the functionality of your fire suppression system and do a complete inspection of all the system’s components.
Kitchen Hood Cleaning
Commercial kitchen hood suppression systems should be cleaned regularly. If the system is not cleaned, grease will accumulate, and the suppression system may not work as it is designed. You should be cleaning your kitchen hood often, depending on the volume of your kitchen. Cleaning should be done weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly, or even daily if you have a high-volume kitchen.
Western States Installs, Inspects and Services Kitchen Hoods
At Western States Fire Protection, we provide installations, inspection and service for your commercial kitchen hood suppression systems. We can service and inspect kitchen hood systems from any manufacturers. We install kitchen hood systems from many manufacturers including Buckeye, Kidde, Captive Aire, Pyro Chem and Ansul. Our kitchen hood services vary depending on location.
Locations offering commercial kitchen hood service, inspections, and installations:
- Denver, CO
- Glenwood Springs, CO
- Jefferson City, MO
- Springfield, MO
- Branson, MO
- Houston, TX
- Dallas, TX
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Tulsa, OK
- San Antonio, TX
- Reno, NV
- Sacramento, CA
- El Paso, TX
- Eugene, OR
- Salt Lake City, UT
- George, UT
Locations offering commercial kitchen hood service and inspections only:
If you are interested in learning more about our services for commercial kitchen hood suppression systems, contact us today!