Commercial Kitchen Hood & Exhaust Cleaning in Northern Virginia
Grease-Free & Fire-Safe
Restaurant fires occur every year and cause millions of dollars in property damage, injure customers, and sometimes result in fatalities. More than half of restaurant fires start in the kitchen, so keeping your kitchen grease-free and fire-safe is essential.
At Atlantic Duct Cleaning, our team provides professional kitchen hood cleaning in accordance with IKECA (International Kitchen Cleaning Association), which is a highly specialized removal process of built-up grease, debris, and contaminants that accumulate in, on, and around the components of a kitchen hood exhaust system.
Schedule a kitchen hood cleaning appointment in Virginia or Maryland by calling (703) 435-4485 or contact us online!
Why Schedule Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning?
Restaurant fires are often associated with dirty kitchen hoods, which is why there are some reasons regular kitchen ventilation cleaning is crucial to providing a safe environment. Being proactive with restaurant kitchen hood cleaning for the safety of your employees, customers, and property is essential.
Clear Blockage
There’s more than smoke escaping into your kitchen hood—grease and particulate buildup are commonly found in the exhaust system too! Without proper cleaning, your kitchen exhaust system encourages mold, mildew, and other types of bacteria growth—which shouldn’t be anywhere near food! Cleaning the blockage in your kitchen ventilation system helps reduce fire hazards and mechanical failures, saving you money in the long run.
It's the Law
Kitchen exhaust cleaning in every commercial cooking establishment in the country is mandatory by law. If your restaurant is undergoing an inspection and the entire kitchen is thoroughly cleaned, but the exhaust system remains dirty, you might not pass!
Minimize Health Hazards
Without kitchen hood cleaning, potentially dangerous particulates can escape into your restaurant’s air, lowering the air quality and potentially posing a health hazard to your customers and restaurant staff. Cleaning your kitchen exhaust system provides a safe and clean environment for employees and customers—allowing for improved health and increased productivity!
Get your kitchen back up to speed, obey the law, and diminish your health risks. Schedule kitchen exhaust cleaning service in VA or MD or call (703) 435-4485 today!
The Professional Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning Process
Proper commercial kitchen hood cleaning involves a thorough and meticulous process to remove grease, oil, and other contaminants from the hood, filters, exhaust ducts, and exhaust fans. It typically includes the following steps:
- Preparing the Area: Before starting the cleaning process, our technician will ensure that the surrounding area is protected with drop cloths or plastic sheets to prevent any splatters or drips from reaching the kitchen surfaces.
- Removing Grease Buildup: Our technician will begin by scraping off the thick layers of grease and grime from the hood, filters, and accessible parts of the exhaust system using specialized tools.
- Dismantling and Cleaning Filters The grease filters will be removed from the hood and exhaust system and soaked in a degreaser solution to break down the accumulated grease. After soaking, the filters are thoroughly cleaned and rinsed to restore their efficiency.
- Cleaning Hood and Ductwork: The interior and exterior surfaces of the hood, as well as the exhaust ductwork, will be cleaned using a degreaser to remove any grease buildup and residue.
- Cleaning Exhaust Fans The exhaust fans are dismantled, and their components are cleaned and degreased to ensure proper functionality.
- Inspection and Reassembly: After the cleaning process, our technician will inspect all components, including fans, ductwork, and filters, to ensure they are clean and in good working condition. Any damaged or worn-out parts may be replaced at this stage.
The time taken for commercial kitchen hood cleaning can vary depending on the size and complexity of the kitchen, the level of grease buildup, and the expertise of the cleaning crew. Generally, a thorough cleaning of a standard commercial kitchen hood and exhaust system may take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours to complete.
It's essential to hire a certified and experienced hood cleaning company to ensure that the cleaning process is done correctly, meets safety regulations, and minimizes fire hazards in the kitchen. Regularly scheduled cleaning is crucial to maintain a safe and healthy kitchen environment and prolong the lifespan of the exhaust system.
How Frequently Should Your Restaurant Kitchen Hood Be Cleaned?
Regular and systematic maintenance in accordance with IKECA and NFPA-96 will enhance system efficiency and prolong equipment life cycles, as well as minimize operational interruptions and the associated lost revenues. The type or volume of cooking frequency is a determining factor in how often you should clean your kitchen exhaust system. Inspection frequency in the Northern Virginia & Maryland area, as described by NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) guidelines, must be:
- Monthly. Any systems serving solid fuel cooking operations must be cleaned every month.
- Quarterly. Businesses operating on a 24-hour schedule that prepare high volumes of food need to have their systems inspected and maintained at least once every three months.
- Semi-Annually. Restaurants, usually with a sit-down environment, that prepare food at moderate levels need to have their systems checked twice per year.
- Monthly. Organizations that cook small volumes of food or are only in operation for a few months of the year, such as churches, day camps, seasonal businesses, or senior centers require an inspection once a year.
Annual kitchen exhaust maintenance agreements with quarterly cleanings are a savings driven solution available from Atlantic Duct Cleaning!
If you’re ready to protect your employees, customers, and property from an unexpected fire contact us today to schedule your professional kitchen exhaust cleaning or call (703) 435-4485.
Schedule Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning in VA & MD
The risks of not thoroughly cleaning your kitchen—without the help of a professional—are likely to outweigh any money saved. Once you’ve had your kitchen hood cleaned by a highly trained expert from Atlantic Duct Cleaning, you’ll never make exhaust system cleaning a DIY project again! Whether your business could benefit from monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual kitchen hood cleaning, Atlantic Duct Cleaning is the company to call. If you run a restaurant in Maryland or Northern Virginia, don’t wait until an unexpected fire erupts on your property before you decide you need kitchen hood cleaning.
Schedule a commercial kitchen hood cleaning and call us today at (703) 435-4485 or contact us online. In addition to commercial kitchen exhaust cleaning, our other commercial services include air duct cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, and Aeroseal duct sealing.
Why Schedule Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Hood Cleaning?
Commercial kitchen hood and exhaust cleaning are essential to maintain a safe and hygienic kitchen environment. Over time, grease, oil, and other contaminants accumulate in the exhaust system, posing a fire hazard and reducing the system's efficiency.
The frequency of cleaning depends on the type of establishment and cooking volume. Typically, commercial kitchens should undergo professional hood and exhaust cleaning every 1 to 6 months to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations.
Yes, specific safety regulations and standards set by local authorities and fire departments require commercial kitchens to maintain clean and grease-free exhaust systems. Regular cleaning ensures compliance with these regulations and reduces the risk of fire accidents.
Regular cleaning of kitchen hoods and exhaust systems improves fire safety, enhances indoor air quality by reducing smoke and odors, increases the efficiency of ventilation, and prolongs the life of exhaust fans and filters.
Performing commercial kitchen hood and exhaust cleaning without professional expertise and specialized equipment is not recommended. Proper cleaning requires trained technicians to access and clean hard-to-reach areas and effectively remove built-up grease and residue. Hiring a certified cleaning service ensures compliance with safety standards and thorough cleaning of the entire system.