Do you work in a restaurant in the “back of the house?” Restaurants often utilize exhaust fans for ventilation purposes. A properly functioning exhaust fan isn’t just about comfort, as it’s a critical component of food safety and kitchen compliance. Over time, grease, smoke, and other residues can accumulate, affecting performance and potentially creating fire hazards. That’s why maintaining your restaurant exhaust fan is essential. Here, we share some key tips to help keep your system running smoothly and safely..
If you want to ensure your exhaust fan works properly, performs efficiently, and lasts a long time, then it’s important to clean and maintain it regularly.
Maintenance Tips for Restaurant Exhaust Fans
First, make sure you’re using the right hood filter and the right number of filters for your particular vent hood(s). The filter should be the correct size so it covers the entire opening of the vent hood. If it doesn’t, then you can get a “hood filter spacer” to properly fill in the space.
Next, how’s your cleaning schedule? You have one, right? Most vent hoods need to be cleaned daily. Some restaurants wait a week or two to clean them. Cleaning does depend on both the volume and the type of cooking involved. Anyway, hood filters should be cleaned by hand using hot soapy water. They can also be cleaned in a high-temp commercial dishwasher if that’s available. Some restaurants utilize a soak tank, submerging their filters overnight to clean them. Cleaning not only improves airflow but also reduces fire risks, ensuring your kitchen remains safe and compliant with local regulations.
Beyond cleaning, inspecting the mechanical components of your exhaust fan is crucial. Bearings, belts, motors, and pulleys all experience wear and tear over time. At Dynamic Fan, we advise regularly checking for unusual noises, vibrations, or reduced airflow. Replacing worn parts promptly can prevent costly breakdowns and keep your system running at peak efficiency. Preventive maintenance, including lubrication of moving parts and ensuring proper alignment, extends the life of your fan and keeps your kitchen operating without interruption.
Thirdly, do you have duct access doors and an exhaust fan access panel? If not, have them installed. Duct access doors make it a lot easier to remove fats, oils and grease from duct work. Exhaust fan access panels make it easier to reach the interior of the fan to clean/maintain it. You want to make sure your upblast exhaust fan blades don’t get covered in grease, since that causes unbalanced blades, vibration and wear and tear.
Finally, consider installing an upblast exhaust fan hinge kit. What’s the point of one? Well, it creates a hinge between the fan bowl and the fan base. The hinge helps keep the exhaust fan locked in an open position. It’s an added feature that helps make cleaning and maintenance easier for the person who has to attend to the fan. Hinge kits also help protect fan components from damage.
If you need assistance installing or repairing a restaurant exhaust fan, contact Dynamic Fan today.