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Running a restaurant is no joke. Restaurant owners and their employees must maintain a clean kitchen environment at all times, properly receive and store food, and cook food to the right temperature prior to serving customers. Those employed at restaurants should already know all of this.

But something else that’s critical for restaurants is to regularly clean is their kitchen exhaust, grease trap, and other essential aspects of their ventilation system. Even failing to occasionally maintain your grease trap can cause significant danger.

The Dangers of a Dirty Grease Trap

Both employees and customers can suffer major consequences as a result of being directly or indirectly exposed to a commercial kitchen that has a poorly operating grease trap. For employees, they will be consistently breathing in the fumes the grease trap emits, putting their respiratory health at risk. Customers can be affected by your uncleaned trap if your source of water is contaminated due to a grease trap blockage, and you happen to wash dishes with that dirty water.

But the danger doesn’t just end there. The toxic buildup can eventually lead to annoying smells, serious plumbing problems, money lost due to your restaurant temporarily being shut down by the health department and/or giving you a hefty fine, or even kitchen fires.

How Often Should Grease Traps Be Cleaned?

It’s clear that a dirty grease trap is incredibly dangerous. That said, how often should these pieces of equipment be cleaned to maintain the safest kitchen environment as possible?

The average restaurant should have their grease traps cleaned every three months. Although, restaurants that are busier should strongly consider cleaning these devices more frequently just to be on the safe side.

Allow Flue Steam, Inc. to Help You Maintain a Safer Commercial Kitchen.

Even if your commercial kitchen isn’t used very often, it’s critical to ensure everything is running safely and is up-to-code. Failure to do so, you could end up with large fines, the temporary or permanent shutdown of your restaurant, or even health or safety problems for your employees and/or customers. You wouldn’t want to risk any of that.

At Flue Steam, Inc., we provide a range of services to help keep your commercial kitchen cleaner and safer. From quality kitchen exhaust system cleaning to grease filter exchange service, the services we provide are important for every single business in the restaurant industry to consider.

Call our team up by dialing 800-700-FLUE for more details on the services we provide in Southern California.

Fires are not uncommon in commercial kitchens, hence why it’s the law to have fire extinguishers placed every so many feet in the kitchen of California restaurants. Although it might seem like a pain to decide which extinguishers you require by law and to have them installed, knowing that your kitchen is safer with their installation should give you peace of mind.

But selecting extinguisher supply and installing them in the right locations is only half the battle. The other half? To make sure you have your extinguishers inspected on a regular basis. This ensures they’re still in working order and won’t fail on you if and when you go to use one.

If you’re trying to figure out how often you’ll need to have your extinguishers inspected in your California commercia kitchen, read on for the details.

Get Visual Inspections Done Monthly and Maintenance Inspections Done Annually.

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157(e)(2) states that employers should perform visual inspections of their fire extinguishers on a monthly basis. Take note of any damage present on your extinguishers, verify that they’re still installed in the correct locations, ensure that all extinguishers are easily accessible and aren’t blocked or hidden in any way, and make sure that each extinguisher is fully charged.

During monthly visual inspections, employers should also check that the pressure gauge indicator is within the correct range, that there are no leaks present, and that the pull-pin is still intact. After each visual inspection, make sure to date and initial the back of the tag of each extinguisher.

As for maintenance inspections in compliance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157(e)(3), these must be done once a year by a fire protection company.

It Depends How Often You’ll Need Internal Maintenance Inspections.

Like maintenance inspections, internal maintenance inspections must be performed by a fire protection company. However, how often you’ll need internal maintenance inspections will vary. It may be every 5, 6, or 12 years.

For information on how often your extinguishers will need an internal maintenance inspection, refer to this OSHA webpage.

Fire Extinguisher Supply in West Covina CA

As many restaurant owners know, extinguishers that fail inspection must either be repaired or replaced. If you’re looking for new fire extinguisher supply for your commercial kitchen in West Covina, CA or its surrounding cities, Flue Steam, Inc. has got you covered.

Call our team at 800-700-FLUE, so we can get you connected with new, high-quality, portable fire extinguishers suitable for your commercial kitchen.

Everyone in the restaurant industry should know that an exhaust system is an integral component of their commercial kitchen. In fact, did you know that one of the main reasons restaurants experience a flash fire is due to problems with their exhaust system (or lack of an exhaust system at all)? It’s true, which is why it’s so important to have an adequate system set in place.

One vital aspect of an exhaust system is a functioning swamp cooler that can replace the hot air accumulating in your kitchen environment with cool, clean air.

Although you may feel relieved to have a swamp cooler in your kitchen, if it isn’t working like normal, it’s not going to be adequately performing its basic job duties, setting your restaurant up for risk. One of the concerning issues you may experience with your cooler is a unit only blowing out hot air. That defeats the purpose!

Reasons Why Your Swamp Cooler Is Blowing Hot Air

When evaporative coolers blow hot air, this can be caused by numerous things.

Sometimes it’s merely caused by humid weather outside. Other times, it might simply be because you just have the “vent/fan” setting turned on, on your unit. You can get away with just turning the fan on when it’s cooler outside. However, when your region is experiencing hotter weather, it’s going to be important to make sure to turn on the “cool” setting. These are two things that you should check first prior to further investigating into the situation.

Other issues that are associated with a swamp cooler failing including a malfunctioning water delivery system (e.g., water turned off, pump failing to pump water into your unit’s pads, water distribution pipe that’s clogged, etc.), cooling pads necessitating replacement, or open access doors to the cooler.

Sometimes its not always easy to diagnose and troubleshoot the problem your swamp cooler is experiencing. Either way, a properly working swamp cooler is vital to have in your commercial kitchen environment. Figuring out what’s troubling your unit is an absolute must to maintain a safe, healthy, and comfortable kitchen.

Affordable Swamp Cooler service in Mission Viejo CA

Is your swamp cooler experiencing some problems in your Mission Viejo, CA commercial kitchen? Or, maybe it’s not having issues, but you still want a routine checkup to ensure everything is in order. Either way, Flue Steam, Inc. offers swamp cooler service for a great cost. With flexible hours of operation, we’ll gladly perform regular maintenance on your restaurant’s swamp cooler at a time that works best for you.

Set up an appointment with us today by calling us at 800-700-FLUE.

Swamp coolers are significant pieces of equipment in commercial kitchens across the nation. The main intent of a kitchen-dwelling evaporative system is to ensure your space remains cool while stale air is removed.

In fact, did you know that only about 10% of the airflow in your commercial kitchen should come from nearby sources (e.g., dining area)? The remaining 90% of your air supply should come from an air-cooling system such as a swamp cooler. Allowing too much outdoor air circulate your beloved commercial kitchen has its disadvantages including air quality problems, higher energy expenses, and performance problems with your kitchen exhaust system.

Due to the vitality of swamp coolers in California commercial kitchens, it’s integral to be on the look out for the following common issues with evaporative units:

Consistent Airflow but Improper Cooling

Lack of cooling coming from a swamp cooler is certainly counterproductive. If you happen to come across this mishap, double check to make sure your unit has enough exhaust supplied to it. If the problem isn’t resolved, take a look at your swamp cooler’s belt and motor.

Excessive Water Use

Chances are, a swamp cooler that uses too much water has a valve issue. In this case, the valve may need to be replaced, especially if you notice a water leak.

Musty Odor from Swamp Cooler

A musty odor coming from your unit is not only unpleasant to the nose, but it can signify that something is wrong. Inspect the pads of your unit for mildew, and check for stagnant water. If mildew is the problem, we recommend replacing your swamp cooler’s pads. On the other hand, the stagnant water issue can be addressed by dumping the water from your unit, cleaning the reservoir thoroughly, and then adding fresh, clean water to your unit.

Consistent Cooling but Improper Airflow

This particular issue may indicate that your water pump is clogged. Otherwise, consistent cooling with improper airflow can be caused by pads that have open spots or are dry.

Parts are Corroded

If you notice that some of the parts of your swamp cooler are corroded, then congratulations on the good eye! Regularly checking the parts of your unit every now and then is essential when it comes to maintaining a proper evaporative system. But the issue still stands.

That said, if you notice rust or corrosion on your cooler’s parts, this may be due to humidity from the outdoor environment (Southern California is no exception) or minerals in the water tank. In the case of a mineral problem, simply add mineral tablets to your water tank. If it’s an outdoor humidity issue (50+ percent), consider switching over to an air conditioner as swamp coolers don’t perform as well in heavy humidity.

Swamp cooler problems do happen, but they aren’t convenient, that’s for sure. For all your swamp cooler service needs, contact Flue Steam, Inc. to set up an appointment in West Hollywood, CA. Dial 800-700-FLUE today!

Opening a new restaurant or even purchasing a pre-existing restaurant involves quite a bit of legal and safety concerns. If you’re fairly new to the food industry, you’ve probably conducted quite a bit of research. For instance, you probably know what licenses you must have, you’re aware how to avoid cross-contamination, and you’re knowledgeable when it comes to maintaining a clean kitchen environment.

However, something you might still have a question about is whether or not it’s a must to have an exhaust system installed in your California commercial kitchen. The answer you’re looking for is as follows.

A Kitchen Exhaust is a Necessity in Commercial Kitchens

Kitchen exhausts are critical units in a commercial kitchen. Why? Because they help expel humidity and debris from the kitchen environment, allow for proper sanitation, and provide a consistent flow of fresh air.

The state of California knows just how important exhaust systems are. According to California Health and Safety Code 114149 (a), “All areas of a food facility shall have sufficient ventilation to facilitate proper food storage and to provide a reasonable condition of comfort for each employee, consistent with the job performed by the employee.”

Based on the latter, not only is an exhaust system in a California commercial kitchen necessary, but it’s required. Apart from this safety code, know that there are also specific guidelines in California regarding exhaust system placement, necessary parts, cleanliness, and operation.

Safety Hazards of Cooking Without Kitchen Ventilation

Operating a commercial kitchen without an exhaust is not only illegal, but it’s a big risk. Imagine a humid, stuffy, odorous environment filled with toxic air that could potentially be detrimental to your staff members’ health. And with the risk of a flash fire and slip and fall injuries, you bet having adequate kitchen ventilation isn’t an option; it’s a must.

We know what you’re thinking: getting a kitchen exhaust installed, let alone maintaining that exhaust system over the years, is intimidating. But it’s the law – you must have one installed, and it must remain clean. The good news is, you don’t have to worry about maintaining it on your own every three months or so. (We know how busy restaurant workers are!)

When you call Flue Steam, Inc. at 800-700-FLUE for kitchen exhaust cleaning service in Mission Viejo, CA, we’ll be sure to spruce up your system to keep it in proper operation. Our special certification and knowledge on flue systems certainly shows in our work!