Blog

Worried About Your Commercial Kitchen’s Lack of Access Panels? Here’s What to Do

May 20, 2024

Managing a commercial kitchen comes with its set of challenges, one of which is ensuring that all necessary access panels are installed for efficient maintenance and safety compliance. If you’ve recently taken over a commercial kitchen that lacks these critical components, there’s no need to panic. Here’s how Flue Steam can help you solve this issue and keep your kitchen running smoothly.

Importance of Access Panels in Commercial Kitchens

Access panels are essential in commercial kitchens primarily for the maintenance and cleaning of the exhaust system. Without these panels, it becomes extremely challenging to properly clean and inspect the system, which can lead to grease build-up and potential fire hazards. Ensuring your kitchen is equipped with the right access panels is crucial for both safety and regulatory compliance.

Professional Installation of Access Panels

If your commercial kitchen is missing access panels, it’s important to have them installed by professionals who understand the specific requirements. At Flue Steam, our technicians are well-versed in the standards set by NFPA 96 and the California Mechanical Code. We ensure that all installations comply with these regulations, using approved methods and materials. With our expertise, you can rest assured that your access panels will provide optimal accessibility for maintenance and cleaning.

Regular Exhaust System Cleaning Services

Having access panels is just the first step. Regular cleaning of your exhaust system is necessary to prevent grease build-up and ensure efficient operation. At Flue Steam, we offer two primary methods of exhaust system cleaning:

Hand Scraping

Hand scraping is the most common and cost-effective method for cleaning exhaust systems. Our technicians physically remove grease build-up from the walls of the exhaust system. While this method is effective, it’s limited to the areas that can be accessed manually. Regular hand scraping helps maintain the cleanliness of your exhaust system, but it should be complemented with more thorough cleaning methods.

Steam Cleaning

For a more comprehensive clean, we recommend steam cleaning at regular intervals. This method uses high-pressure hot water to reach every corner of the exhaust system, providing a thorough cleaning that hand scraping alone cannot achieve. Although steam cleaning is more intensive and costly, it is essential for ensuring the complete removal of grease and maintaining the overall health of your exhaust system.

Recommended Cleaning Schedule

To keep your exhaust system in top condition, we recommend a combination of hand scraping and steam cleaning. Most commercial kitchens benefit from hand scraping once a month and steam cleaning on a quarterly basis. This schedule helps maintain optimal performance and safety without incurring excessive costs.

Additional Services Offered by Flue Steam

Beyond exhaust system cleaning, Flue Steam provides a range of essential services to keep your commercial kitchen running efficiently:

  • Maintenance Tasks: We handle key maintenance tasks such as checking belts, greasing bearings, and replacing worn-out parts.
  • Fire Safety Services: Our technicians can install and service automatic fire suppression systems, exchange grease filters, and provide portable fire extinguishers to ensure your kitchen meets maximum safety standards.
  • Emergency Repairs: We offer 24/7 emergency repair services for fan motors, swamp coolers, automatic fire suppression systems, and automatic gas shutoff valves. Emergency cleaning services are also available to address any urgent needs.

Contact Us Today

Don’t let the lack of access panels compromise the safety and efficiency of your commercial kitchen. At Flue Steam, we are dedicated to providing top-notch installation, cleaning, and maintenance services tailored to your specific needs. Get started by giving us a call at 800-700-FLUE. Our team is ready to help you ensure your kitchen operates smoothly and safely.

Invest in the safety and efficiency of your commercial kitchen with Flue Steam – your trusted partner in kitchen maintenance and safety compliance.

Protecting Your School’s Kitchen with Comprehensive Exhaust System Cleaning

May 10, 2024

Managing a school commercial kitchen involves a myriad of responsibilities, and it’s easy to overlook some critical aspects of maintenance. One such crucial task is ensuring that your kitchen’s exhaust system remains clean and free of grease build-up.

At Flue Steam, we understand the importance of a clean exhaust system in preventing dangerous flash fires and ensuring the safety of your kitchen staff and students. Here’s why keeping your exhaust system clean is vital and how we can help.

The Importance of Exhaust System Maintenance

Your kitchen’s exhaust system is a workhorse, tirelessly removing hot air, odors, and most importantly, vaporized grease from your cooking area. This grease, a natural byproduct of cooking, can accumulate over time and create a significant fire hazard if not regularly cleaned. Excessive grease build-up can lead to flash fires within the exhaust ducts, posing a severe risk to everyone in the school and potentially causing extensive damage to your kitchen.

Why Regular Cleaning is Essential

Neglecting your exhaust system’s cleanliness can have dire consequences. When grease accumulates, it can prevent the system from functioning correctly, leading to poor air quality and increased fire risk. Regular cleaning ensures that the exhaust system can efficiently remove grease and maintain a safe environment for cooking.

Trust Flue Steam with Your Kitchen’s Safety

With over 53 years of experience in the commercial kitchen exhaust system cleaning industry, Flue Steam is the expert you can rely on. Our team knows exactly how to remove grease deposits from every part of your exhaust system, ensuring comprehensive cleaning and maximum safety. When you choose Flue Steam, you can have peace of mind knowing your kitchen is in excellent hands.

The Power of Steam Cleaning

Our preferred method for cleaning exhaust systems is steam cleaning, which uses hot, high-pressure water to thoroughly clean the exhaust hood, drip cups, and exhaust fans. This method is highly effective at removing even the toughest grease deposits, ensuring your system is clean and safe. We recommend that school commercial kitchens have their exhaust systems steam cleaned 2-4 times per year.

Compliance with Fire Codes

In addition to cleaning, Flue Steam helps you stay compliant with fire codes. After each steam cleaning service, we provide “Certificate of Performance” stickers. These stickers serve as proof that your exhaust system has been cleaned according to NFPA code obligations. Not only do these certificates satisfy code inspectors, but they can also potentially reduce your school’s insurance premiums.

Schedule Your Cleaning Today

Don’t wait until grease build-up becomes a problem. Schedule your school commercial kitchen’s exhaust system cleaning with Flue Steam today. Our team is ready to accommodate your busy schedule and ensure your kitchen remains safe and compliant.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact us. We’re here to help and ensure your commercial kitchen operates safely and efficiently. Call 800-700-FLUE to schedule your cleaning service or to learn more about our offerings.

Proactive Measures: Installing an Automatic Fire Suppression System in Your Restaurant

April 20, 2024

Owning a restaurant comes with its share of risks, with kitchen fires being one of the more serious hazards that can threaten not just your investment but also lives. Installing an automatic fire suppression system can be a decisive step in mitigating this risk, ensuring your establishment is better prepared to handle emergencies. Contact Flue Steam at 800-700-FLUE for a free estimate.

The Reality of Kitchen Fires

Kitchen fires are alarmingly common in the restaurant industry. Given the array of heating elements and cooking oils used, the potential for fires is significant, not only during business hours but also when kitchens are closed. A fire can escalate quickly, endangering lives and property. Recognizing this hazard and preparing for it with the right fire suppression technology is not just advisable; it’s a crucial investment in safety.

Benefits of Automatic Fire Suppression Systems

Automatic fire suppression systems provide several key advantages that make them an essential feature for any commercial kitchen:

  1. Early Detection: These systems are designed to detect fires at the onset, often before staff or patrons are aware there’s a problem.
  2. Independent Operation: One of the biggest benefits of automatic systems is their ability to function without human intervention. This feature is critical during off-hours or in situations where a fire may block paths to manual suppression equipment.
  3. Immediate Response: Automatic fire suppression systems act quickly to contain and extinguish fires, significantly reducing the risk of damage and injury.

These systems work by using advanced sensors to detect heat and flames and are equipped to deploy extinguishing agents automatically to suppress the fire before it spreads.

Implementing Fire Safety Solutions

If your restaurant lacks an automatic fire suppression system, now is the time to consider installation. The prospect of a fire is not to be taken lightly, as the consequences can be devastating. An automatic fire suppression system not only protects your business investment but also safeguards your employees and guests.

Investing in a fire suppression system can provide peace of mind, knowing that you are taking proactive steps to prevent potential disasters. It’s a critical component of your restaurant’s safety protocols, helping to ensure that fires are dealt with swiftly and effectively.

Moving Forward with Installation

Choosing the right fire suppression system involves assessing your specific needs and the unique layout of your kitchen. It’s important to work with experienced professionals who can provide a comprehensive service from system design to installation and maintenance.

For restaurant owners looking to enhance their fire safety measures, Flue Steam offers expert installation of automatic fire suppression systems. Our experienced team can help you navigate the selection and installation process, ensuring that your setup is tailored to meet the specific needs of your commercial kitchen.

To learn more about how an automatic fire suppression system can benefit your restaurant or to schedule an installation, contact Flue Steam at 800-700-FLUE. Take action today to fortify your restaurant against the risk of fires and ensure a safer environment for everyone.

Essential Insights into Our Grease Filter Exchange Program

April 10, 2024

Managing a restaurant involves myriad responsibilities, one of which is the maintenance of grease filters. Neglecting this task not only contravenes health regulations but also increases the risk of kitchen fires. Here’s a breakdown of our Grease Filter Exchange Program designed to alleviate this burden and ensure your restaurant operates smoothly and safely. Contact Flue Steam at 800-700-FLUE for help today.

The Importance of Regular Grease Filter Maintenance

Grease filters play a critical role in capturing grease from the exhaust air in your kitchen. When these filters are clean, they can trap up to 80% of the grease that passes through them, significantly reducing the risk of fire. However, once these filters become saturated, their efficiency drastically decreases, leading to dangerous build-ups of grease above cooking surfaces. This scenario poses a severe fire hazard, which can escalate with just a spark.

How Our Grease Filter Exchange Program Works

To get started, simply contact our team to discuss your specific needs. We tailor a maintenance schedule based on the volume of grease your restaurant typically handles. Our program includes regular visits from trained professionals who will replace your dirty grease filters with clean ones at predetermined intervals, ensuring your kitchen remains safe and compliant without you having to manage the process.

Customized Service Recommendations

Understanding that every restaurant’s needs are different, we offer personalized consultations. For kitchens with heavy grease output, we recommend changing filters every two weeks. For those with less intensive use, a four-week rotation might be sufficient. During our consultation, we’ll assess your specific usage patterns and set up a schedule that keeps your filters effective and your kitchen safe.

Supply and Replacement of Grease Filters

Not only do we clean and exchange grease filters, but we also provide new ones when needed. We stock a variety of sizes from trusted brands like Kason and Flame Guard. Thanks to our bulk purchasing capabilities, we offer these high-quality filters at a cost-effective price. Our technicians regularly inspect your installed filters and advise when a replacement is necessary, thus ensuring continuous protection.

Commitment to Quality and Safety

With over 40 years of experience serving restaurants in Southern California, our grease filter service is a proven solution to reduce the risk of exhaust system fires. Our dedicated team is committed to providing you peace of mind, knowing that an essential aspect of your kitchen’s safety is in expert hands.

Getting Started with Our Service

If you’re ready to enhance the safety and efficiency of your kitchen, contact us today. We are ready to help you streamline your kitchen maintenance tasks and ensure your operations are safe and up to code. For more information or to schedule your first consultation, reach out to us directly.

By subscribing to our Grease Filter Exchange Program, you not only safeguard your restaurant against potential fire hazards but also ensure a cleaner, more efficient kitchen environment. Let Flue Steam take care of your grease filters, so you can focus on what you do best—serving great food to your customers. For more details or to sign up, call us at 800-700-FLUE.

Ensuring Commercial Kitchen Safety with Proactive Exhaust System Management

March 20, 2024

In the heart of every bustling commercial kitchen in Southern California, safety and efficiency drive the success of culinary endeavors. As these kitchens operate at the intersection of speed and quality, a critical component often goes unnoticed until issues arise—the exhaust system.

Proper management of this system is not only a matter of regulatory compliance but also a critical safeguard against the dangers of grease accumulation, which can lead to devastating flash fires. Here, we explore how Flue Steam offers comprehensive solutions to keep your commercial kitchen running safely and smoothly. Contact us at 800-700-FLUE for a quote.

The Cornerstone of Kitchen Safety: Exhaust System Cleaning

Regular maintenance of the kitchen exhaust system is not just recommended; it’s a legal requirement in California. Flue Steam provides a meticulous kitchen exhaust cleaning service that includes monthly hand scraping and quarterly steam cleaning to prevent hazardous grease buildup in the exhaust system. This proactive approach ensures that your kitchen not only meets but exceeds the safety standards set forth by law, safeguarding your staff, customers, and business from the potential threat of fires.

Comprehensive Service Offerings for Peak Efficiency

When you entrust your kitchen’s exhaust system to Flue Steam, you receive far more than just cleaning services. Each service visit includes a thorough inspection of your exhaust fan to ensure it operates effectively, extending the cleanliness and efficiency of your system. This inspection covers the fan belts, bearings, and all other components, with a special focus on preventative maintenance.

Should any part be worn out and a replacement is available on site, Flue Steam will install it at no extra cost. This commitment to excellence ensures your exhaust system functions optimally, providing a safer, more comfortable environment for your kitchen staff.

Around-the-Clock Emergency Support

The reality of operating a commercial kitchen is that emergencies can and do happen. Recognizing this, Flue Steam offers 24/7 emergency services throughout Southern California, covering everything from exhaust fan repairs to swamp cooler and automatic fire suppression system issues. The availability of immediate assistance in emergency situations reflects Flue Steam‘s dedication to the safety and operational continuity of your kitchen.

Preventative Measures to Avoid Emergencies

While emergency services are invaluable, the goal of Flue Steam is to prevent such situations from occurring in the first place. Through regular inspections and cleanings, they not only maintain the efficiency and safety of your exhaust system but also take proactive steps to avoid potential emergencies. This includes greasing fan bearings, checking and replacing worn belts, and more, ensuring that your kitchen operates without unexpected interruptions.

Partner with Flue Steam for Enhanced Kitchen Safety

Investing in the services offered by Flue Steam means more than just complying with legal requirements. It’s a step towards ensuring the safety, air quality, and energy efficiency of your commercial kitchen. With a team ready to provide expert service and emergency support, Flue Steam stands as a partner in your kitchen’s success. To begin your partnership and secure the safety and efficiency of your kitchen, contact Flue Steam at 800-700-FLUE and schedule your service today.

In a world where the pace of the commercial kitchen never slows, partnering with a service provider like Flue Steam offers peace of mind, knowing that your kitchen operates safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with regulatory standards.