DON’T clean Flue

[Ron Musgraves]

DON’T clean Flue

So cleaning a hood and not the flue is a preventable method to reduce fire?

[Kory]

Do you mean Duct?

[MMI Enterprises]

How serious is cleaning the duct/flue compared to a soot ridden fireplace..fire just as common or no?

[Kory]

yes, How long it burns and at what temp.

[Ron Musgraves]

Would it be a similar situation, like a forest fire, a burn out or trench?

I mean if a owner keeps his or her hood clean would this reduce risk of fire?

Is there and expert that knwo the answer? someone that has the actual data?

[gman2022]

Most Hood duct system fires occur when something on the cooking line flahes up to the hood and into the ductwork, igniting the grease deposits. Keeping the hood and filters clean certainly reduces the risk of fire. The problem is some restaurant operators feel that keeping the hood and filters clean substitutes for a total sytem cleaning. Very bad assumption. That ductwork must be cleaned properly as well as the exhausters and all apputenances at every cleaning. Some restaurants go 18 or 24 months without having the system cleaned. Then they hire the cheapest guy, and it doesn't get done properly, still.

[Ron Musgraves]

So, what is the answer? Maybe a video of a proper duct cleaning.

For education purpose, I wonder if this can be accomplished with a mobile unit? the actual cleaning process would be hard to video tape internally.

[Ron Musgraves]

Gary Prendergast, thanks for your answer. You going to the Jersey round table?

[gman2022]

Me and my son Kyle are planning to attend. I'm looking forward to meeting all that are going and comparing notes.

[gman2022]

Ron,

There are many variables regarding hood systems. The age of the system, type of cooking, volume of business, has the system been properly maintained,etc. Many times we will go into a new account and I'll tell the owner the only way to correct the ductwork isssue is to put in a new one. No one ever does that, though. Many systems are never cleaned properly. The buildup is unbeleivable. We concentrate on the flash point areas and exhausters and gradually "bring" the system back. Some are beyond correction. We document all recommendations with every service right on the invoice. I do walk away from alot of hood jobs because I would not be able to sleep at night, or nap an hour here and there, with my sticker on a wasted system. I've seen some good videos in this forum. I'm impressed to see the level of enthusiasm that some of my fellow greasers have. It is truly a combination of science and art.

[mbryan]

Cleaning just the hood and filters and neglecting the ductwork is a common practice in our industry, and I have seen several exhaust systems that were cleaned this way after a fire. The ductwork burns so hot that it warps the metal, and if there is no retaining wall, and all clearances are not met, it will spread to the building.

You can see some charred ductwork after a fire here:

Kitchen exhaust system fire caused by improper cleaning

Yes the company that was cleaning this exhaust system was "certified" and well established. Luckily there was a good firewall around this ductwork, and the only damage to the system was the fan (and there was about $30k worth of damage to their pocketbook after we finished cleaning it up)

I have also seen several fires where the ducts were cleaned properly, fire suppression fails to discharge, but no fire spreads through the system. Why? No fuel. Its plain and simple, if there isn't any fuel, there wont be any fire.

Kitchen exhaust systems are not perfect, they probably never will be. Fire suppression systems often fail to discharge because the fire suppression industry is just as crooked, if not more crooked, than the kitchen exhaust cleaning industry.

The only recourse we have as kitchen exhaust cleaners is to do our jobs correctly. Which means cleaning everything properly, including the flue.

[plainpainter]

Will the grease police be serving warrants of arrest in the future for crooked hood and duct cleaners? Isn't it funny how all problems have their roots in greed. Add $0.50 to every meal on the menu - and there you go - instant money to have the kitchens cleaned properly on a continual basis. Penny wise - pound foolish - that's how most people are.

[mbryan]

Originally Posted by plainpainter

Will the grease police be serving warrants of arrest in the future for crooked hood and duct cleaners?

We have stickers being made up that will go right next to the service companies hood sticker which will say whether the company passed or failed inspection by the Grease Police. We will also have photo documentation going to AHJ's along with the sticker from the company that did the cleaning.

[cdposey26]

Sweet

[Tmrrptr]

Once you get flame in the hood, then into the exhaust duct,
it will take off like a jet motor, if suppression doesn't come on, won't it ?
r